Don't Buy A Ticket | The Odyssey Online
Start writing a post
Lifestyle

Don't Buy A Ticket

Animal abuse behind closed doors.

30
Don't Buy A Ticket
NPR

If you're like me, since the time you were little, you've always loved the water and the animals that came with it.

From the time I was five or six years old, I've gone to aquariums, I even went to SeaWorld for my sixth birthday. If I had known back then about the cruelty and abuse that goes on at SeaWorld and places like it, that all goes on behind closed doors, I probably would've cried instead of screamed in excitement when my mom told me we were going to see the whale show with two of my best friends.

When I was in middle school, I watched Blackfish, which is a documentary specifically on SeaWorld and the animal abuse that goes on there. Let's just say I was very upset afterwards. After discovering the potential effects captivity can have on very intelligent animals, I did my own research. And when I say I did my own research, I mean I did a lot. What I found horrified me.

The Orcas at SeaWorld, who are very intelligent animals that have brains that need to be constantly stimulated at activity, spend the majority of their time floating hopelessly at the surface of a tank with no shade from the hot Florida sun. The deepest tank for the orcas is 40 feet, which isn't nearly deep enough to protect these animals (that are built for deep sea conditions) from the often harsh outdoor elements.

Some of the orcas you see at SeaWorld today were kidnapped from their natural homes and sent to SeaWorld for your entertainment. One of the most famous orcas at SeaWorld today, Tilikum (now 32 years old), was captured from his home at the age of only 2, but some would say that he has it better than some orcas, who were killed not captured. In multiple cases, the mother of a baby orca would be shot and killed so that the baby could be taken away. In others, orcas were taken from the ocean and slaughtered, then anchors were put around their tails as they were thrown back into the ocean so their deaths were less likely to be discovered.

Different from the statistics SeaWorld provides to it's current and potential employees, orcas in captivity have a shorter lifespan than in the wild. Nine is the median age of orcas in captivity. An orca living in captivity could be expected to live anywhere from about 30 to 70 years, while in the wild the average life span would be closer to 80 or 100.

Sea world has also failed to provide adequate care for it's sick animals on dozens of documented occasions. Children have been bitten by infected dolphins, use of expired surgical supplies has been discovered, etc. Orcas are also covered in black zinc oxide once sunburned, largely to hide the burns from the general public. It can be easy to see an orca or a dolphin's happy "smiling" face and assume they are happy, but these animals are truly hurting.

Before you buy a ticket to an orca show, make an arrangement to swim with the dolphins, or even go to certain aquariums, be sure you're not exploiting these animals for your own entertainment. But even if you aren't, the companies are.

Don't buy a ticket. Why should animals suffer for your entertainment?


Report this Content
This article has not been reviewed by Odyssey HQ and solely reflects the ideas and opinions of the creator.
manager

For the average 20-something, life moves pretty fast. You’ve got classes, friends, relationships, jobs, family, and whatever else we overcommit ourselves with. I probably should have learned to say no to adding more to my schedule a long time ago, but instead here are 11 things that can be more helpful than coffee.

Keep Reading...Show less
Parks And Rec
NBC

Your professor mentions there's a test in a few days and you didn't know about it.

Keep Reading...Show less
Blair Waldorf

Resting b***h face. Defined as a person, usually a girl, who naturally looks mean when her face is expressionless, without meaning to. Many of you suffer from this "condition." You are commonly asked what's wrong, when nothing is. What people don't know is that is just your facial expression. Here are some things they wish you knew.

Keep Reading...Show less
Fordham Ram
Fordham Ram

College students, you might be able to relate to this one. These probably sound familiar because we often tell ourselves these phrases; however, we are unable to follow or agree with these the following, deep down inside of our overwhelmed, tired minds.

1. "No more spending money on useless things"

Until you walk into a 99 cents store and suddenly have the urge to pick up anything that's less than a dollar.

Keep Reading...Show less
grateful heart

For the past few months, I have not been my usual happy-go-lucky-self for a number of reasons, but one thing that has been helping me is to think about all of the little things in my life that I am thankful for. I know this might seem really cliché, but it is so true. I cannot stress enough how much better I feel when I think about all the great people and privileges I have in my life. It makes all of the insignificant things that I am stressing about or worrying about in my head seem not nearly as bad. I have decided to make a list of 26 things (out of many more) in my life that I am especially thankful for.

Keep Reading...Show less

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Facebook Comments