By Julia Hahn, Contributing Writer
How many people in the country, nay, in the world have to been to the amusement park Sea World? Many of us can remember going to that magical place as a little kid and seeing the amazing Shamu show, seeing the dolphins jump through hoops, and all of those adorable sea otters. But who among us has thought of what these amazing animals have gone through in order to get into these tanks? When examining this issue there are two animals that especially come to mind: orca whales and bottlenosed dolphins. Recent events have come to the public’s attention that brings up the question of whether these animals should be really be kept in tanks for human entertainment.
The death of a trainer at Seaworld raises questions as to whether Orcas should be kept in captivity to entertain. Tilikum, the largest bull Killer whale in captivity, has now been responsible for the deaths of 2 of his trainers, and has polarized the public’s interest in the issue of the value of keeping Orcas in captivity versus the danger it poses to the trainers.
Recent documentaries The Cove and Blood Dolphins have shown millions of people exactly how large amusement parks come into having their bottle-nosed dolphins. Every year in the beginning of September the dolphin hunt begins in Japan and this hunt consists of thousands of dolphins every year being herded into small coves and either captured or brutally slaughtered. The fate that comes to each individual animal is decided by their appearance. If a dolphin is big and beautiful enough it is captured, but the many other dolphins are not so lucky. They are killed so that their meat can come into the markets in which it is so popular. I’m sure many people would agree that simply stopping the slaughter of these magnificent creatures would be enough, but these hunts cannot stop so long as there is a demand for dolphins in captivity.
Bringing in Orcas and dolphins from the wild and using them to educate and entertain seems like a sound concept. These animals are kept safe, healthy, and originally were believed to be non-aggressive to humans. But then there are the hushed up stories of dolphins that develop depression in captivity and even commit suicide. One such dolphin, Kathy, known to most as being the star of Flipper, met this unfortunate end. Dolphins that roam free in the wild are happier hunting fish, swimming in the vast oceans, and doing what they were meant to do. There has never been a recorded fatal attack on a human by a free killer whale. In captivity, however, the grim reality is that trainers take a dangerous risk in order to provide the public with entertainment and education. But how valuable is the knowledge gained from these marine mammals in captivity? What is the price of entertainment?
Scientific research on Orcas and dolphins in captivity does not make an acceptable substitute for studies done on their wild counterparts. Thus, the knowledge is of dubious value. Open sea pens would perhaps be a better option, and make the resultant data of future studies more applicable. However, would they be as profitable an endeavor?
The entertainment value of these performing Orcas and dolphins, and the resulting profit, is a huge factor in this argument. Money is the motivation, and the public is still paying to see these shows. In regards to the ever-famed Shamu shows, it seems we humans have a taste for blood, and we are willing to pay to witness the grisly specter of man vs. beast. Take bull fighting for example: could it be that the added layer of danger may increase the public’s interest in viewing these Orca shows? And in regards to the ever entertaining dolphin shows, what human being can honestly resist the adorable dolphins jumping through hoops, balancing balls on their noses, and doing tricks for their treats? But we also must realize as humans that these acts are not natural for these animals. Dolphins and Orcas alike are wild animals; they have not been domesticated over hundreds of years like house cats and dogs.
But an excess of ethics rarely turns a profit. The reasons for these attacks are unknown, and thus cannot be minimized or eliminated. The fact remains that if Tilikum was not in captivity, then he would not have killed Ms. Brandeau. Yet no one is releasing any Orcas. And plenty of people know now the horrid way in which these dolphins are captured, but still nobody wants to give up going to see them at Sea World. So the shows continue, and the profits roll in.