In 1970, off the coast of Washington, a group of marine mammal researchers herded and captured over 90 orcas into a large, three-acre net using speedboats, airplanes, and even loud explosives. The whales frantically searched for a way out. The deafening sound of the orca’s squeals, clicks, and screams were heard for miles. Young calves were ripped from their mothers while they helplessly watched their children being taken away from them. The whales did not stand a chance and this was only the beginning of their suffering. This was the first of many violent captures that would set a horrific precedent for years to come. Between the years of 1970 and 1985, off the coast of Washington and British Columbia, 307 orcas were captured and 55 were sent to SeaWorld where they would perform and die in small cement tanks. SeaWorld has a long and brutal history with the capture and confinement of orcas including premature death of the whales and even death of multiple SeaWorld trainers. For many years, things went unchanged and the whales continued to be hunted and sold into entertainment. One thing that started a change was the film, Blackfish. Blackfish is a documentary film that exposes the shocking side of SeaWorld. The film sparked a movement that shifted the public opinion on the once magical SeaWorld to a much darker atmosphere. By keeping whales in captivity, SeaWorld continues to endanger not only the lives of the whales, but the trainers who interact with them every day. 

Keeping animals in captivity is a tradition that dates back to 1752 with the creation of the very first zoo in Austria. Why is it that animals that are kept in cages seem to be so entertaining? The whale, in particular, is an incredible beast that catches the eyes of everyone who sees the giants. While the concept of marine sanctuary parks seems to be beneficial, most parks and aquariums are designed with the needs of profit in mind rather than the needs of the animals. Many animals in zoos and aquariums exhibit abnormal behavior as a result of being taken away from their natural environments and social structures. The use of animals as “entertainers” removes them from their natural habitat, often involves cruel training methods, and deprives them of the ability to freely engage in social and instinctual behaviors.  

Despite their massive size, orca whales are no exception to the list of animals kept in captivity. Beginning in 1961, orca whales were captured and sold for either economic purposes or into entertainment. The whales were taken from their families only to be placed in an artificial social group which resemble nothing of what a natural environment is like. Orca “whales” are not even technically whales. Scientifically, they belong in the dolphin family. Their brain structure is so similar to that of a dolphin that they were placed in the same scientific classification. In fact, killer whales have the second-biggest brains among all ocean mammals, weighing as much as 15 pounds. Neuroscientist Lori Marino and a team of researchers led a study that examined an MRI of a deceased captive whale and their findings are incredible. They found that orcas are a cultural species, capable of communication skills, social groups, and even the ability to pass down hunting techniques that last generations. These are the only other creatures on the planet, besides humans, that have exhibited traits based off culture they have experienced.  

Considering whales and dolphins as a cultural species is a breakthrough in the science world. There are only two mammals that share the same complexity as humans, whales and dolphins. Both of these animals have a shockingly developed neocortex, which is responsible for higher-order thinking, language, and conscious thought. But the similarities do not stop there. The spindle nerves that humans have that are responsible for social cognition, emotion, and self-awareness are three times more present in whales than in humans. So what does this mean? Essentially, whales are capable of having a best friend as well as experiencing intense emotion such as happiness, grief, anger, sadness, and love. 

When a helpless orca is ripped from its family and taken into captivity, they experience the pain, sadness, and anger three times as much as a human would. From the ocean, the captured orca whales are then taken to their new concrete home with the highest paying customer. In most cases, SeaWorld would purchase the whales and move them straight into their microscopic facilities. No matter how big of a tank SeaWorld builds, it will never be big enough to reflect that of the whale’s natural environment. In an interview done with CNN, SeaWorld’s Vice President of Communications, Fred Jacobs, attempts to justify the size of the living conditions for the whales. “Our killer whale habitats are the largest and most sophisticated ever constructed for a marine mammal: 7 million gallons of continually filtered and chilled water” (Jacobs). Killer whales in the wild have an average of 1,000 feet of depth to dive versus the 50 feet they have in the “state-of-the-art” facility at SeaWorld. Also, the tanks only span 350 feet, or 0.07 miles. Scientists are currently following a pod of wild killer whales that have averaged swimming 138 miles per day. The confinement of these cramped conditions is what is believed to have led to psychological damage in many whales. 

