Sea World

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

I think we can all agree there is risk inherent in all daily living activities. Driving your car, walking down the street, shopping at the mall,etcetera. The chance of an animal breaking through the barriers at AK are very slim. When you swim with dolphins I know you must sign a waiver acknowledging the risks involved. Sea world obviously knows the danger involved. I know there is no waiver required to ride a ride or to go to AK. It is a dangerous activity. I'm glad my family members will not be on the evening news because a dolphin has had enough and decides to attack.

Surely the instances of harm done by those highly dangerous and crazy dolphins at Discovery Cove have made the news, as those type of things always do. Could you provide me the link to one of those news stories that's somewhat recent (last 3 years)? I'm betting you'll find more people get hit by lightening in Orlando than are injured at a SeaWorld park.

Even assuming DC runs at capacity for 300 days a year, that's a potential 390,000 guests annually. How many can you demonstrate have been injured by participating in the dolphin swim? Even in the last....say....10 years?

As for risk.....have you ever parented a teenager? Taught him or her how to drive? Now THAT'S a risk. The minute possibility of injury at the DC dolphin swim doesn't even hit my radar.

 

[lexandme]

Surely the instances of harm done by those highly dangerous and crazy dolphins at Discovery Cove have made the news, as those type of things always do. Could you provide me the link to one of those news stories that's somewhat recent (last 3 years)? I'm betting you'll find more people get hit by lightening in Orlando than are injured at a SeaWorld park.

Even assuming DC runs at capacity for 300 days a year, that's a potential 390,000 guests annually. How many can you demonstrate have been injured by participating in the dolphin swim? Even in the last....say....10 years?

As for risk.....have you ever parented a teenager? Taught him or her how to drive? Now THAT'S a risk. The minute possibility of injury at the DC dolphin swim doesn't even hit my radar.

Google dolphin attacks on humans. I also remember a young girl being bit at sea world while feeding a dolphin. It can and does happen.

Simply not worth the risk. And simply cruel to the dolphins.

By the way, I did teach two teenagers to drive!

 

[TuneTownMagic]

OP, if you are looking for food for thought, here is my take. I just finished reading Sea World letter on their webpage (their response to all the recent controversy), and I agree that it mostly did not change my opinion on orca captivity, their history with Killer Whales, or the Blackfish move. And this is what I think of all of that: Blackfish was a bit manipulative, but it seemed to be mostly factually sound. I give the movie props for having one person in the documentary advocating for Sea World, to get that balance of opinions.

I DO think Blackfish was important because it finally put a big spotlight on a practice that has become outdated and backwards (displaying orcas for entertainment and keeping and breeding them in captivity); and sometimes that is what is really needed for change to start (as we are seeing with all the protesting, discussion, and celebrity opposition); BUT I also think that it is not fair how it paints an evil image of the professionals at Sea World. There are many conservation efforts, rescue missions, educational initiatives, and research projects that Sea World should be proud of. And most of the trainers and vets probably do have love and concern for the marine animals and do the best they can within the limitations of captivity. But what Sea World is still missing from their conversation is the fact that their best is NEVER going to be enough because orcas simply do not belong in captivity, even if it supposedly garners an appreciation for marine life and helps with orca research.

As for as mistreatment goes, it is possible that the orcas do not receive enough stimulation in their environment, and it's also possible that the mothers and calf orcas were separated from each other; I think it should also be noted that in a few of these instances, from what I've heard/read, the mother was acting out aggressively at the child and the separation was necessary for the calf's well-being. I agree though that in general, this kind of separation should not be happening.

Finally, I think that the response Sea World gave was just too vague and didn't accomplish much. They mentioned "restaurant-quality fish" as the diet of their orcas, but this has already been dismissed by critics because that term doesn't really mean much when in reality orcas in the wild have a much more varied diet and the orcas in captivity have to be fed gelatin and supplements. The article also mentioned that whales are sometimes moved for "heathy social structures". I'd like to know what that even means to Sea World, because I seriously doubt it resembles the Pods of the wild. Furthermore, the article states that their orcas' lifespans are the same as those of the whales in the wild. However, they conveniently left out the fact that many orcas in the wild can live into their 60's or 70's even if many don't.

 

[Ginger Renae]

Surely the instances of harm done by those highly dangerous and crazy dolphins at Discovery Cove have made the news, as those type of things always do. Could you provide me the link to one of those news stories that's somewhat recent (last 3 years)? I'm betting you'll find more people get hit by lightening in Orlando than are injured at a SeaWorld park.

