(someone else even provided links):
I have never understood the whole people/kids can see the, in person and appreciate/learn about them.
With the day and age we live in there is information everywhere on these creatures and their intelligence, and where they come from. When I was little I read tons of books on animals that had gone extinct before I was born. It made me realize the impact we as humans have on this world.
I have never seen a killer whale in person but I still think they are amazing animals that should be protected.
I feel bad that there isn't a better way to allow you to see what really goes on.
Kimberly's "fact" that SW spends less than 1% on conservation is a flat out lie. (Google it, you can find out exactly what SW spends on rescue/rehab/conservation.) Corky is NOT the longest living orca under human care. That is a lie. (Google it, yes he's old, but not THE oldest.) The rest of the comments are mostly emotions wrapped around isolated 'facts' and passing off opinion of situations as fact. It is amazing writing, and really plays to the human emotion without going into the whole truth of any situation. I would love to know what ties there are to orcas and what first hand real world experience is that leads her to be someone who could be an author of such articles. To me, all of that falls right in line with BF and the way it was all slanted to make it look a specific way to please the producers (have an opinion, then look only for things that support that and ignore the rest).
Try this read about Blackfish and why you ALWAYS need to question the source of info:
http://da15bdaf715461308003-0c725c9...ist-of-inaccuracies-and-misleading-points.pdf
If you really only stand on what happened in the 50s, 60s and 70s, I strongly urge you to get up to speed on what really happens at these parks TODAY: August 2014. I would not be part of this industry if those things were happening today. There are MANY factors at play that most aren't aware off, please take the time to learn the full story before taking a stand for something you might not fully understand.
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Since this is turning into emotions, far outdated information (with pictures to draw out more emotion) and bad info being passed off as fact, I respectfully back out from further discussion to avoid causing problems. I beg you, please think for yourselves and do the research to find the big picture.
The only facts there are- are statistics ie numbers involved, lifespans, illnesses, reproduction. After that it is to be decided if these numbers are being improved upon- and if care is getting better based on these numbers. After that it is pretty much opinion.
Corky spends hours swimming upside down, rather than just normal bursts of a wild whale. Dr. Ingrid Visser (arguably the world's top orca expert) has this to say about another orca who displays similar behavior:
"Morgan was also observed to spend inordinate amounts of time upside-down. Although swimming upside down is a natural position for wild orca to occasionally exhibit, it is unclear why Morgan is positioning herself upside down so much. Orca do have binocular vision which is facilitated by the orientation of their head and it may be that Morgan is attempting to view items of interest to her (e.g., clouds). However, no matter the goal of this upside-down swimming, once again such a behaviour is (at the very least) beginning to manifest itself as stereotypical, if not already established as such."
I allude to it as being bad because it is not normal. She also lays on the bottom of her tank for long periods or lies listless at the surface. All abnormal behaviors. These stereotypical behaviors can be compared to those alarming ones of other captive animals in distress such as pacing and head swaying. Often the cause is boredom.
Also....how many kids are inspired to be paleontologists because they saw a living, breathing dinosaur in captivity? 0% percent. You don't need to see an animal caged in order to fall in love with it.
I'm going to have to say that reading about them and watching videos about them does not even remotely compare to seeing them in the flesh with your own eyes.
As a child my parents took me to Vancouver Aquarium back in the early 90's.
Seeing those Orca's in the flesh is an experience I will cherish for the rest of my life.
When it comes to animals, or anything for that matter, seeing them, or touching them connects you in a way books and footage never can and gives you a deeper rooted appreciation for things.
I am going to disagree with your last two sentences and I have heard that statement probably hundreds of times.
Could it mean stress? Yes but you have to take into account the situation and be able to read other signs including the animal's body language and how the animal has acted throughout the day.
Some animals will display the pacing such as at the end of the day when it is time to enter their inside facilities or simply it is a habit and has little meaning. If the species is a social one then other members can learn that behavior, exhibit it, and pass it onto another.
As far as the above example yes it could be an issue but again different animals have different personalities and long-term observations would be needed to make the judgement call.
You are disagreeing that animals often display stereotypical behaviors due to boredom and lack of stimuli because some animals pace when they are excited over their routine? Sure some animals will pace before a meal etc. I am not talking about that. I am talking about animals who walk in circles all day long so much they wear paths in their enclosures or those who never stop swaying their heads longer than to take a drink or eat their food. Of course some animals display behaviors due to knowing their routine but you surely cannot deny that many other do so because of other reasons?
As far as long term observations, Corky has been observed doing this for years and it is not because she getting ready for something in her routine. It is day in and day out. I am talking about this, not an excited lion pacing because it thinks it's going to be fed soon.
Sorry to go off on a tangent but regardless of which side of the fence you are on, I think most would agree that each one wants the animals to be well-cared for but each person's definition of that is different.