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Alyssa Tyski
Professor Campbell
UWRT 1103
9 December 2015
When I was about eight years old, I saw a whale for the first time ever, but it was not in
any ocean. It was at SeaWorld, what I thought at the time to be one of the coolest places ever
since I could see turtles, dolphins, and so many other cool sea creatures. I could not wait for
the show though, to see the killer whales up close. They did flips and tricks but I was not as
amused as I thought I would be, mostly because I was in the splash zone and was soaked by
the end. Not only that, but I remember thinking wow it must really stink to be stuck in those
small tanks but for years, I never gave it another thought. Not until I saw Blackfish, a
documentary of the truths of SeaWorld and orcas lives in captivity. I started doing more
research on whales at a later age, and I come to the realization that the treatment and
conditions of these animals that are in captivity are even worse than I thought, and I
undoubtedly believe that a change needs to be made.
Orcas, commonly called Killer Whales, are the largest of the dolphins and also one of
the biggest predators of the ocean. They travel in groups called pods that range in number
from just a few to even as many as 40 orcas in a pod. They hunts for their food with a variety
of different techniques that vary from pod to pod and location of the pod as well. Orcas can
be found as north as the Arctic Circle and as south as the Equator, which gives these
creatures a large amount of room for diversity within the species. Whales have a special way
of communicating with each other through noises ranged from high to low pitched and
echolocation, which are sounds that travel underwater, then bouncing off objects to the orca

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that then gives a variety of information such as their location, size, and even shape. Each pod
has their own noises that they use within the group to communicate with each other, similar
to the way humans speak different languages all over the world (Killer Whales).

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background information on orcas

Since the 1960s, orcas have been at SeaWorld and many other theme parks. These
majestic creatures have the ability to learn cool tricks that wow visitors from all over the
world. They have become a major money maker because people have been very interested in
seeing the intelligence of orcas and their ability to perform. Although orcas are incredible to
watch, over the past few years the ethics of the containment and treatment of them have been
questioned. Orca whales are extraordinary creatures. The way they communicate with one
another and their brain development make them unique, as well as the life they live in the
ocean.
The orcas species, having the second biggest brain next to sperm whales (Sperm
Whales) is a species with a brain very similar to humans, especially when it comes to the
areas involving emotion and communication. In the human brain, the limbic system is what
processes and controls our basic moods and emotions. Orcas have a similar limbic system as
well and have a paralimbic area that has evolved and has become enlarged. In comparison to
the human brain, the orcas limbic system is massive and this suggests that orcas have
developed a higher level of emotional consciousness than most animals.
Their limbic system also includes spindle cells, which are associated with empathy and
social organization (Crawford). Social organization is defined in the dictionary as the
structure of social relations within a group, usually the relations between its subgroups and
institutions (Dictionary.com). This means they have the capability to form their own groups
or families even and heavily rely on social interaction. It was found that the relative number

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finishing the sentence at higher level of emotional
consciousness, so I clarified
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up points

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of spindle cells was actually greater than the human brains amount. Similar to humans,
whales also have highly developed neocortexes, which are responsible for conscious thought,
reasoning, language, and sensory perception (Morino and Sherwood). If humans are capable
of extreme emotions, orcas must be capable of the same, since our brains are wired very
similarly.
Since research shows that it is highly possible for orcas to experience emotional
sensations, they must experience quite an array of emotions whenever theyre taken from
their natural habitat and then forced into living in environments that are the size of ponds
instead of an ocean, or even a decent fraction of the size. Mixing the conditions of the orcas
environment when in captivity with the emotions they may be capable of feeling can be
disastrous and has been an actual problem.
In the wild, orca calves are known to stay with their mothers for a prolonged period of
time, and in many cases, their entire lives (Basic Facts). At SeaWorld, after the calves are
weaned off of nursing from their mothers, they are separated by transporting one orca to
another facility or another area in the park. The issue with separating mother and calf is that
the maternal bond between the mother orca and her baby does not end after nursing. A
specific instance where this has caused issues is with an orca named Kasatka. The separation
from her calf had very negative psychological effects on her. After the birth of Kasatkas
baby, Takara, she exhibited more aggression in general due to being unable to tend to her calf
and being kept alone for long periods of time. Kasatka was restrained from tending to her
crying calf and the same day was forced to perform a show for SeaWorld. This led to a
terrible attack on a trainer. Luckily, the trainer survived with only injuries after being
dragged and held under water, but Kasatka was transported to another park. In grief, Kataska

