Depressed Dolphins at The Living Seas

[Voxel]

I wonder how many of you people have pets?....But hate to see animals in captivity. It's so bad when a theme park (which actually takes care of their animals with dedicated teams of1 scientist, and vets) does it? Yet, you'll go see them, then come on the forum and throw a pity party about not liking them?

Guess I'm the only one who appreciates theme parks trying to incorporate the animal/life science side into the parks though. I'd much rather see a dolphin,shark,whale etc getting treatment at a theme park than suffering as most of them are usually found.

I have been to sea world. I hate seeing some creatures in captivity such as Killer whales because they need wide open oceans to hunt which they don't have at Sea World or at Disney sea(Though there are no whales there). However, I recognize that having them in captivity will inspire more to be done to help them then all the ways being in the wild. I have been to Sea World multiple times and I plan on going back in December because despite that Killer Whale not being in the wild Sea World is doing more for the awareness and betterment of the entire species because there is a killer whale at that park that people can see.
Yes I said i hate seeing them in captivity and in the perfect world we wouldn't need killer whales or dolphins in captivity for people to want to care and love for them. We don't live in a perfect world and I love Sea World and Disney for doing what they are doing to raise awareness. However I can still wish and dream that those animals could swim free diving deep beneath the oceans.

 

[Voxel]

Are you talking about sea world??? I think there dolphins are taking care of just as much as disney. I really have never seen sea world dolphins just laying around.

Sea World is mention do to Killer Whales, they are to big to keep in my opinion. They deserve vast deep oceans to swim, A big tank for a dolphin is a puddle for a Killer Whale. However as I stated before we don't live in a perfect world and I recognize that we need Zoos/Aquarium to raise awareness for the future of these species and do to that I am a big supporter of the Seas and of Sea World.

 

[lostpro9het]

Has anyone ever noticed the depressed dolphin that just floats listlessly in the tank? If you go to the dolphin section look far back and up and you will see a dolphin near what I think is a gate. I was in the aquarium for a good hour and the dolphin never moved from its spot.

Its also possible that the dolphin you saw was being trained or studied at the time. The area you describe is near where a scientist/CM would sit and interact with a dolphin or two. We did the aqua seas tour last year and that area was off limits the entire time we swam and, for about an hour, a CM had a pair of dolphins right in that vicinity interacting with them. During this time the dolphins just hung out in that area and never really swam away or explored the tank. If we were allowed to take pictures I wold post them but the area you describe is right were the CM was interacting with them.

 

[Can we go yet?]

Sounds a lot like how Tilly, he barely moved last time I was at Sea World. :/ But I'm sure the dolphins are well taken care of here, and I agree with the post above me. This is where the CM's sometimes train them, so maybe it was doing something with them??

 

[Dog Ate Mouse]

When I think of Dolphins what comes to mind very quickly is a highly intelligent and developed creature capable of a high thought process compared to human if not higher. To me I am not jumping on any band wagon saying the Dolphin would die in the wild or needs a good safe environment to live out it's days where no harm will come to it. You see I am torn on this. I compare this to an elderly person (In This Case My Mom) being placed into a nursing home because they can no longer function correctly and safely and will die in the world. So we place them in nursing homes where they are safe and cared for. The point I am making here is in my Mom's case a lot like others in the nursing home their attitudes and will to live and enjoy changes drastically because we have taken away their normalcy and their home. I can truly see that being depressing and upsetting. Well if you can understand this then think how the Dolphin feels that can feel and think and understand and in a lot of cases reason. I do not know which is right or wrong. I struggle with this question every day of my life visiting Mom and making sure she has at least a visitor every day. It always makes you feel did I do the right thing or should I do something else. Some days you see you done right and a few days later makes you think about it again. I feel this way about Dolphins and whales in captivity. Home is home no matter on land or sea. extremely difficult question to answer.

 

[brokedad]

I am not sure if you read anything that I wrote but I stated many time that I love Sea World and what they do as a message. Also, I have not seen one person in this thread state that they Hated Sea World.

