Blackfish, a documentary that focused on the lives of orcas at SeaWorld, created a stir in the media regarding the confined lives of the killer whales. A new report has found that the killer whales born in captivity at SeaWorld actually live long lives.
According to the federal Marine Mammal Inventory Report, the survival rates of orcas in all SeaWorld's locations - Orlando, San Antonio, and San Diego - have improved over the past five decades and are nearly equal to that of orcas in the wild. However, the quality of life for the orcas, as well as dolphins and sea lions at the SeaWorld parks, is considered inhumane and harmful to their well-being.
SeaWorld officials said that they've improved their training and medicine of the marine mammals so the medical staff is able to perform fewer stressful/invasive procedures. Behavioral training and a desirable diet allow these mammals to live more comfortably within the park, but it's not natural for these creatures to remain in such an environment for as long as they do. Even politicians don't agree.
"There is no justification for the continued captive display of orcas for entertainment purposes," said Assemblyman Richard Bloom of California, in this San Diego Tribune article. "These beautiful creatures are much too large and far too intelligent to be confined in small, concrete tanks for their entire lives."
The captivity of these killer whales dates back 39 years. The Blackfish documentary analyzes the lives of the intelligent mammals at SeaWorld and how the enclosed environment affects their emotions - they suffer from boredom and stress at the parks. Assemblyman Bloom proposed a bill to the California State Legislature a few months ago that would end killer whale shows at SeaWorld. It's still in the legislature, likely waiting to get its turn on the floor.
The whales in captivity have actually been found to become more aggressive to humans and to one another. Blackfish explored the life of Tilikum, a killer whale at Orlando's SeaWorld park. The orca was responsible for the deaths of three SeaWorld trainers, and the documentary showed how the performances at the parks heavily disrupted the lifestyles of the complex and socially interactive mammals.
So although the life expectancy averages are steadily increasing for the whales in captivity, a few extra years of being alive isn't worth spending a lifetime in captivity for the orcas, dolphins, and sea lions. The makers of Blackfish and other animal activists hope this maltreatment of the sea creatures will come to an end.
You can read more about the marine mammals at SeaWorld in this Boston Globe article.
