Seaworld.!@^%$$## (Orlando: 2014, homes, movies)

[tricon7]

Originally Posted by DeannaC

I'd lived on the ocean for years (Marathon). After hurricane Andrew took our home, we moved up here near Orlando. I went to Sea World once and will never go again. I got as far as the otters and turned around and left. If I can't stand to see an otter caged (or in a big pool) I know I'd be ill if I saw something like a whale in a bowl. I've seen whales in the ocean and can't imagine the torture.

Wild animals should be wild.

This is an unrealistic outlook. Wild animals running wild and free - sounds romantic, doesn't it? But unfortunately reality gets in the way. Animals in the wild have vastly reduced lifespans from those in animal care facilities. They're also eaten alive by predators and suffer agonizing deaths. Many starve to death from lack of food, say, in wintertime or the dry season due to scarcity (having nothing to do with us evil humans). Disease can take a toll, too. Captive animals (generally speaking) never go hungry, get excellent health care, and don't have to worry about an attacker mauling them to death. It would be better to not be caged than to be caged, but for those animals in captivity, they're made as comfortable as they can be (again, generally speaking).

[chopchop0]

And the cancellations keep coming....

Cheap Trick cancels SeaWorld performance | Orlando Theme Parks

[chopchop0]

REO Speedwagon cancels SeaWorld gig because of 'Blackfish' backlash - CNN.com

[Junita]

I just watched the movie Blackfish, I was so touched, they should have never been fished out in the 70es, but, it is only a one sided story documentary! Also, captivity conditions can always improve with technology (they designed a water treadmill for the whales at SeaWorld, so water never ends) but in the wild, it can't improve. Just think if they let the new young whales out into the wild, the ones that weren't taught by their mothers how to survive in the wild, they'd just die right away. There was an orca that was set free and was killed by a tugboat right away.

Eventually, SeaWorld will run out of orcas, the problem will be self solved.

But really, shouldn't ALL creatures in zoos and parks and aquariums be set free? None of them were designed to live in cages. I'd never buy a bird and just put it in a cage.

I understand and respect where everyone is coming from, the movie was very emotional.

[Rabflmom]

Originally Posted by Junita

I just watched the movie Blackfish, I was so touched, they should have never been fished out in the 70es, but, it is only a one sided story documentary! Also, captivity conditions can always improve with technology (they designed a water treadmill for the whales at SeaWorld, so water never ends) but in the wild, it can't improve. Just think if they let the new young whales out into the wild, the ones that weren't taught by their mothers how to survive in the wild, they'd just die right away. There was an orca that was set free and was killed by a tugboat right away.

Eventually, SeaWorld will run out of orcas, the problem will be self solved.

But really, shouldn't ALL creatures in zoos and parks and aquariums be set free? None of them were designed to live in cages. I'd never buy a bird and just put it in a cage.

I understand and respect where everyone is coming from, the movie was very emotional.

If all the creatures were set free they would not survive. Animals became extinct because of lost land, becoming another animal's dinner, males fight for dominance, etc. etc. SW and other parks and preserves have actually helped some animals to still exist because laws have been passed worldwide to help them survive. Would there even be any killer whales out in the oceans without them? Right whales were exploited so much that there are only 300 alive today, but now they are protected in part because of institutes like SW.

Wild animals die ever single day. It just does not make the headlines all the time. Just look at the dozens of whales that beached themselves and got stranded in the shallows near the Everglades in November. They were tested and found to be malnourished. Because of studies and learning about animals, man has learned how to help some survive. That same month SW released several animals they had rescued and nursed back to being able to survive in the ocean. We had some pretty rough waves in November on the East coast and SW was there to rescue a couple dozen baby turtles that got washed ashore, too. They do so much good that was not even mentioned in the one sided CNN movie. I refuse to watch any news on CNN because they are so one sided all the time and try to make news instead of report news. Tragedy sells while good does not always get airtime in this world.


I am guilty of doing the same thing SW is being charged with by so many. I confess.....I had an aquarium with fish in it. I owned a turtle. I owned a few dozen cats in my life. I owned a few dogs, i have owned and ridden horses, raised and ate chickens and ducks as well as cows and pigs.I have smacked a mosquito and killed it which means I kept some creature from eating. I have worn fur, worn leather, and I wear makeup that was probably tested on animals. I also take meds that may have been tested on animals. I cheered when monkeys were sent into space and laughed at Donkey basketball games. I have ridden an elephant and a camel.

I have not gone out to save a lot of animals and nursed them back to health like SW , but I in my favor, I did rescue a baby turtle in August from the beak of a sea gull on the beach. But then maybe I interfered with nature in the wild by keeping the sea gull from eating his lunch. I have not spent millions to rescue, feed, and bring back to health a lot of animals like SW has. I am completely bad I guess without the good side that SW has. I am doomed.

