Should orcas remain in captivity? Orcas are a popular attraction at many marine parks all around the world. Every year, millions of people love to go to parks such as SeaWorld to see their world famous orca shows. However, society has debated whether or not orcas should remain in captivity for over forty years (Rose). Dictionary.com defines captivity as “the state or period of being held, imprisoned, enslaved, or confined”. The essential parts of orca captivity are the beginning of orcas in captivity
That is exactly what happens to these poor orca whales that are harshly captured and put into captivity for the sole purpose of human entertainment. Since 1961, at least 148 orca whales have been put into captivity (4). These whales are taken from the wild away from their pods and unwillingly put into aquariums where they are forced to perform for our entertainment. Although some people believe there is nothing wrong with keeping orca whales in captivity, it is detrimental to their health and it is
summer of 2013. The documentary offered an extremely calumniatory viewpoint of SeaWorld’s use of orcas. The repercussions of the documentary on SeaWorld were immense, with their stick plummeting more than 20% in August of 2013 and attendance numbers at the park dwindling. The documentary also propelled the introduction of a California bill the “Orca Welfare Safety Act” that would ban the use of Orcas for performance purposes and end captive breeding of the species in California (Animal Welfare Institute)
When parents take their children to aquariums, zoos, and marine parks they never really think about where these twenty-two thousand pound orca whales are forced to stay, or where these four hundred pound dolphins reside for most of the day. Any time they visit an aquatic park, such as SeaWorld, or an aquarium, such as Shedd Aquarium, the animals seem happy, the workers seem to enjoy themselves, and the atmosphere is fun. People visit these places for the experience and the excitement that comes over