The killer whale, also known as an orca, is known to be the largest dolphin. Killer whales population is decreasing every year, mostly due to them being held in captivity. Whales in the wild tend to live longer and reproduce more often to healthier offspring, which is why we should leave them there.
I can’t argue with the fact that “Zoos and aquariums provide access and a vital connection to the world of wildlife and our environment …” (Nightingale) and supposedly that they help to “foster an understanding of nature and how it works ...” (Nightingale) Sure, they show us what an animal looks like, and what they’re capable of doing, for example, training them to do tricks, and then rewarding them with food.
However, they aren’t showing us the true way of the mammals. They aren’t in their natural habitats, they’re in chlorinated water. That’s not how they really live. You don’t see random whales doing tricks for you in the ocean. They aren’t bobbing their heads for food, they’re searching for it.
“ .. Animals they hold are better off in human care and perhaps even enjoy it.” ("WSPA") Yes, because they really enjoy dying. We’re pretty much killing them for our own entertainment. The Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre says that they’re “helping whales and dolphins reproduce and are raising awareness for species survival”, when actually, having these mammals captive is the cause of their population decreasing. The aquarium is there for them when they’re sick, and they try to do the best of their ability to save them, but in some cases, they can’t. They can’t stop the whale from endless circling. They can’t perk their drooping dorsal fins. They can’t keep them from getting depressed. And they can’t stop the harmful things the whales are going to do to people.
The whales just want to be free, to take care of themselves, and be with their family. Since before 1961, when we first started taking orcas into captivity, whales were living just fine. They found their own food, their own mates, and lived longer. They adapted to their environment just like any other animal/ species would do. I say, if you really wanted to learn about them, or see them, go to them. Don’t take them out of their natural habitat; you won’t get anything good out of it.
Works Cited
"The Case Against Marine Mammals in Captivity." WSPA. WSPA, 30 Mar 2010. Web. http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/1348_the_case_against_marine_mammals_in_captivity.cfm
Nightingale, John. "The case for captive animals." . N.p., 30 Mar 2010. Web. 21 Jan 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/02/Nightingale.vancouver.whale/index.html>.
"AquaFacts: Whales in Aquariums." Vancouver Aquarium. N.p., 30 Mar 2010. Web. 21 Jan 2013. <http://www.vanaqua.org/education/aquafacts/whales-in-aquariums.html>.
Cited: "The Case Against Marine Mammals in Captivity." WSPA. WSPA, 30 Mar 2010. Web. http://www.wspa-usa.org/pages/1348_the_case_against_marine_mammals_in_captivity.cfm Nightingale, John. "The case for captive animals." . N.p., 30 Mar 2010. Web. 21 Jan 2013. <http://www.cnn.com/2010/OPINION/03/02/Nightingale.vancouver.whale/index.html>. "AquaFacts: Whales in Aquariums." Vancouver Aquarium. N.p., 30 Mar 2010. Web. 21 Jan 2013. <http://www.vanaqua.org/education/aquafacts/whales-in-aquariums.html>.
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