[Junita]

Originally Posted by Rabflmom

If all the creatures were set free they would not survive. Animals became extinct because of lost land, becoming another animal's dinner, males fight for dominance, etc. etc. SW and other parks and preserves have actually helped some animals to still exist because laws have been passed worldwide to help them survive. Would there even be any killer whales out in the oceans without them? Right whales were exploited so much that there are only 300 alive today, but now they are protected in part because of institutes like SW.

Wild animals die ever single day. It just does not make the headlines all the time. Just look at the dozens of whales that beached themselves and got stranded in the shallows near the Everglades in November. They were tested and found to be malnourished. Because of studies and learning about animals, man has learned how to help some survive. That same month SW released several animals they had rescued and nursed back to being able to survive in the ocean. We had some pretty rough waves in November on the East coast and SW was there to rescue a couple dozen baby turtles that got washed ashore, too. They do so much good that was not even mentioned in the one sided CNN movie. I refuse to watch any news on CNN because they are so one sided all the time and try to make news instead of report news. Tragedy sells while good does not always get airtime in this world.


I am guilty of doing the same thing SW is being charged with by so many. I confess.....I had an aquarium with fish in it. I owned a turtle. I owned a few dozen cats in my life. I owned a few dogs, i have owned and ridden horses, raised and ate chickens and ducks as well as cows and pigs.I have smacked a mosquito and killed it which means I kept some creature from eating. I have worn fur, worn leather, and I wear makeup that was probably tested on animals. I also take meds that may have been tested on animals. I cheered when monkeys were sent into space and laughed at Donkey basketball games. I have ridden an elephant and a camel.

I have not gone out to save a lot of animals and nursed them back to health like SW , but I in my favor, I did rescue a baby turtle in August from the beak of a sea gull on the beach. But then maybe I interfered with nature in the wild by keeping the sea gull from eating his lunch. I have not spent millions to rescue, feed, and bring back to health a lot of animals like SW has. I am completely bad I guess without the good side that SW has. I am doomed.

Well said! CNN can be very biased, and this documentary was especially biased! I admit I was gonna be a victim of Blackfish movie and boycott SW but when I really thought about it, I realized I must boycott ALL parks and zoos and friends that have any kind of animal/fish/bird/reptile, otherwise I'd be a hypocrite.

I never saw the original show at SW, I know it's different now due to court order, but thanks to Blackfish documentary, now I'm more into killer whales, I love watching anything about them and read about them, and I plan on going to SW very soon to go to watch them. Unlike those SW trainers, I can't go to WA or Antarctica to see one of the best creations in the world!

Those bands that cancel their concerts, good for them, I have never heard about them to start with, and I guess I never will now, but maybe they should stop wearing fur and leather at concerts or eating steak!

[abbara]

Horrible Place.

[bmw335xi]

There is a difference between keeping a penguin vs an orca whale in captivity. Most animals in a zoo tend to live longer than in the wild (this isn't the case with orca whales). Most animals in a a zoo tend to live in an enclosure that tries to copy their natural habitat (this isn't the case with orca whales). I could write many more examples as to why keeping an orca whale in captivity is different than keeping a seal or penguin or monkey etc. I grew up with going to Seaworld throughout my life. Blackfish really answered many questions I had such as why the fins in captivity are folded down, yet all the ones I see in the wild are straight up. Why the male was always by himself etc. I fact checked a lot of the claims made in Blackfish and they checked out. It sucks because I do love seeing the animals in Seaworld. However, I need to speak with my wallet as that is the only way change can happen.

[chopchop0]

Originally Posted by bmw335xi

There is a difference between keeping a penguin vs an orca whale in captivity. Most animals in a zoo tend to live longer than in the wild (this isn't the case with orca whales). Most animals in a a zoo tend to live in an enclosure that tries to copy their natural habitat (this isn't the case with orca whales). I could write many more examples as to why keeping an orca whale in captivity is different than keeping a seal or penguin or monkey etc. I grew up with going to Seaworld throughout my life. Blackfish really answered many questions I had such as why the fins in captivity are folded down, yet all the ones I see in the wild are straight up. Why the male was always by himself etc. I fact checked a lot of the claims made in Blackfish and they checked out. It sucks because I do love seeing the animals in Seaworld. However, I need to speak with my wallet as that is the only way change can happen.

I feel the exact same way. I still go to aquatica though

[bmw335xi]

Originally Posted by chopchop0

I feel the exact same way. I still go to aquatica though

I was juggling with that as well because I love Aquatica and Busch Gardens and I think it isn't hurting the cause going to either park because the company will view each park individually. I will be getting an annual pass to Aquatica when I move back to Orlando lol.