SeaWorld is reporting that Tilikum died this morning.
http://m.mynews13.com/content/mobile/news/cfnews13/news.touch.html
http://m.mynews13.com/content/mobile/news/cfnews13/news.touch.html
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Tilikum has died.
- Thread starter Disneyhead'71
- Start date
ULPO46
Well-Known Member
Wow, how sad, yeah there will be the proponents of captivity and the haters who will think we are stupid for mourning the death of an animal. But Seaworld has always held a special place in my heart. It wasn't as fancy, or as shiny as Universal or Disney World. Sure the shows could be boring to watch over and over again to the uneducated. But i was always amazed at how beautiful and gentle these animals are. I could never afford a trip to Alaska to see these beautiful animals in their natural habitat, when i was younger. I think many people can agree that you could visit their natural habitat and probably never ever see them, enjoyed being able to visit Seaworld and seeing them. Heres to hoping he's free enjoying the open oceans of the Animal Spirit World.
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No one's done that, but here you are decrying it anyway.
I just love how you go on to claim people who find the shows boring "uneducated", but then go on to state this gem:
Killer whales inhabit all oceans of the world. Next to humans and perhaps the brown rat, killer whales are the most widely distributed mammal.
ULPO46
Well-Known Member
Good for you I'm not on here to fight or argue. The majority of guest who attend Seaworld don't care about animals. Believe me i know everything about killer whales, growing up in central florida with parents working at both Seas and disney i literally grew up at Seas. It made me adore sea life. I'm not decrying anyone or anything. But people will judge us fans for crying. Sure i think captivity of such magnificent creatures is wrong if they are in small tanks, but i am past the fact that the ones in current captivity can't be released. I know that they can be found all over the world but it's rare to see them off the coast of florida or NY. Rarer still to see them off of Frisco bay. You have to spend money and get a charter boat that has spotters. Not everyone can afford that. Thats what i meant. I don't need smart remarks. Animals are magnificent and not everyone has the ability to see these things off the coast. I didn't get to see one in the wild until my 18th birthday when i paid for the trip to Alaska and it was a sight that made me cry in amazement. I also learned how the Pacific Northwestern tribes believe that the animals spirit floats freely in the spirit world. So please do not judge someone who has a great deal of respect for an animal he's adored since he was a child. Just because i work for disney doesn't mean Seaworld holds a special place in my heart.
JPatton
Active Member
Read chapter 3 of Death At SeaWorld: Shamu and The Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity by David Kirby.
Don't let anybody sugar coat it. Tilikum, overall, lived a miserable life. He was terribly confined and mistreated in his life. He was viewed as a breeding machine and a moneymaker for the entertainment industry. He caused the deaths of three people. None of this had to happen.
It is late. But at least now the public is waking up and understanding what a mistake it was to take orcas from the ocean and put them in amusement parks.
I am sorry that I ever bought a ticket to SeaWorld. Never again.
Don't buy a ticket to a whale or dolphin show. Don't buy a ticket to SeaWorld.
Don't let anybody sugar coat it. Tilikum, overall, lived a miserable life. He was terribly confined and mistreated in his life. He was viewed as a breeding machine and a moneymaker for the entertainment industry. He caused the deaths of three people. None of this had to happen.
It is late. But at least now the public is waking up and understanding what a mistake it was to take orcas from the ocean and put them in amusement parks.
I am sorry that I ever bought a ticket to SeaWorld. Never again.
Don't buy a ticket to a whale or dolphin show. Don't buy a ticket to SeaWorld.
And no shock as to who it was
21stamps
Well-Known Member
People have been saying the same on Facebook and twitter all day.
Have you seen PETA's post about the incident?
They make me sick. SeaWorld has done more for marine life than 99.99% of all of the social media hashtagers and meme creators/circulators will ever do.
JoeCamel
Well-Known Member
I'm surprised it took this long.....
Go back to your client, troglodyte, and give them your invoice for today....
michmousefan
Well-Known Member
I too was thrilled that SW decided to stop the breeding of Orcas and, soon, the shows. Thrilled, in part, because they received and understood our message, and learned from it. They are evolving, just as zoos did in the 60's and 70's with monkey acts. I'm sure that in a few years the Shamu shows will seem as silly as chimps dressed in kids clothes and riding bikes in a circle.
I, however, *will* return to SW, 'cause while I am still concerned about other marine mammals in captivity, I also want to demonstrate my support for the other work SW does in rescuing and rehabilitating other types of marine life. I respect your views as well as the views of those that were sorry to see the Orca shows end. But that's where I come down on the issue, for what it's worth.
cheezbat
Well-Known Member
He was quite the sight to see. I always looked forward to seeing him in the Shamu show. Sad he's passed.
Still, while many people have issues with Sea World and their captive orcas, I can honestly appreciate what they've done to educate us and rehabilitate thousands of animals over the decades. I'm glad to see they are continuing to evolve and make more natural habitats in their parks for their wildlife.
Still, while many people have issues with Sea World and their captive orcas, I can honestly appreciate what they've done to educate us and rehabilitate thousands of animals over the decades. I'm glad to see they are continuing to evolve and make more natural habitats in their parks for their wildlife.
21stamps
Well-Known Member
To add to that- when millions of people see these animals at a place such as SeaWorld, a portion of them will also develop a love for Sea life.. maybe volunteer, maybe donate money, maybe become a marine biologist...
There is so much good that these places do. I just wish social media was as vocal about that as they are about their captivity rants.
njDizFan
Well-Known Member
You have to weigh the good vs. the bad and everyone's moral barometer is different. We've been down this road 100 times. If you perceive that captivating large cetaceans was an overall benefit to the human and orca species so be it. If you think it was ultimately inhumane and no way justifies objectifying these creatures, then there you go. Personally I think there is much gray area in between these opposing sides.
Every time you post it makes me think of articles like this
https://www.petakillsanimals.com/
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/02/05/pets-shelter-euthanization-rate_n_6612490.html
While people like you sit behind your computer talking about saving animals SeaWorld is actually out there doing it. Truth of the matter is that the animal rights people would be better off working together with SeaWorld instead of trying to put them out of business. A lot more would get accomplished this way. But Peta would rather spread their message instead of actually doing anything for the animals they say they want to protect.
michmousefan
Well-Known Member
You mean like the Humane Society of the US?
http://www.humanesociety.org/news/magazines/2016/05-06/big-changes-at-seaworld.html
"SeaWorld has also pledged to spend $50 million over the next five years to expand its rescue and rehabilitation efforts, which have already saved 27,000 lives. It will provide care for injured and stranded marine animals like dolphins and advocate with The HSUS for an end to commercial whaling, the commercial seal hunt, shark finning and removing wild fish from coral reefs for the aquarium trade. And SeaWorld will switch to serving its 23 million annual visitors cage-free eggs, gestation crate-free pork, more vegetarian options and sustainable seafood.
The HSUS is encouraged to find agreement with SeaWorld on the issue of captive orcas, which has been the most controversial, and will continue to discuss other animal welfare issues with the company, says Nicole Paquette, HSUS vice president for wildlife protection."
Sounds to me like a pretty good partnership between SW and The HSUS.
This seems like a good first step. Hopefully this will help improve SeaWorld's reputation with the general public.
networkpro
Well-Known Member
- In the Parks
- Yes
As are ignore filters, identify the trolls and remove them.
Disneyfanman
Well-Known Member
As a FAN of Zoos and Aquariums, I wish Seaworld well. I also believe that the care and wellbeing of animals, in captivity, has improved dramatically because of advocates. I just can't see any downside from these discussions.