Who is to say if it right or wrong, sick or not, disney animals are in the best care regardless of what they let people see, their animals come first.

 

[Jimmy Thick]

I didn't know people could actually read the minds of animals and know they are depressed.


The things you learn everyday.


Jimmy Thick- Its like a Chriss Angel show come to life!!!

 

[BiffyClyro]

I wonder how many of you people have pets?....But hate to see animals in captivity. It's so bad when a theme park (which actually takes care of their animals with dedicated teams of scientist, and vets) does it? Yet, you'll go see them, then come on the forum and throw a pity party about not liking them?

Guess I'm the only one who appreciates theme parks trying to incorporate the animal/life science side into the parks though. I'd much rather see a dolphin,shark,whale etc getting treatment at a theme park than suffering as most of them are usually found.

I don't think that's what they are saying, they are saying they are concerned for the animal.


I appreciate parks incorporating animals in the parks and a lot of them are animals that are rescued, nurtured and would maybe not survive in the wild anymore. It is concerning that the dolphin was doing that, but that being said, i have faith in disney that they do all that is possible to keep the animals/ mammals healthy and happy.

Like someone said, it is not their natural environment, and as much as we all appreciate the animals and the parks, it's not their natural environment and it can cause depression in animals/ mammals. And that's not us complaining, it's just a fact

 

[rt06]

Also......explain your logical relation of my dog and shamu, if you don't mind


Its the circle of life. What kind of common sense tells you that any animal would rather be locked up against his will in a swimming pool than among his family and peers? Death is a natural part of life, has been since the dawn of time. You call that suffering? That's life. But oh, this dolphin will be much happier in a bathtub since he won't be eaten by something. Life without risk isn't life.

I didn't know people could actually read the minds of animals and know they are depressed.


The things you learn everyday.


Jimmy Thick- Its like a Chriss Angel show come to life!!!

The reason I brought up Gus the polar bear was because I noticed his odd behavior long before it became a media sensation. I wasn't the only one. Many people would observe and say, "Why is he doing that?" Kids such as myself. This was decades ago. It was later determined that he was suffering from depression. Some "animal mind reader" diagnosed him. I wasn't an expert then. I'm not an expert now.

 

[Britt]

I don't think that's what they are saying, they are saying they are concerned for the animal.


I appreciate parks incorporating animals in the parks and a lot of them are animals that are rescued, nurtured and would maybe not survive in the wild anymore. It is concerning that the dolphin was doing that, but that being said, i have faith in disney that they do all that is possible to keep the animals/ mammals healthy and happy.

Like someone said, it is not their natural environment, and as much as we all appreciate the animals and the parks, it's not their natural environment and it can cause depression in animals/ mammals. And that's not us complaining, it's just a fact

Exactly!!

 

[IAmFloridaBorn]

I don't think that's what they are saying, they are saying they are concerned for the animal.


I appreciate parks incorporating animals in the parks and a lot of them are animals that are rescued, nurtured and would maybe not survive in the wild anymore. It is concerning that the dolphin was doing that, but that being said, i have faith in disney that they do all that is possible to keep the animals/ mammals healthy and happy.

Like someone said, it is not their natural environment, and as much as we all appreciate the animals and the parks, it's not their natural environment and it can cause depression in animals/ mammals. And that's not us complaining, it's just a fact

My point is people are begging on parks mostly Sea World who gives absolute tremendous care for animals, yet numerous parks including Disney parks have animal attractions with animals out of their natural habitat.

As well as people who keep pets such as snakes birds fish iguanas etc.

Some people need to ask themselves why do they get a pet. Then ask why do theme parks aquariums zoos do the same thing.

A lot of these places even without the attraction feature do a great good for these animals natural habitat or not.

Y'all people act like sea world is out to hunt. Sea World and Disney are always releasing animals back to the wild, always. They know how important habitat is.

Let these documentaries enslave you if you want boycott sea world and all other marine zoos and parks your not hurting the good cause of any of these companies..