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up points

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cried out long-range vocals in hope to hear a call from her calf, but she never heard one back
(Wild Society Vs. Captive Society).
In the wild, orca whales can travel hundreds of miles a day. They are known to swim in

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more proof that orcas need to have certain conditions in
their environment.

pods for miles and miles. According to the whale and dolphin conservation, the orcas would
have to swim around the pool 1,400 times to meet their daily distance they would swim in the
wild (The Fate of Captive Killers). Whales eat a variety of fish in the ocean and are very

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factual statement with source.

smart, therefore they are prey driven creatures. In captivity whales are fed dead fish and
normally only for training purposes. The whales are kept in small tanks away from other
whales which limit their activity, socialization, often causing then to become very bored and
even aggressive (Wild vs. Captivity).
Orcas are highly socialized creatures in the wild, and their mental stability relies heavily
on the ability to communicate and socialize. Orcas travel in pods that range in number for
their whole lives. Pods are comparable to families for people. Within a pod, orcas have their
own calls and dialect that help them communicate with each other. Some pods may have
similar calls, but all pods are unique and most do not share any calls with each other. This
fact is recognized by SeaWorld, but seems to be ignored (Communication & Echolocation).
The way that orcas communicate with each other is through high shrieks and low
vocalizations, as well as echolocation. The whales stimulate this through clicks, the pulse
bounces off an object to the orca and that can tell the orca distance, size and shape. They also
communicate through high shrieks and low vocalizations.

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how they communicate with one another and how it is a
part of their lifestyle

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(Sounds and Communications).

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they make/receive calls

In captivity, orcas are deprived of their ability to communicate and socialize. They are,
more often than not, placed in with other orcas that would be in completely different pods in
the ocean. This is similar to locking a French person and Chinese person in the same room,
while neither of them can communicate with each other in any way. This takes away from
their needed daily socialization and causes orcas to become isolated (McKormick).
Orca whales lifespans are something that has been hindered in captivity compared to in

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why it is important that orcas socialize and what SeaWorld
does to prevent them from being able to.
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the wild. In the wild, female orcas live on average to be 50 years old but have known to live
up to even 80 years. Males on the other hand live to around 30, although can live for up to
60. In captivity, unfortunately most whales do not live past their 20s, which is a major red
flag as to the negative impacts on having whales in captivity (Whale Facts). Due to the fact
that orcas are such social and emotional creatures and travel so much, this can have play a
role into why whales do not live as long in captivity. Stress plays a major factor in many
animals health. Being contained, not having social interaction, and not being able to live
their natural lifestyle can and does cause stress among these creatures. Stress cannot only
affect the lifespan of orca whales, but also their behaviors.
There have been quite a few instances where orca whales in captivity have acted out due
to undesirable circumstances. Specifically, Tilikum the whale. He has killed three people,

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two of which were trainers and one was a man who snuck into the pool and was said to have
slipped into the pool after hours at SeaWorld. It is debated that Tilikum actually pulled the
man into the pool, though. Regardless, Tilikum has purposely killed at least two people
causing argument on whether the captivity of whales is ethical or even safe for other whales
and humans involved with him.
Tilikum exhibits aggression due to stress in many other aspects, as well. He chews on

