Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxoEMK1e-vQ
This video was originally a news story and talks about the debate on whether or not marine mammals should be kept in captivity. There are many different reasons why many people disagree with the captivity of marine mammals and their use for our amusement. One of the major disagreements comes about when people start to discuss the living arrangements of these huge mammals. Orcas normally travel for many miles at a time in their natural habitats, but when put in small enclosed tanks they can only swim so far until they find themselves at a wall. Most people who are concerned about the situation would argue that that is an animal rights issue, that the orcas deserve to live in their natural habitat where they can have the freedom to swim as far as they please instead of in circles in a small enclosed tank. Another issue that was brought up in the video was that many of these marine mammals are at risk of injury. It was explained that when you house orcas together who aren't familiar with each other it could bring on aggression and injury. In the wild these mammals pick their pods and when they get captured and put into tanks they are forced to live with others that they are not familiar with. Another issue that came about in the video was safety for the people who work with these mammals at amusement parks such at Sea World in Orlando, Florida. (In 2010 a trainer was killed by one of her trained orcas when it pulled her under the water). Overall, this video showed many different sides of the argument on whether or not marine mammals should be in captivity.
Marines in Captivity. Prod. Michael Pell. YouTube. YouTube, 05 Oct. 2012. Web. 21 Apr. 2013. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BxoEMK1e-vQ.
I think that this is a very interesting debate. I have been to Sea World in Orlando Florida twice and I enjoyed going to the dolphin and orca shows both times but on the other hand I understand the impact that captivity could have on those mammals. I think it is a fun experience for everybody to see these animals in captivity since it would be a rare sight to be able to see them in the wild but is it really worth the stress that we put the animal through? I don't think I could pick a side on this issue, I would probably lean more towards disagreeing with having them in captivity since they deserve to live their full lives out in their natural habitats and not be taken away from it.
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