 

[luv]

Many pet owners teach their pets to do tricks. They aren't evil for forcing the animal to perform. These animals really aren't forced, anyway. They get rewarded if they do a trick, so they do it. We enjoy watching them, so we bribe them.

If the animals really don't want to do it, they won't. I've been to shows at Sea World when the animals just decide they aren't going to do something. It happens. Nobody hurts them. There is no "forcing."

Some people don't like zoos, aquariums and Sea World. I understand where they're coming from and really do appreciate their point of view when they say they think the animals should be free to live in the wild. When they start saying things that aren't really true, I can't agree.

I tried to teach my cat to do tricks. She was like, "Silly human. Are you crazy? I train YOU, not the other way around. Now feed me. Feed me. Give me food. Don't ignore me. I want to eat. I want to eat NOW! That's right. Get my food, put it in the dish. Hurry up! Finally. Go away. I want to eat."

 

[BuddyThomas]

To respond to the original poster, I was at Epcot in September and I saw the sad dolphin of which you speak. It may have been ill, but our immediate response was shock that Disney was keeping them in such small tanks --- what dolphin could possibly be happy swimming around a glorified fish tank it's entire life?

When I argued this point on another thread regarding orcas, someone (I don't recall who) insanely asserted that it is better to be in captivity and not have to worry about food or anything else. Huh?? There is a place you get food and don't have to worry about anything. It is called PRISON.

The comparisons here to house cats and dogs are absurd. A cat, much as I might like him, or a dog, much as I might love him, cannot come close to the intelligence of dolphins and whales and that is scientifically proven. Being in tanks screws up their sonar and all sorts of other stuff as well.

There is no altering some people's view points but captive whales and dolphins, for me, is really awful.

 

[Gabe1]

I saw this today from Jason Garcia and it made me smile:
Amid 'Blackfish' controversy, SeaWorld says it successfully performed throat surgery on an endangered sea turtle.

Way to go SeaWorld!

 

[The Mom]

Let's keep the remarks civil, and on topic. Thank you.

 

[Tonka's Skipper]

There may have been other reasons, illness, a injury, etc???

So unless there is specialists vet in marine life here, we just don't know.

AKK

 

[mcstensrud]

I live on the coast in New England and see plenty of ocean life in the wild.
I choose not to go to Sea World or go upstairs at The Living Seas. My preference and my issue,
But if you see an animal in distress do you just walk away and shake your head or do you speak up and ask about the well being of the animal? Otherwise its pure speculation on everyone's part as to what is wrong with this dolphin, could be perfectly fine but stories like this hurt my heart.

 

[star77kc]

Does anyone know the facts about these dolphins? Are they rescued, captured, or bred?

 

[ExtinctJenn]

On our last trip in March we noticed a Dolphin kind of doing the same thing. We found out soon after that a show was about to begin and there was a trainer up on deck atop the tank. These creatures are incredibly smart and I'd bet you that it's not depression so much as it is waiting anxiously to begin the show. If they see a trainer come out they know what's coming. Like humans, some will decide to screw around while they wait for the show to begin and others will stand at attention waiting for permission to go into the spotlight.

It was about 10 minutes after I had noticed the one dolphin just staying in the same spot that the show began and as you can see by this little video my husband took, I think they were just fine.

 

[mcstensrud]

On our last trip in March we noticed a Dolphin kind of doing the same thing. We found out soon after that a show was about to begin and there was a trainer up on deck atop the tank. These creatures are incredibly smart and I'd bet you that it's not depression so much as it is waiting anxiously to begin the show. If they see a trainer come out they know what's coming. Like humans, some will decide to screw around while they wait for the show to begin and others will stand at attention waiting for permission to go into the spotlight.

It was about 10 minutes after I had noticed the one dolphin just staying in the same spot that the show began and as you can see by this little video my husband took, I think they were just fine.

Thanks for that Jen,
I can go on with my day now not thinking about the "depressed Dolphin"