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continued on because there are other reasons the captivity
of whales is questioned

metal gates and concrete in his tank to the point where his teeth are worn down (Over 30
years). This is common for other captive orcas as well. Tilikum is not the only whale to
show aggression towards humans, although he may be the worst of the cases. According to
the anti-SeaWorld website Sea World of Hurt, SeaWorld has hundreds of pages of incidents
of aggression from orcas towards humans. In nature, there have been nearly no incidents of
orcas showing aggressive behavior, but stressful circumstances in captivity cause the whales
to rebel against their unpleasant situation.
Years after Tilikums validation of his extreme aggression problem, he is still one of the
main studs used for breeding. This makes the ethics of SeaWorlds breeding program
questionable due to the fact that temperament in animals can be genetic. There has also been
evidence to show that SeaWorld inbreeds more than what is natural. A specific instance is
Taku and his mother Katina. Male orcas reach sexual maturity at 6-8 years old but at the time
Taku was 11 years old. He and his mother were kept in a small contained area when he
reached sexual maturity and Katina gave birth to Nalani (Rose). SeaWorlds claims are that
Taku unexpectedly reached sexual maturity at 11 years old and inbreeding was unavoidable
and also very rare. They also backed up their case by claiming that in the wild, breeding
within pods happens all the time. Although this may be true, inbreeding in nature is believed

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to only happen due to the fact that there are not many other options due to scarcity in the
region where the specific pod of orcas reside. There is no evidence of mother-son mating in
the wild, which discredits SeaWorld (Does SeaWorld Allow Killer Whale Inbreeding?).
One of the main indicators of a captive whale is that each captive orca has a collapsed
dorsal fin. The dorsal fin is the fin on top of the whale that is usually standing straight up.
Although, it is possible for wild orcas to have the same, it is much less likely in the wild.
About one percent of wild orcas have collapsed dorsal fins, and there is always a reason for
why. One reason for orcas fins standing erect is gravity. In captivity, orcas spend most of
their life floating at the surface and not swimming as they would be in the ocean. What helps
to keep an orcas fin standing up are the currents and constant swimming. Other causes are
illness and injury. Twenty-three percent of New Zealands orca whale population have a
collapsed fin mostly due to boats injuring the orcas. Unfortunately SeaWorld applied this to
the whole population in hopes to make the rarity sound normal (What Causes Dorsal Fin
Collapse?).

The first picture above is Tilikum. He is kept at SeaWorld, and as shown he has a
collapsed dorsal fin (Over 30 Years). The second picture is of what orcas dorsal fins
should look like, standing straight up (SeaWorlds Claims).

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to show more effects of captivity

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There have been some efforts made towards bettering the lives of the orcas in SeaWorld.
Specifically, The San Diego SeaWorld in California is working towards an expansion that
will cost millions to build bigger and better tanks that will improve orcas captive
environment. The California Coastal Commission approved the expansion but voted 11-1
for an amendment forbidding SeaWorld from breeding, selling or transferring its whales
wrote in The Orlando Sentinel (Pedicini). Although this seems like a step towards a better
life for SeaWorlds orcas, some are in protest. PETA is opposed to the expansion of the tanks
in general and are demanding that the orcas be freed. They have sent thousands of emails and
postcards to SeaWorld opposing the tank expansion. SeaWorld is against the conditions of
the tank expansion, saying that breeding is critical to orcas lives and it would be cruel for
them not to breed. Orcas being freed would be ideal, but under circumstances, would not be
easy or necessarily safe for the orcas and may cause more harm than good. Not breeding
captive orcas is the first step towards not having any more captive orcas.
Orcas are very intelligent, emotional, and fragile creatures. The way that their species has
thrived has been through hunting and communication with each other in family-like social
settings. Their prey drive and interaction with one another is their sole purpose for existence
in the ocean for them, and while in captivity, these needs are not being met. Instead, orcas are
forced into a small swimming pool, similar to confining a human being into a jail cell for
their whole life. There is no reason behind keeping orcas other than the entertainment for
humans so that profit can be made. Young orcas are taken from their mothers and forced into
living with orcas who be in completely different pods in the ocean. Since captive orcas are
unable to live their life in their natural habitat, they are deprived of many things that they can
only receive in the wild, and this has a psychological effect on captive orcas. The issue of

