San Diego Zoo vs. SeaWorld

[Maytrix]

IMO, you can't watch Blackfish without watching Sea World's response. Documentaries are biased. My hairdresser (when I was 10-17) had a sister that worked with the orcas. And was pinned. She loved her job and the animals. She NEVER felt like Sea World, or the trainers, were doing the wrong thing.

With about 5 hours, I'd do the Zoo. You can see a lot and don't feel like you are "missing out" on the shows, like at Sea World.

And neither did any of the trainers that were interviewed. When they worked there, they all thought it was great. They are all simply fooling themselves.

Fact is Orca's need a lot of room and need their family members. Doing tricks is not what they do in the wild. The only reason they do tricks is because they know they will get food. If anyone here was put in a pen and relied on someone to feed them, I'm sure they'd eventually do tricks too.

The zoo on the other hand lets animals live in their natural habitat for the most part. They aren't doing tricks to attract attention, watching them as you might in the wild is what is the attraction.

 

[HollyL]

^^^^ Totally agree with you.

Although there will always be those that think SeaWorld is great, and can do no wrong, especially since they spend a whopping penny out of each $100 earned on ecology, etc. The tide is turning, and there is a lot of pressure on Aquaria that keep cetaceans to end the practice.

On FB, I am seeing a lot of postings from random people (not just anti-captivity groups) about the cruelty of captivity. More and more people are learning the truth and making the choice not to support it.

I am also seeing numerous stories about Granny from J-Pod, who is estimated to be 103 years old and still going strong, which totally debunks SW's claim that orcas only live an average of about 30 years in the wild.

Also, attendance has dropped 13%...... people definitely are changing their minds.

 

[HollyL]

And neither did any of the trainers that were interviewed. When they worked there, they all thought it was great. They are all simply fooling themselves.

Fact is Orca's need a lot of room and need their family members. Doing tricks is not what they do in the wild. The only reason they do tricks is because they know they will get food. If anyone here was put in a pen and relied on someone to feed them, I'm sure they'd eventually do tricks too.

The zoo on the other hand lets animals live in their natural habitat for the most part. They aren't doing tricks to attract attention, watching them as you might in the wild is what is the attraction.

There are also many species that thrive in zoos because their natural habitats have been destroyed. There are good zoos out there, that are able to replicate the natural environment pretty well. I don't ever see a place like SeaWorld coming even close to replicating an orca's natural environment, and even if they did, the fact that families are torn apart wouldn't make it okay. Certain animals are just not suited for a life in captivity, Orcas are the #1, as well as dolphins and Belugas. Orcas/dolphins/Belugas live long and healthy lives in the oceans, they should be left alone.