Even assuming DC runs at capacity for 300 days a year, that's a potential 390,000 guests annually. How many can you demonstrate have been injured by participating in the dolphin swim? Even in the last....say....10 years?

http://digitaljournal.com/article/338398

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Google dolphin attacks on humans. I also remember a young girl being bit at sea world while feeding a dolphin. It can and does happen.

Simply not worth the risk. And simply cruel to the dolphins.

By the way, I did teach two teenagers to drive!

Yup, she was bitten....when she tormented the dolphin and acted in a way that was expressly prohibited.

Your definition of "high risk" and mine are completely different. I fear the large dogs that live in my neighbourhood far more than I fear the dolphins at Discovery Cove. YMMV.

I am not surprised that you cannot provide a link to the abundance of dangerous encounters you claim to occur at DC.

http://digitaljournal.com/article/338398

This was not at Discovery Cove.. This was at a park in Mexico.

 

[lexandme]

Yup, she was bitten....when she tormented the dolphin and acted in a way that was expressly prohibited.

Your definition of "high risk" and mine are completely different. I fear the large dogs that live in my neighbourhood far more than I fear the dolphins at Discovery Cove. YMMV.

I am not surprised that you cannot provide a link to the abundance of dangerous encounters you claim to occur at DC.



This was not at Discovery Cove.. This was at a park in Mexico.

Spin it any way you want. An 8 year old girl was in a position that caused her harm. Sea world was aware injury was a possibility. You have a child with fish and a pool full of hungry animals. No brainier.
Dolphins are dolphins, whether in Mexico or in the U.S. It's still dangerous and cruel.
I also do not recall stating there was an "abundance" of dangerous encounters. The incident in Mexico and the young girl are two too many.

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

Spin it any way you want. An 8 year old girl was in a position that caused her harm. Sea world was aware injury was a possibility. You have a child with fish and a pool full of hungry animals. No brainier.
Dolphins are dolphins, whether in Mexico or in the U.S. It's still dangerous and cruel.

And you can state your OPINION of the dangerousness and cruelness of dolphin swims, but repeatedly stating it doesn't make it any more valid of an opinion than mine .

I still haven't been able to find the long list of injury and death that you say is so prevalent and possible at Discovery Cove.

 

[PrincessKsMom]

And I'm assuming horseback riding should be included with dolphin encounters? And swimming in the ocean?

If you are going to be opposed to something for moral reasons, then be opposed. I just feel like hiding behind all these supposed horrendous accidents (which don't seem to be publicized much) is using something else as an excuse. I'm pretty sure there have been more instances of people being attacked by sharks while swimming in the ocean in the past year than attacks at parks.

 

[Jennasis]

And I'm assuming horseback riding should be included with dolphin encounters? And swimming in the ocean?

If you are going to be opposed to something for moral reasons, then be opposed. I just feel like hiding behind all these supposed horrendous accidents (which don't seem to be publicized much) is using something else as an excuse. I'm pretty sure there have been more instances of people being attacked by sharks while swimming in the ocean in the past year than attacks at parks.

It'll be a cold day you-know-where before I allow that to happen. Though I assure you that a GREAT many more children and adults have been injured and even killed in horseback riding incidents than in dolphin attacks.

 

[lexandme]

And you can state your OPINION of the dangerousness and cruelness of dolphin swims, but repeatedly stating it doesn't make it any more valid of an opinion than mine .

I still haven't been able to find the long list of injury and death that you say is so prevalent and possible at Discovery Cove.

Once again I never stated "an abundance" or a "long list". One time is one time too many. I also stated "swim with dolphin" activities. DC is one of many that offer these programs.
Keeping intelligent sentient animals in captivity, in a small concrete tank so humans can get their giggles is cruelty. Add the dangerous aspect to children and it makes it worse.

Sea world needs to admit these practices are outdated and rethink their operating model. Increase rescue and rehab, become a truly educational business, stop breeding cetaceans in captivity and rehab and release any whales or dolphins that meet the criteria, retire to sea pens and build larger pools for those that are not candidates for either.
Earth Island Institute is having great success at sea pen and release with dolphins. Sea World could do the same. They owe it to them.

 

[JanaDee]

For those of you that believe whales, dolphins, etc should not be in captivity, how do you propose to educate the majority of the country that doesn't live along the coasts?