When a human is kidnapped, the psychological damage of being taken is similar to that of other extreme trauma such as experiencing a terrorist attack. A traumatic experience like this impairs the brain, but more specifically, the cognitive, emotional, and social parts of the brain. Considering the similarities in brain structure between humans and whales, it can be determined that whales go through very similar post traumatic physical damage. After a whale is taken, or “kidnapped,” in a sense, they instantly become hypervigilant meaning their brain is in cognitive disarray. The whales are in a constant state of fear, anger, and confusion. Not to mention the social withdrawal, irritability, and avoidance that 100% of captured orca whales exhibit. So, in 2010, when neuroscientist Lori Marino conducted a study exploring the brain of a dead captured orca whale, she found that the killer whales have potential to live up to their name.

In the wild, there have been 0 recorded killer whale attacks on humans. When a team of researchers conducted a study to see whether or not a whale is capable of killing a human, they came across some shocking results. Although killer whales have shown no sign of aggression toward humans in their natural habitat, the research team was not surprised when they discovered that the world’s biggest, most powerful, and possibly smartest predator that has been trapped and confined in a tank for years could have a deadly encounter with a human. Lori Marino, the leader of the study weighed in on her findings. “"I'm not trying to second-guess what was in this particular whale's mind," said Marino, "But, certainly, if we are talking about whether killer whales have the wherewithal and the cognitive capacity to intentionally strike out at someone, or to be angry, or to really know what they are doing, I would have to say the answer is yes” (Spear). This study was conducted shortly after a SeaWorld trainer was attacked and killed by a whale she trained with every day. Not only did it shock the community, but the death would lead to the creation of a documentary film that would expose the marine park industry of their less than ethical practices. 

Shot for only $76,000 and initially released in only five cinemas, Blackfish didn’t immediately look like it would change a small corner of the world. The main focus of the documentary centers around one specific whale, Tilikum, and his involvement in the death of several people including an experienced SeaWorld trainer. Gabriela Cowperthwaite, the creator and director of the film, was interviewed by CNN about her motivation behind the creation of the documentary. She recalls thinking to herself, “Something wasn't right. I remember asking someone why an orca -- a highly intelligent animal -- would attack its trainer or essentially ‘bite the hand that feeds it’” (Cowperthwaite). After hearing the news about the death of SeaWorld trainer, Dawn Brancheau, Gabriela decided she would set out to find the truth about what exactly happened to the trainer. Little did she know, she would uncover years of cruelty towards these animals. 

The film begins with old footage of a whale hunt happening off the coast of Washington state. Here is where they captured 2-year-old Tilikum. Still considered a baby, Tilikum was brought to an aquatic animal facility in British Columbia called, Sealand. This is where the neurotic behavior of the young whale would begin to sprout. The whale was kept in a small 20 by 30-foot box, along with two other whales, each night for ten or so hours a night. The trainers also used punishment as a training method and the whales would occasionally go days without food. These things combined with the stress of the new environment led to what became Tilikum’s first “incident”, the death of Keltie Byrne, who was a young trainer at the Sealand facility. Eyewitnesses say she was walking on the deck when she tripped and fell into the tank with the three whales. As she was pulling herself up, Tilikum swam towards her and grabbed her by the foot. As the 22-and-a-half-foot beast dragged her under the water, people became worried when she didn’t resurface. Finally, a ripple in the water and Keltie came up for air but unfortunately, this would be her last breath. The whale followed her to the surface, dragged her to the bottom, and killed her. Shortly after, the park decided it was time to shut down. They kept the incident very quiet and put the blame on a trainer error. They were forced to sell the three whales and SeaWorld jumped all over Tilikum without knowing that he was potentially at fault for the death of Keltie. Tilikum was transported from Sealand in British Columbia to a new SeaWorld facility in Orlando, Florida. 

