Keeping the Blackfish in captivity

On July 28 I braved the chilly night and cold to watch a documentary film - Blackfish, one of the many variety of films and docos MIFF (Melbourne International Film Festival) has on offer.

I didn't expect such a long queue and crowd but the documentary was definitely worth the wait. Thought-provoking, captivating and moving.

Image Source: Blackfish Official Film Site

The documentary tells the story of Tilikum, an orca that was captured as a baby and grew up in captivity, and his history of killing his trainers. I liked how the documentary used commercials from Sea Land (Tilikum's initial 'home') and Sea World (his second and current home) at different intervals to draw on irony and sarcasm; juxtaposing and forming two sides of a narrative - that of Sea World and that of former Sea World trainers and orca researchers.

I felt that the documentary did went for the melodramatic and extremes a bit, Anthony Kaufman more than expressed that in his critique of the documentary and its praises (maybe too much). His article reminds me to not get too emotional about it, and to take this documentary with a critical eye.

The documentary wasn't just about Tilikum or the cases at Sea World and its affiliate in Spain, nevertheless I think Tilikum was chosen as the main focus not only because he attacked one trainer approximately 20 years from his first, but also to provide context - he has been in captivity for a longer time compared to other orcas.

Some videos of trainers attacked by the whale, or orcas calling out to each other or hurt, really pulled my heartstrings. I had to look away at some parts because I cannot fathom the pain and fear the trainers would have experienced. Parts where the calf and the mother whale are separated are also hard for me to watch because of how painful and sad it must have been for them.

Animals don't talk, but I sincerely and honestly believe that they are intelligent creatures with emotions and feelings just like we do. Especially dolphins and whales in particular, I feel they are much more emotionally developed and such beautiful, graceful creatures, but are sadly endangered species.

Which goes to one of the questions I have with the documentary. If its aim was to deter people to go to Sea World, or advocate for orcas to be freed then it has achieved its goal. However, the issue is not as easy as simply letting them go.

Image Source: Blackfish Official Film Site

As David Kirby wrote in his objections to Sea World's PR in an attempt to save Sea World's face, orcas in captivity do not exhibit behaviours of orcas in the wild. Mothers don't reject, or don't know how to care for, their calves, because in the wild they had other more experienced females with them. However, the management of orcas for theme parks such as Sea World create a situation where mothers are separated from their calves at birth, so they never know how to.

To just argue that they belong back in the wild because they're "dangerous" or "predatory" is simplying the issue. If I could use an analogy, much like how drug addicts would need to go through rehabilitation, so do these orcas - if we really want them back in the wild.

For all these orcas in captivity, they've been given food as reinforcements for good behaviour - such "reinforcements" don't happen in the wild. Orcas in the wild catch their own food, with their own pod.

Another issue I had with the film is prioritising one animal in captivity over the other, dolphins go through much the same type of treatment these orcas do. Why is it that, because dolphins are not "predatory" or "dangerous that we could get killed", that it is less of an issue?

Image Source: Cape Lodge

Dolphins - while they are much more harmless they're going through the same thing orcas do. The only difference is they don't try to kill you, and THAT to me is much more dangerous - it puts the issue of dolphins in captivity as less of an issue when it really isn't.

I think killer whales is featured in this because they are large and predatory. The documentary is framed in such a way that compared to other sea mammals in captivity such as dolphins or sea lions, there is the risk of the 'killer' whale living to its name. Yet, capturing dolphins and sea lions and teaching them pretty much the same type of gimmicks is OK? That doesn't sound right to me.

Knowing of all this, we have the nerve to capture these animals, not just orcas, from their natural habitat, not only put them in pools and do tricks, but also FLY THEM over to other countries to perform - for our own entertainment. I can't help but think how cruel that is.

I have no right to criticise others because as a child I loved these sort of shows (though I've never seen the orca ones). However, now that I know better, I understand that these whales belong to the ocean, it's there that they are really free, they don't belong in Sea World or whaever marine-themed theme parks they're 'performing' at.

What if the situation was turned around and it's humans that are 'caught' instead, would we do the same things? Put yourself in the animal's shoes and think about what these whales at Sea World go through, is it really right?