What do you guys think about Seaworld?

[skidoot]

I was arguing a bit with a friend about this a few days ago. She said that Seaworld has an excellent reintroduction program and is akin to zoos (though this is another topic entirely, I am for zoos. They've saved keystone species and brought animals off of the endangered species list) when it comes to endangered species and breeding programs. She also said that Blackfish is outdated. Personally I still think orcas are too huge to have in captivity. I'm glad that Seaworld no longer captures orcas from the wild, but I don't think whales are meant to be in captivity, and Seaworld's past record of abuse makes them untrustworthy in my opinion.
What do you guys think?

 

[Xme]

I think they are like the zoo. They try to help, they try to entertain. Then social media and outspoken people make it a huge negative thing and everyone jumps on the bandwagon.

 

[moonford]

They treat the marine wildlife that they "care for" like they are literally nothing and mean nothing when they in fact do mean something.

The Orcas are extremely dangerous and should be kept away from human exploitation, they have killed way too many people at SeaWorld, http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-16920866 and http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-us-canada-12920267 support the fact that these beautiful animals should not be in the public eye as they will harm even the most qualified people like that woman, they are not handled well and I personally think they shouldn't be controlled like the way they are, they deserve freedom, and that goes for animals in captivity that are treated like trash and are not suited to interact with humans.

Watch any documentary about SeaWorld there isn't any that support it, that should tell you something, using animals for human entertainment is wrong in every way.

 

[Haskell]

They treat the marine life they're advertising like absolute garbage.

 

[Antonio]

"Momma, look at that that black and white fish! Is it a dinosaur? Did you see it do tricks? Can i have one, mommy?"

Mom: SHUTUPPPP

- - - Post Merge - - -

"Momma, look at that that black and white fish! Is it a dinosaur? Did you see it do tricks? Can i have one, mommy?"

Mom: SHUTUPPPP

 

[hamster]

I don't know much, but I watched the documentary "Blackfish" ages ago and SeaWorld claims it to be propaganda. Whales aren't meant to be in captivity, especially if there's nothing wrong with them. Apparently an Orca's life expectancy rapidly decreases when in captivity, so it just shows that they're in poor conditions, however this is just from an article and I haven't really looked up as much as I should so I can't make a decision. It's a shame though that they have to live in unnatural conditions, tanks that are probably like a bathtub to them when they should be out in the sea. All I can say is it's like a zoo and the purpose is just money and entertainment to human kind.

 

[skidoot]

I don't know much, but I watched the documentary "Blackfish" ages ago and SeaWorld claims it to be propaganda. Whales aren't meant to be in captivity, especially if there's nothing wrong with them. Apparently an Orca's life expectancy rapidly decreases when in captivity, so it just shows that they're in poor conditions, however this is just from an article and I haven't really looked up as much as I should so I can't make a decision. It's a shame though that they have to live in unnatural conditions, tanks that are probably like a bathtub to them when they should be out in the sea. All I can say is it's like a zoo and the purpose is just money and entertainment to human kind.

Zoos do have a purpose beyond money and entertainment (most are non-profit actually), though I agree that it's sad to have such large animals in a tiny enclosure. I think it would be difficult to keep a whale in captivity and also give it the care it needs. Perhaps by sectioning off pieces of ocean for them like they do for whelk farming, but that's not quite so glamorous as having a public display, so I imagine funding would be difficult. Still I think Seaworld should just be a regular aquarium and have smaller marine animals.

 

[DJStarstryker]

Honestly, the same could be said for a lot of large animals in regular zoos. Even when they give lions large enclosures, they are still nowhere near the size that a lion's territory would be in the wild. And cheetahs, animals that usually have huge amounts of space to run in the wild? Forget it.

I have a love/hate relationship with zoos myself, but my point is if that you are judging Seaworld for having large animals in small areas - animals that shouldn't be kept on display and should be in the wild - zoos are guilty of the exact same thing.

 

[Cynicat]

I'm not necessarily against zoo's, and I see sea life as some form of a zoo. I think they contribitute to educating people about animals and that's not a bad thing. But I do think it's immoral to keep such large animals in small enclosures. I'm also not a big fan of the entertainment it's supposed to bring to humans. I dont think it's right to claim that that's what animals are supposed to be for us humans, entertainment.

 

[skidoot]

Honestly, the same could be said for a lot of large animals in regular zoos. Even when they give lions large enclosures, they are still nowhere near the size that a lion's territory would be in the wild. And cheetahs, animals that usually have huge amounts of space to run in the wild? Forget it.

I have a love/hate relationship with zoos myself, but my point is if that you are judging Seaworld for having large animals in small areas - animals that shouldn't be kept on display and should be in the wild - zoos are guilty of the exact same thing.

