SeaWorld recently announced it would be ceasing its orca shows and breeding programs. However, other establishments still hold firm in displaying orcas and using them for performances. This type of treatment is unjustified.
Tilikum, the largest orca whale in SeaWorld, is dying after 33 years in captivity. The whale and his plight became familiar to the general public after a documentary titled Blackfish by Gabriela Cowperthwaite explored his life and highlighted the misuse and painful life histories of the orcas used in the name of entertainment.
With their majestic size, striking black and white markings, and charismatic dispositions, orcas—also known as killer whales—are a sight to behold. Worldwide, there are 57 orcas in captivity.
Orcas were first introduced in public aquariums in the 1960s. Their trainability heightened their popularity and resulted in increased wild captures and later captive breeding. Until recently, the practice of harbouring captive whales was unquestioned by the general public who saw the whales and their performances as nothing but harmless entertainment for all parties involved.
Orcas traverse a great range in search of food. While they can be found in most oceans, they are most heavily concentrated in the Northern Atlantic and on the Norwegian coast.
Orcas are large mammals. They can reach nine metres and weight in excess of six tonnes. As mentioned earlier, the range of wild orcas is extensive. In contrast, captive orcas are housed in human-made tanks—though they are large by human standards, they are minuscule for the whales. To provide a scaled comparison, if a human were to live in an enclosure in proportion to that of an orca, the tank would measure 9.5 metres in length, 5.7 metres in width, and 2.1 metres in height.
The physical effect of confined living spaces on the whales is quite evident. The dorsal fin—located on the back of the whale—of most male orcas in captivity is collapsed. This is an issue which does not occur with most orcas in the wild.
There are several reasons for this phenomenon, including lowered blood pressure due to decreased physical activity. In the wild, orcas spend their time at greater depths. However, orcas in captivity are kept in shallow tanks. This forces orcas to spend most of their time at the surface which exposes them to UV radiation which can cause sunburns and cataracts.
Isolation is an additional detriment that besets captive orcas. While orcas in the wild live in pods, captive orcas usually live alone. This element of social isolation is of great importance to consider as social animals suffer greatly in isolation and are capable of being stressed, which negatively affects their psychological well-being.
Even the presence of other orcas can result in inter-species aggression as the whales housed together are usually not of the same family unit. A documented incident of aggression occurred when Kanduke—a wild orca in captivity—aggressively attacked an Icelandic whale named Kotar, resulting in injury and infection. While it is unclear if such acts of aggression occur in the wild, it is imprudent to suggest that such acts cannot be induced by the stresses of captivity.
While all animals in the wild and captivity are prone to illness and malaise, the physiological and psychological maladies that affect orcas are quite directly a cause of their artificial environment. This raises ethical questions as it pertains to their captive status.
Given their enormous size, needs, and intelligence, it would not be possible to recreate an artificial environment that is sufficiently adequate. As a result, the keeping of orcas in captivity is not a feasible option and one that should be phased out. SeaWorld has taken a step in the right direction and it is time for other organizations owning captive whales to emulate their actions.
