BLACKFISH

[Gabe1]

Then why are they referred to as Killer Whales?

Because a human attached that name to Killer Whales? In reality the circle of life, the food chain that life feeds off of life.

Humans attached the name Razor Backed to a species of dogs but it doesn't really identify with the temperament of the creature yet the name stuck. I personally don't believe mammals temperaments are categorized by the names we humans adorned them with. Thinking that is a good part of the misinformation that is floating about. Sharks bite, Sun burns, coffee is hot, babies cry, life dies.

 

[JPatton]

Then why are they referred to as Killer Whales?

"Few people realize that killer whales are members of the family Delphinidae, making them the planet’s largest dolphins, giant cousins to the far more common white-sided, spotted, bottlenose, and twenty-eight other species of seagoing dolphins. Orcas not only have the largest brain of any dolphin, at twelve pounds it is four times larger than the human brain (a great white shark’s brain weighs 1.2 ounces). They are among the smartest animals in the world."

"Killer whale evolved from the term given to orcas by eighteenth-century sailors---whale killer---because some types of orcas feed upon other whales and dolphins. It is difficult to find a satisfactory explanation for why whale killer got reversed into killer whale."

--David Kirby
“Death At SeaWorld”

 

[wm49rs]

Still spewing others words. Well, I suppose it's easier when you only have to deal with 140 characters.....

 

[JPatton]

Indeed. I've stayed out of the debate until now but Blackfish band wagoning is becoming irksome.

Two of my adult children's friends are working or have worked at Sea World, Disney and Clearwater.
For all the good that is done at all of these facilities and caring for injured and rescued creatures, that seems to be lost now with Blackfish. That is disappointing.

It is good that SeaWorld does rescue/aid work with animals---but that is no excuse for the harm that they have done to orcas.

Imagine a SeaWorld park where every part of the operation results in a win/win for both the facility and for every animal involved.

After fifty years, it’s time for change.

The “Shamu” show has got to go.

Watch it happen....

 

[wm49rs]

I get it now. You only reply directly to those who agree with you. Anyone else gets the ponderous movie quotes....

But, whatever gets you the free publicity....

 

[Hakunamatata]

Does the crockumentary address what do do with the animals if you are successful in putting so much pressure on the parks that you force their release back to the wild? Are you and your ilk ready to live with them in the wild 24/7 making sure they cared for?

 

[Gabe1]

It is good that SeaWorld does rescue/aid work with animals---but that is no excuse for the harm that they have done to orcas.

Imagine a SeaWorld park where every part of the operation results in a win/win for both the facility and for every animal involved.

After fifty years, it’s time for change.

The “Shamu” show has got to go.

Watch it happen....

Blah. Posts loose all credibility when posters pose as being clairvoyant.

These are wonderful facilities, Disney included, staffed with highly educated individuals. The majority of the people flipping out don't have degrees in the areas that they are evaluating, nor have most worked with the creatures but appoint themselves experts. Not a fan of arm chair quarterback expertise.

Still spewing others words. Well, I suppose it's easier when you only have to deal with 140 characters.....

And that is the problem. The vast majority of the wagoners bring little to the table other than spewing the rhetoric. Pretty soon the Lord himself will be also condemned for feeding the hungry fish and a call for the Bible to be banned for its treatment of animals. Oy.

 

[lazyboy97o]

Does the crockumentary address what do do with the animals if you are successful in putting so much pressure on the parks that you force their release back to the wild? Are you and your ilk ready to live with them in the wild 24/7 making sure they cared for?

I have asked a few questions that are similar to this without answer. It seems SeaWorld should be boycotted but is somehow supposed to also care for these animals.

 

[Gabe1]

I have asked a few questions that are similar to this without answer. It seems SeaWorld should be boycotted but is somehow supposed to also care for these animals.

Right there with you. Wagoners seldom state what they will do to help. Just need a moment in the Sun.

Sea World is doing well still despite Blackfish and Blackfish doesn't carry the long term clout to topple SeaWorld. Guests on the whole don't care as can be seen by how packed the park was over the holidays.

Look at the Animal Defense League. They smacked the heck out of Michael Vick, short term. Long run, the dude picked up his career right where he left off. How many are boycotting Philly for letting him continue to play? Nope. Majority of fans just don't care and the Philly organization is doing just fine. Boycott did not hold together.

Or remember GAC vs DAS, the outrage. The organizations having their moment in the sun, rallying for the boycott of Disney, demonstrations. Yep that faded into the sunset too. The parks were packed the last few weeks. Majority of fans don't care what a few loud people have to say in the long term when the trend wears thin.

 

[Voxel]

In random news. New evidence seems to suggest that Dolphins like to get high on Puffer Fish.

