The Wonder that is the Orca
In an oddly contrarian take, I submit we should allow Sea World to keep their Orca program. It will help not only the other Orcas, but all marine life.
What follows is one man’s opinion and an incredibly small sample size. It is not scientific, nor will it follow any course, but the emotions stirred upon witnessing these amazing creatures. It is a contrarian take, and as such, whatever the prevailing wisdom on this subject, it will be countered ever so slightly.
Blackfish and the fallout
After the documentary “Blackfish” was released in 2015, there was a large outcry about the marine animals at Sea World. Their treatment and fate seemed to be truly terrible things that must be rectified.
We learned some surprising things about Sea World, the Orcas, and those who are employed as staff. It’s one of those ironies of life that sometimes we are equally or more offended by the perceived slight of hand than the actual thing itself.
I do not wish to rehash the history of Sea World, the revelations from that documentary, or anything else. I wish to discuss the fallout and planned rectifications from the fallout today.
We must take Action!
Upon hearing of the poorly trained entertainers and the treatment of the whales, boycotts, pronouncements, and more were demanded. We wanted to see the world taken to task, and so it was.
A series of proceedings, outcries, and backpedaling by the evil corporations occurred. The culmination of which was the phasing out of the whales at Sea World.
So many seemed to look at the whales and the park in a new light. To see this once friendly place as suspect and somehow dubious.
After the dust settled, bills and regulations were passed, and Sea World announced they were ending their program and phasing out the Orca shows.
What are the origins?
When we have our eyes opened to the injustices of this world, one question that is rarely asked is “What were the origins of this organization, person, entity, event?”. We hardly give any thought to why the thing exists in the first place.
I find that by examining something was put into existence, I come to a better understanding of the entity in its current state.
Sea World was started in 1964 by four UCLA graduates who had a vision of an ocean-themed park providing entertainment, education, and a big effort for conservation of marine life.
The goal was for people to be able to see these animals up close and by so doing, want to learn about and conserve them
The complete picture
I am no different than anyone else. I saw the documentary, read the articles, and came to the conclusion that the greedy corporation should not profit off the misery of these animals.
As with so many things in life, it was never that simple, of course. The company was not exactly like a Japanese whale-hunting ship, hunting rare marine life for consumption. Some studies showed that they actually lived longer in captivity.
The original purpose of Sea World and the Orcas was left out. They were intended to encourage people to learn about marine life and protect its natural habitat. By seeing these incredible creatures up close, people could not help but want to do something for the environment, so they continued to live and prosper.
My Orca Encounter
As happens with so much in life, I, like you, was upset and then quickly forgot about it. Until last year, when I took my kids to Sea World. They, of course, wanted to see the Orca Whales. I thought that we should, if for no other reason than that, at some point in the near future, we would not be able to.
I could not have been more blown away! The peppy presenter, the “trainers”, or even the flips impressed little. No, the whales! These amazingly wonderful whales. With no exaggeration, the feeling of awe they inspired in me was comparable to driving through the Rockies or staring at the grasslands of America.
Inspiration to Protect
I cannot speak for others, but I left there wanting to protect the oceans and every creature that lived in them. I am not a tree hugger or do anything extreme with regard to nature.
My feeling is that if they inspired me, how many others have they inspired? How many others could they inspire? If they are born in parks and never experience anything else, is it really that bad? I just do not know.
All I know is that those whales inspired me, like none other, especially the humans who most loudly wish to save the whales, and preserve their habitat. Even if we agree that they are not in their ideal state, would it be worth it? Are there ways to make their conditions better? Contrarian take indeed.
Contrarian Take
My contrarian take this week is that with this issue, as with almost every major issue today, we should take our time and examine the matter fully. We tend to get spun up quickly before knowing all the facts or even experiencing things for ourselves.
My humble vote is for the Orcas to remain a part of Sea World to allow us to view these amazing creatures. The best part of their advocacy is that they are not strident or rude in their tone; they just are.
Save the Whales
Further Reading:
https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2016/03/17/seaworld-orcas-killer-whales/81900498/
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2015/nov/11/orcas-captive-seaworld-killer-whale-shows
https://www.thedifferentview.com/contrarian-take-of-the-week-trumps-legacy/ – Contrarian Take Vol. 1