The seaworld orcas have been kept in enclosures where their tail and nose touch both sides of their enclosure. Most zoos give their large animals (especially the migratory ones... lions don't really move a whole lot, they mostly stay within what they consider their territory, and sleep for large periods of time) enough room to move and exercise. Like cheetahs are given toys to chase with a range to run in every day. Most zoo animals live longer in captivity than they do in the wild, but orcas die something like 30years sooner than they should.

 

[Tao]

using animals for human entertainment is wrong in every way.

Well, it's either have them be entertainment for customers or have no funding.

Say what you will, but there would be a bunch more extinct species is if wasn't for Zoo's/aquariums/etc, and it ain't free to run those places.

 

[Bowie]

You people don't know the half of what SeaWorld do. Trust me. Keeping them in small facilities is the least of their problem.

They are easily the most messed up establishment I've seen for animals, and it makes me sick to think people still choose to go there. There's a really wonderful documentary called Blackfish which goes into graphic detail about what they go through and are still going through today. If you think that SeaWorld's practices are totally fine and humane, watch it and then try to justify their actions, because I can guarantee you won't be able to.

Tilikum (the main whale of the documentary) died recently, while in captivity. Broke my heart. Action needs taken now, because there are creatures on this planet that need our help and we just let them be treated this way. It's sick.

 

[moonford]

Well, it's either have them be entertainment for customers or have no funding.

Say what you will, but there would be a bunch more extinct species is if wasn't for Zoo's/aquariums/etc, and it ain't free to run those places.

Im against zoo's and aquarium's that mistreat there animals, SeaWorld is literal garbadge and shouldn't be funded at all, they mistreat those animals and don't know how to handle them that well if Orcas have killed people and Dolphins have bitten people on several occasions.
They shouldn't be used for entertainment purposes if they harm people and if people mistreat them.

I'm okay with Zoos and Aquariums that treat their animals well and allow them to be happy, there should be a fee if a person what's to go into them for funding instead of torturing animals, mistreating them and so on.

I already knew why they do what they do but its just not right in my opinion.

The reason why there going extinct in the first place is because of us, so its only fair that we take care of them.

 

[KatRose]

You people don't know the half of what SeaWorld do. Trust me. Keeping them in small facilities is the least of their problem.

They are easily the most messed up establishment I've seen for animals, and it makes me sick to think people still choose to go there. There's a really wonderful documentary called Blackfish which goes into graphic detail about what they go through and are still going through today. If you think that SeaWorld's practices are totally fine and humane, watch it and then try to justify their actions, because I can guarantee you won't be able to.

Tilikum (the main whale of the documentary) died recently, while in captivity. Broke my heart. Action needs taken now, because there are creatures on this planet that need our help and we just let them be treated this way. It's sick.

Blackfish is an incredible movie. After watching it a couple of years back, I decided I would never support such an abominable organization. The worst part is though that some people do watch that documentary, and can justify their actions by saying it's all false information. It's so obviously not just allegations when multiple ex-employees of SeaWorld come out and say the same kind of horrible things about what they do to the animals there. It is absolutely heartbreaking and I sincerely hope that SeaWorld faces at least some kind of repercussions for the things they've done there.

 

[Haskell]

I hate all zoos unless they're rehabilitation centers - catch and release.

Or if that animal is endangered and it is necessary to captive them.

 

[cIementine]

i went once when i was about six and even then i felt bad for the animals. it's an inhumane organisation and the treatment of the animals can't be justified.
i wonder if i'm being hypocritical because i still visit the aquarium they have in epcot at disney world (out of necessity, since i like to ride the nemo and friends ride and end up looking at the sea animals on the way out) and i don't know much about what they do with the animals and how they're treated. all i know is they take in injured manatees.

 

[Corrie]

It's complicated cause I believe the animals could definitely be treated better but it's really cool they have managed to save species.

Making money off captured animals is messed up to me through.

 

[nintendofan85]

I don't see anything wrong with animals being used for entertainment, actually, just long as they aren't being abused.

 

[Mega_Cabbage]

I don't really like how they automatically assume that it's the animal's/zoo's fault that a human gets hurt even though it was clearly the person's fault for walking/falling into the bear pit or dropping their kids in the cheetah pit. However, I don't mind aquariums/zoos that don't abuse their animals. The animals are getting fed on a regular basis, so I don't think that they would need to wander around for miles to get food like they do in the wild.

 

[Tobia]

I am not a fan of zoos or sea world. But sea world is not a nonprofit organization like most zoos. They are in it to make money. This is what Google said about their profit:
Most zoos are nonprofit organizations. SeaWorld isn't. SeaWorld is a publicly traded company that brought in $1.46 billion in revenue from its 11 theme parks last year. (Three are SeaWorld parks.)

Sea world is out there to make money not rehabitate sea life or make their lives happy. They put on shows with orcas, put them in wa too small tanks and just don't seem to care. You can read about it a ton, it's not just loud mouth people talking trash about SeaWorld. There's tons of employees who talk about how bad the coniditions are for the whales and how they're treated.