Monday, August 26, 2013

Blackfish

I checked out this film over the weekend, and I'm really glad I did!  You may be familiar with the Orca (Killer Whale) named Tilikum at Sea World that in 2010 killed it's trainer by dragging her in the water by her ponytail.  I heard about it on The Today Show one morning and was totally shocked.  I never thought that the animals may not like their environment or that they were mistreated, I mean it is a "family park" after all, right?

This documentary explains how Sea World and other water parks/aquariums acquire Orcas and other animals, and how they are taken away from their families and their natural habitats and put into seclusion.  Several former Sea World animal trainers are interviewed and they discuss not one, but MULTIPLE deaths (and what actually occurred vs. what was reported) of trainers caused by these giant whales.  They also discuss the lawsuit and subsequent court trial that OSHA brought against Sea World.


Rating:  4/5 stars - while short (83 minutes), it appeared SO much longer.  It was very moving and thought-provoking.  After viewing, I am no longer a fan of parks that mistreat animals and remove them from their natural habitats just to make money.  I'd much rather visit them in the ocean.  I know everyone can't do that, but, is it worth the misery of animals just to make people happy?

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