SeaWorld is a very popular “aquatic zoo” chain in the U.S, with over 11 million people visiting the 12 parks all over America. With the release of the documentary “Blackfish”, many are reconsidering taking their families there for an outing.

Blackfish, The Documentary

Blackfish tells the story of killer whale, Tilikum, from when he was captured in the wild and to his life at SeaWorld. This documentary not only highlights his tale but the other orcas kept in captivity as well.

Horrible Living Conditions 

The orcas are taken away from their mothers as babies and brought into tiny concrete pools, where they live with other whales they do not know. These whales tend to fight a lot, venting their frustration by hurting each other. They are used to swimming hundreds of kilometres a day in the ocean, but are now trapped in small pools.

Deaths At SeaWorld

In Blackfish, it emerges that Tilikum has been involved in three deaths since arriving at SeaWorld. The most recent was the death of Dawn Brancheau, an experienced trainer. Does this not prove that wild animals should not be kept in captivity and be made to perform tricks?

John Jett, a former trainer, had the following to say: “He [Tilikum] has no life. He gets beat up and floats like a slob all day – attacked by mosquitoes by night and sunburnt by day.”

A Powerful Documentary 

Thanks to the powerful documentary by the talented Gabriela Cowperthwaite, millions of people are realising what takes place at animal parks.

We encourage you to watch the Blackfish trailer or the full documentary to learn more!

Credit: Thinkstock & The Guardian

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