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captive orcas has caused problems such as orcas showing aggression towards people and
people have lost their life over this problem. The captivity of orcas also leads to physical
problems and many illnesses resulting in premature death.
There has been nothing beneficial that has come from keeping orcas captive, and there
has not been anything observed of orcas in captivity that pertain to their wild conditions that
cannot be learned while observing them in their natural habitats. Although, we have learned
that orcas are very emotional creatures due to over-developed parts of the brain, we have
learned these things because of the terrible conditions that these animals have been forced to
deal with. The argument can be made that now there is better knowledge of orcas, but now
that there is a very great understanding of the species, it is time to stop the capture and
breeding of orcas and finally let them live the life they should, as we would want to live ours.

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Works Cited
"Basic Facts About Orcas." Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 03 Apr. 2012. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
"Communication & Echolocation." Killer Whales (Orcinus Orca) - Communication &
Echolocation. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
Crawford, Lars. "Killer Whales Are Non-Human Persons." Grey Matters. N.p., 07 Dec.
2013. Web. 6 Nov. 2015.
Social Organization Dictionary.com, n.d. Web. 08 Nov. 2015.
"Does SeaWorld Allow Killer Whale Inbreeding?" SeaWorld Cares: You Ask We Answer.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, 09 May 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.
"The Fate of Captive Orcas." WDC, Whale and Dolphin Conservation. N.p., n.d. Web. 25
Nov. 2015.
"Killer Whales (Orcas), Killer Whale Pictures, Killer Whale." National Geographic. National
Geographic Society, n.d. Web. 02 Dec. 2015.
McCormick, Mark. "What Taking Orcas From the Ocean for Captivity Does to Wild Pods."
One Green Planet. N.p., 19 Feb. 2105. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
Morino, Lori, and Chet Sherwood. "Neuroanatomy of the Killer Whale (Orcinus Orca) from
Magnetic Resonance Images." Wiley Online Library. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, 14 Oct.
2004. Web. 14 Oct. 2015.
"Over 30 Years and Three Deaths: Tilikums Tragic Story." SeaWorld of Hurt. PETA, n.d.
Web. 07 Nov. 2015.
Pedicini, Sandra. "California: To Expand Tanks, SeaWorld Must Stop Breeding Killer
Whales." Orlando Sentinel. Orlando Sentinel, 12 Nov. 2015. Web. 12 Nov. 2015.

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Rose, Naomi, Dr., and Ingrid Visser, Dr. "SeaWorld Fact Check." SeaWorld Fact Check.
N.p., n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
SeaWorld's Claims about Collapsed Dorsal Fins. Digital image. The S.T.O.P Organization.
N.p., 29 May 2015. Web. 20 Nov. 2015.
"Sounds and Communications." The Calls of a Killer Whale. N.p., n.d. Web. 01 Dec. 2015.
"Sperm Whales, Sperm Whale Pictures, Sperm Whale Facts." National Geographic. National
Geographic Society, 2015. Web. 09 Nov. 2015.
"Whale Facts." Whale Facts. WhaleFacts.Org, n.d. Web. 9 Nov. 2015.
"What Causes Dorsal Fin Collapse? Cetacean Inspiration. Copyrighted, 29 Apr. 2015. Web.
01 Dec. 2015.
"Wild Society Vs. Captive Society." Cetacean Inspiration. Copyrighted, n.d. Web. 01 Dec.
2015.
"Wild vs. Captivity." Animal Welfare Institute. Animal Welfare Institute, n.d. Web. 8 Nov.
2015.