How would you feel being separated from your family as a child, constrained to live in a space smaller than what you’d usually live in and forced to do tricks at the snap of a finger for the remainder of your life?
That’s a miserable life to live for a human and for an orca as well. It’s distasteful some people don’t find anything wrong with this.
Two years ago, the Occupational Safety and Health Review Commission came to the conclusion that the SeaWorld park in Orlando, Florida, breached a federal workplace safety law. They banned trainers from getting into the water with the orcas.
After numerous orcas inflicted injuries and deaths of SeaWorld trainers, stricter rules were created to protect the lives of the trainers.
It’s time for the orcas to be protected as well. These killer whales didn’t ask to live a life in captivity.
Hopefully, orcas will get the protection they deserve: The captivity of future orcas may be coming to an end at the SeaWorld in San Diego, California.
SeaWorld submitted a proposal to receive $100 million from the California Coastal Commission to execute the Blue World Project, which would create larger, more orca friendly pools. The commission approved it with a critical condition.
The SeaWorld in San Diego would no longer be able to breed their orcas or catch any more from the wild.
This is a compromise, that is a great start for both orcas and animal rights activists. However, SeaWorld isn’t interested in compromise. They have promised to strike at the California Coastal Commission with legal action. The company believes the commission overstepped their boundaries.
Many of us have the documentary “Blackfish” to thank for enlightening us on the realities the orcas at SeaWorld endure.
The documentary is centered around Tilikum, the orca that killed three trainers and the miserable life he and the other killer whales live in captivity. It did an exceptional job of explaining how living in captivity can change these whales — even leading them to kill.
“Blackfish” brought out the truths about SeaWorld and changed mine and many others’ opinions of the theme park. It could be safe to say the documentary played a role in the San Diego ruling and got people to speak up.
After the release of the documentary, SeaWorld experienced fewer ticket sales. According to the Daily Mail, the company lost $25.4 million in fourth quarter earnings — hitting an all-time low. This could be the beginning of the end for the SeaWorld franchise.
Growing up, I enjoyed going to SeaWorld. Everyone in the park would walk around with their whale paraphernalia from head to toe and sat in amazement
watching the Shamu finale.
It’s unfortunate it took a 2013 documentary for me to fully realize what they are doing to these animals is wrong.
By placing orcas in captivity, SeaWorld is causing their premature deaths and self-inflicted wounds. Among other things, they separate the orcas from their families, which is especially sad considering they are social animals that stay with their families their whole lives.
Orcas are so close to living the life they deserve yet so far away.
Hopefully, the rulings in San Diego will set the precedent for future legal ramifications the other SeaWorlds in Florida and Texas may face.
Clarke Perkins is a 19-year-old political science sophomore from New Orleans. You can reach her on Twitter @ClarkePerkins.

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