FL - Dawn Brancheau, Female Trainer Killed at Shamu Stadium

[OEJ]

You know what's crazy to me? Major metropolitan zoos were forced to tailor the exhibits to provide the most natural environment for the animals but these marine parks were never forced to.

As an example, I remember when I was a kid going to the Detroit Zoo and seeing a "monkey show" with monkeys riding tricycles, dressed up, doing tricks. I cringe now thinking about it. The Girl Scouts took us to the circus back then too.

Today, I wouldn't darken the door of any circus using animals at all.

The last time I went to the circus, it was with my grandchildren, and the poor animals were so unhappy and exhausted it was etched on their faces and they were falling down repeatedly. I couldn't sit there and condone this right in front of my grandchildren, so I stood up and booed as loud as I could. Much to my surprise, several others did too! I felt particularly sad for the poor bears being forced onto hind legs to walk about in tutus. Tutus? Really? They can't live unmolested because we really want to see them miserable in pink tutus?

 

[jon_burrows]

I don't really care how many good works these places do. If they want to do good, stop keeping these animals in captivity. They'd rather be in the open sea with their families, and we need to respect their right to do so.

I agree. It's like running a puppy mill for $ then justifying it by volunteering at a dog shelter once a year.

 

[gypsygirl]

For those who missed it, or want to see it again, BLACKFISH is going to be on CNN this Sunday night at 9 p.m. It's so hard to watch, but it must be seen. Just thinking about the inhumane treatment of these beautiful creatures makes me sad.

 

[jon_burrows]

Tilikum's teeth at pic below. I would love to hear SeaWorld explain why this is not animal cruelty.

https://twitter.com/oceanadvocatefl/status/432237021843570689/photo/1/large

 

[jon_burrows]

SeaWorld claimed they had no association with Loro Parque (see clip in Blackfish Sunday night). :liar: Both trainers in the pic below were killed by SeaWorld orcas within one month of each other.

https://twitter.com/jeffrey_ventre/status/431190635417051136/photo/1/large

 

[Nova]

Tilikum's teeth at pic below. I would love to hear SeaWorld explain why this is not animal cruelty.

https://twitter.com/oceanadvocatefl/status/432237021843570689/photo/1/large

jon, did Tillikum wear down his teeth and expose the roots by chewing on the side of the pool, or was he given root canals so his teeth could be ground down by dentists for purposes of safety? Do you know?

I ask because if it's the former, I can't imagine the pain, but I'd kill somebody, too.

 

[jon_burrows]

jon, did Tillikum wear down his teeth and expose the roots by chewing on the side of the pool, or was he given root canals so his teeth could be ground down by dentists for purposes of safety? Do you know?

I ask because if it's the former, I can't imagine the pain, but I'd kill somebody, too.

I don't think safety was an issue. It wouldn't have worked anyway considering Dawn was dismembered. I pulled some info from an article titled 'Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Captivity':

"It is common for separated whales to bite down on the horizontal metal bars, or to “jaw-pop” through the gates as they display aggression at each other. In addition, under-stimulated and bored animals also “chew” metal bars and mouth concrete pool corners."

"Because of the relative youth of most captive whales, the roots of many of their teeth are immature, which makes a root canal procedure impossible. Instead, using a variable speed drill, trainers drill holes through the pulp and into the jaw via an endodontic procedure called a modified “pulpotomy.” This is an uncomfortable husbandry procedure for the whales, which have been observed refusing to participate by sinking down into the water, shuddering, or splitting from their keepers."

http://theorcaproject.wordpress.com/2011/01/20/keto-tilikum-express-stress-of-orca-captivity/

 

[jon_burrows]

For those who missed it, or want to see it again, BLACKFISH is going to be on CNN this Sunday night at 9 p.m. It's so hard to watch, but it must be seen. Just thinking about the inhumane treatment of these beautiful creatures makes me sad.

bump.........

 

[libraryg]

"uncomfortable husbandry" is putting it oh soooo mildly......"horrific cruelty" more like it!

 

[libraryg]

I agree. It's like running a puppy mill for $ then justifying it by volunteering at a dog shelter once a year.

Great and accurate analogy Jon!

 

[jon_burrows]

A SeaWorld trainer spewing the same old propaganda.

http://www.10news.com/news/blackfish-director-responds-to-seaworld-trainer-interview-021214

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Blackfish starting on CNN now.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

Ocean Kingdom in China Could Become World Leader in Importing Killer Whales

Indicators point to the new park having killer whale shows soon

Many concerns have been raised though that the park intends to use wild capture in order to populate the empty pools. Two killer whales that have recently been caught off the coast of Russia and were initially thought to be going to the Sochi Olympic theme park are already on their way to Ocean Kingdom.

http://www.coaster-net.com/news/233...come-world-leader-in-importing-killer-whales/

 

[Kimberlyd125]

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/...eo-megapod-superpod-california-captain-drone/

Beautiful video captured by drone. The dolphin superpod gave me goose bumps.
Well worth 5 minutes of your time.

 

[Kimberlyd125]

http://japandailypress.com/icj-to-release-ruling-on-japan-whaling-case-by-end-of-the-month-0545276/

ICJ to release ruling on Japan whaling case by end of the month

The International Court of Justice has announced that they will be releasing their decision on the case that Australia has brought against Japan’s whaling practices by the end of March. The case, which started back in 2010, claims that the whale hunts are not really scientific research, but a work around commercial whaling, which was already outlawed by the International Whaling Commission.

 

[Frigga]

Blackfish is available, for free, on Netflick's now for anyone who missed the CNN airing.

Thanks Kim- I loved the video- just beautiful.

I live in Long Beach, California and several years ago our family was here from all over the US for the holidays- on Christmas eve day we took a whale watching boat out of the harbor and had a dolphin experience just like the one in your video. It was amazing- hundreds, if not thousands, of dolphins swimming with the boat for about an hour. It was incredible... an experience no one in our family will ever forget!

Thanks for sharing.

I will never take anyone I love to Sea World again, after watching the documentary, sadly though I don't think they will ever be put out of business.

The free airing on CNN and Netflicks will, however, put a big dent in their profits. It's all we can do, I guess.

 

[Elphaba]

So, Seaworld now has someone repping them that has a pretty hefty-size pop culture following: Bindi Irwin, the late Steve Irwin's daughter, is now a Seaworld ambassador. *smh*

https://www.thedodo.com/steve-irwins-daughter-becomes--454345897.html

 

[Kimberlyd125]

So, Seaworld now has someone repping them that has a pretty hefty-size pop culture following: Bindi Irwin, the late Steve Irwin's daughter, is now a Seaworld ambassador. *smh*

https://www.thedodo.com/steve-irwins-daughter-becomes--454345897.html

This makes me sad. But she comes from a zoo family. So captivity is probably seen as normal to her.

 

[Blondie in Spokane]

Is this the end of Shamu? California politician proposes ban on Sea World’s controversial killer whale shows

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...versial-killer-whale-shows.html#ixzz2vJ80C6op

 

[Elley Mae]

California bill would ban SeaWorld orca shows

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/03/07/san-diego-seaworld-orca-shows/6162331/

A documentary claiming to expose the treatment of orcas and problems with trainer safety at SeaWorld has spurred action from a California state lawmaker.

The film, which has drawn global attention since its 2013 premiere, chronicles the 2010 death of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was pulled into a pool and drowned by an orca at the chain's Orlando, Fla. park. SeaWorld has a park in San Diego.