Here in the Midwest, the only way we'd ever learn about and see those types of animals is in captivity. So should we just be out of luck because we don't live close enough to their natural habitat?

 

[Gina-Gina-Bo-Bina]

If you are going to be opposed to something for moral reasons, then be opposed. I just feel like hiding behind all these supposed horrendous accidents (which don't seem to be publicized much) is using something else as an excuse. I'm pretty sure there have been more instances of people being attacked by sharks while swimming in the ocean in the past year than attacks at parks.

 

[lexandme]

If you read the entire thread you will find I have been very vocal about my moral objections to cetacean captivity.

Google "swim with dolphin accidents " and tell me what you read. There are too many sites to post links to here.

I am also of the opinion you do not always have to see an animal to appreciate and respect it. In this day and age you have many resources to learn about anything. And all sea world facilities are not that far from ocean coasts. A whale or dolphin watching tour is kinder and seeing them in their natural habitat is amazing.

 

[Ginger Renae]

For those of you that believe whales, dolphins, etc should not be in captivity, how do you propose to educate the majority of the country that doesn't live along the coasts?

Here in the Midwest, the only way we'd ever learn about and see those types of animals is in captivity. So should we just be out of luck because we don't live close enough to their natural habitat?

Uhhhh...the library? The internet? You will learn a hell of a lot more from watching an internet clip of orcas behaving in their natural habitat than you will by going to Seaworld and watching "Shamu" swim in a circle waving his pectoral fin at the crowd. Contrary to what Seaworld tells you, an orca doesn't normally swim around with a human on their back. Seaworld educates people about orcas as well as Barnum and Bailey educate people about elephants.

If you can fly to Florida to go to Seaworld, you can fly to the coast and see orcas in their natural habitat.

 

[JanaDee]

Uhhhh...the library? The internet? You will learn a hell of a lot more from watching an internet clip of orcas behaving in their natural habitat than you will by going to Seaworld and watching "Shamu" swim in a circle waving his pectoral fin at the crowd. Contrary to what Seaworld tells you, an orca doesn't normally swim around with a human on their back. Seaworld educates people about orcas as well as Barnum and Bailey educate people about elephants.

If you can fly to Florida to go to Seaworld, you can fly to the coast and see orcas in their natural habitat.

We'll have to agree to disagree on the amount of education from Sea World.

You do know there is a SeaWorld in the Midwest, right? If you think all creatures should be freed, how are people that don't have the means to fly to any of the coasts supposed to see the killer whales and dolphins?

ETA: I was just corrected, there is no longer a SeaWorld in Ohio.

 

[Ginger Renae]

Yup, she was bitten....when she tormented the dolphin and acted in a way that was expressly prohibited.

Your definition of "high risk" and mine are completely different. I fear the large dogs that live in my neighbourhood far more than I fear the dolphins at Discovery Cove. YMMV.

I am not surprised that you cannot provide a link to the abundance of dangerous encounters you claim to occur at DC.

This was not at Discovery Cove.. This was at a park in Mexico.

You think the dolphins at DC are different than the ones at a dolphinarium in Mexico?? If you are so passionate about how there is nothing wrong with swim with dolphin places, take 90 minutes out of your life and watch the Cove. See how patronizing these places endangers all of the dolphins of the world. I sincerely do not understand how people can profess to "love dolphins" yet participate in an activity that causes the death of hundreds of dolphins every year.

 

[Ginger Renae]

We'll have to agree to disagree on the amount of education from Sea World.

You do know there is a SeaWorld in the Midwest, right? If you think all creatures should be freed, how are people that don't have the means to fly to any of the coasts supposed to see the killer whales and dolphins?

Please tell me what knowledge of orcas you have that came DIRECTLY from watching the orcas swim in cement tanks at Seaworld. I would really like to know.

 

[Ginger Renae]

We'll have to agree to disagree on the amount of education from Sea World.

You do know there is a SeaWorld in the Midwest, right? If you think all creatures should be freed, how are people that don't have the means to fly to any of the coasts supposed to see the killer whales and dolphins?

ETA: I was just corrected, there is no longer a SeaWorld in Ohio.

How many times do I need to answer your question?

 

[JanaDee]

Please tell me what knowledge of orcas you have that came DIRECTLY from watching the orcas swim in cement tanks at Seaworld. I would really like to know.

I haven't been to Sea World yet.

 

[JanaDee]

How many times do I need to answer your question?

The only answer I've seen you give is the internet and the library.