 

[JPatton]

Does the crockumentary address what do do with the animals if you are successful in putting so much pressure on the parks that you force their release back to the wild? Are you and your ilk ready to live with them in the wild 24/7 making sure they cared for?

There are solutions being written about and talked about---on this forum and elsewhere.

I believe we must first recognize the problem before we can even see the solution. hakunamatata, do you recognize the problem with having orcas in captivity and are eager to find a solution? Or are you asking for (demanding) a solution so that you can then make it wrong and laugh about why it'll never work?

The words "crockumentary" and "ilk" in your post are telling of your attitude.

By the way, the solution is not about releasing them "back to the wild."

 

[Voxel]

There are solutions being written about and talked about---on this forum and elsewhere.

I believe we must first recognize the problem before we can even see the solution. hakunamatata, do you recognize the problem with having orcas in captivity and are eager to find a solution? Or are you asking for (demanding) a solution so that you can then make it wrong and laugh about why it'll never work?

The words "crockumentary" and "ilk" in your post are telling of your attitude.

By the way, the solution is not about releasing them "back to the wild."

Question. Would it be considered humane to place these captive Whale(Dolphins) into a enclosed lake/sea of some sort that would allow them a nature environment and a means for scientist to keep an eye on these re-introduced dolphins. Then if you still wanna make money off it places tour boats that show guest the whales.

 

[JPatton]

Question. Would it be considered humane to place these captive Whale(Dolphins) into a enclosed lake/sea of some sort that would allow them a nature environment and a means for scientist to keep an eye on these re-introduced dolphins. Then if you still wanna make money off it places tour boats that show guest the whales.

Voxel, I applaud you.

 

[wm49rs]

Voxel, I applaud you.

You willing to contribute your PR fees to such an endeavor?

 

[OFTeric]

SeaWorld Orlando hit capacity today.

 

[Hakunamatata]

I believe we must first recognize the problem before we can even see the solution. hakunamatata, do you recognize the problem with having orcas in captivity and are eager to find a solution?

I do not recognize a problem with orcas in captivity.

Genesis 1:26 is my general rule of thumb for mans interaction with animals.

 

[Hakunamatata]

Voxel, I applaud you.

How many sea creatures are injured each year by boat props?

 

[lazyboy97o]

Question. Would it be considered humane to place these captive Whale(Dolphins) into a enclosed lake/sea of some sort that would allow them a nature environment and a means for scientist to keep an eye on these re-introduced dolphins. Then if you still wanna make money off it places tour boats that show guest the whales.

How do we know we won't hurt that local ecosystem by introducing new apex predators? Who pays to establish these places, especially if the boycott of SeaWorld is ever successful?

 

[Hakunamatata]

How do we know we won't hurt that local ecosystem by introducing new apex predators? Who pays to establish these places, especially if the boycott of SeaWorld is ever successful?

How will these animals feed themselves once all the food sources are depleted?

 

[JPatton]

On the occasion that a whale does leave the pod, at what age does that happen in the wild compared to captivity?

Re: Wild orca (not captive) life spans from orcanetwork.org:

"Females have a mean life expectancy of 50.2 years, typically give birth to their first viable calf at 14.9 years of age, produce an average of 5.35 viable calves over a 25.2 year reproductive lifespan and have a maximum longevity of about 80-90 years."

"Males have a mean life expectancy of 29.2 years, typically attain sexual maturity at 15.0 years and physical maturity at 21.0 years of age, and have a maximum longevity of about 50-60 years."

From the book “Death At SeaWorld” by David Kirby:

“Residents [orcas] travel in matrifocal [centered on the mother] units called matrilineal groups,” Naomi [Rose] wrote in her dissertation. A matrilineal group usually consists of a reproductive female (the matriarch), her dependent calves, her juvenile and adolescent offspring and her known or presumed adult son(s), she said. A matrilineal group can also consist of a post-reproductive matriarch and her presumed adult son(s)."

"The outstanding feature of Resident orca society is that neither sex wanders from the natal family and its home range, something rarely seen in birds or mammals Naomi continued. However, the degree to which both sexes associate with their mothers may be unique. As young Resident females begin to produce their own calves, they spend more time away from their mother, eventually establishing their own matrilines within their particular pod, from which they never disperse."

"But male Residents are another story entirely. They spend most of their time by their mother’s side, from infancy through old age. They may swim off for a few hours or days to mate with females from other matrilines or pods, but in the end they always come back to their mother."

"Male Resident orcas, in other words, are the planet’s ultimate mama’s boys."

A son stabilizes his association with his mother at about ten years of age at a relatively high level (40-75% of his time is spent within a body length of his mother) and appears to maintain this association throughout the rest of his life, Naomi wrote."