After adjusting to his new life in Orlando, Tilikum seemed to be doing okay but some consider this the “calm before the storm.” He showed slight signs of aggression but at this point, it became a common thing for trainers to deal with. There were no incidents with Tilikum for almost ten years after being at the facility until one night, a man decided he wanted to sneak into SeaWorld and dive into one of the whales tanks. Unfortunately, he chose the wrong tank and ended up with Tilikum who has a history of aggression and even murder. The next morning the man was found dead in the tank with severe slash marks on both his ankles and arms. However, SeaWorld released a legal statement covering up the death. The representatives of SeaWorld told press the death was due to hypothermia and not the whale. SeaWorld would rather endanger their employees by continuing to allow them to be in the water with the whales, even after gaining knowledge of what Tilikum is capable of. For ten more years, trainers risked their lives unknowingly swimming in the same tank as a 22 foot killer. Finally, the last straw was pulled. On February 24th, 2010, while doing the last show of the night, Dawn Brancheau, an experienced and well-known trainer, was attacked and killed by Tilikum. This time, however, the incident was caught on a cell phone camera leaving SeaWorld with little room to cover up this death. SeaWorld made the decision not to do an interview or comment on anything about Blackfish. This was very suspicious to some people and made it seem like the park had something to hide. This was the biggest turning point in the age of captive whales. Dawn was described as not only one of the nicest people, but also a safety fanatic. The community was devastated by the loss. It was then that many trainers realized an attack could happen to any of them at any time and something drastic needed to be done. 

After the 2010 death of Dawn, OSHA, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration, prohibited SeaWorld trainers from entering the water with the whales without a physical barrier. This was a sign that changes were being made. Trainers risked their lives every day. Many trainers have come forward and discussed their time working at the facility and how poorly the whales were treated. John Hargrove was once the Senior Trainer at SeaWorld and now, author of the book, Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish. He says in the opening chapter of his book, "It's time to stop the shows. It's time to stop forcing the animals to perform in basically a circus environment, and they should release the animals that are young enough and healthy enough to be released” (Hargrove). Coming first hand from an individual that worked with these animals every day, Hargrove wants captivity to end. 

Blackfish is a rare occasion in which a documentary is directed by someone with little to no influence yet shifts public opinion so much that it changes an industry. SeaWorld before and after the film are drastically different. The film caused people to turn their backs on SeaWorld as profits drop 84%, from $37.4 million in 2014 to $5.8 million in 2015, in the second quarter. SeaWorld also saw a decrease of 100,000 visitors in the year 2014 and a 33% decrease in stock price. This decrease is a direct result from the film. It is apparent that most people who have seen the film, have sided with Cowperthwaite, the director. Since the film’s release on Netflix in 2015, SeaWorld has seen a total loss of 1,000,000 visitors per year and some activist groups are protesting for a full shut down of SeaWorld. 

Since the release of the film, SeaWorld has also made many beneficial changes to its parks that should not go unnoticed. Not only has SeaWorld’s business been hurt, but they’ve been forced to make positive improvements that are long over-due. For example, SeaWorld Entertainment is in the process of revealing, The Blue Project, an initiative that will provide the currently captive whales with a large open body of water off the coast. Here, they will be able to have a taste of freedom as they live out the rest of their lives. Finally, California state assemblyman, Richard Bloom, unveiled to legislation that would ban the use of orcas in shows. He was one of many who saught out change after watching Blackfish. With 1.2 million people who have signed the petition, it is likely the bill will pass. 

As SeaWorld moves into an era free of captive whales, should they simply release them back into the wild? In a press interview, Chief Executive of SeaWorld Entertainment, Joel Manby said, "Most of our orcas were born at SeaWorld, and those that were born in the wild have been in our parks for the majority of their lives," he said. "If we release them into the ocean, they will likely die" (Bergado) Because they spent their entire lives in captivity, they wouldn’t know what to do or how to survive in the wild. These whales were never taught how to live without the dependency of humans. The alternative would be to move them into enclosed sea pens as SeaWorld has proposed with The Blue Project. The only downside of this plan would be the expense. Experts estimate it to run a half million dollars per year to maintain the enclosures. 

SeaWorld was once an empire, generating millions in profit per year, thanks to the animals that have no say in their actions. However, the public’s eye was turned to these issues because of the film Blackfish. The studies done on whales have scientifically proven that whales are unbelievably similar, brain structure wise, to us as humans. How can someone sleep at night knowing that whales feel pain and grief 3 times as much as a human can even possibly fathom? Orca whales are the most intelligent predators on the planet however, some are kept in a tank that holds .0001 percent of the water it would see each day in the wild. SeaWorld is responsible for endangering not only their whales by keeping them in captivity, but their own staff as well. 

