If you've ever heard of the Tilikum killer whale, you've probably seen the Blackfish documentary movie. The film focuses on the tragic tale of this captive killer whale. It also explores the dangers of keeping orcas in captivity and how that affects their lifespans. As a result, this movie is a must-see for anyone who has a heart. However, it's important to remember that this film does not tell the whole story of Tilikum. Tilikum's tragic story
Tilikum's Journey
The Blackfish documentary film tells the story of a great white shark named Tilikum. He was captured in Iceland and spent nearly a year in a zoo. Then, in 1991, he was transferred to Sealand where he was implicated in the death of a young marine biology student named Keltie Byrne. Tilikum was a beloved resident of the seal sanctuary, but in 1993 he and his trainers fell ill. SeaWorld ruled her death was accidental, but CNN reported that a zoo worker fell into the whales' pool and slipped underwater. The two were pulled together. While many people have heard of Tilikum in news reports, few have actually met this great white whale. His tragic story was the subject of the 2013 documentary Blackfish. It follows Tilikum's journey from life in the wild to life at SeaWorld. He was taken from his mother when he was a young calf and held in a tank with two other orcas. While they were separated from their family pods, they were often housed in concrete tanks, which can cause boredom, agitation, conflict with other killer whales, and frequent infections. SeaWorld's response to Blackfish
SeaWorld's Response
The SeaWorld response to the Blackfish documentary movie 2013 has been a bizarre one. The documentary, released on July 19, 2013 sent a message to SeaWorld: its animal care practices and ethics were questionable. The movie also accused SeaWorld of raking and exploiting orcas in their care. The company has responded to the criticism by denying the accusations. The film's inaccuracies have resulted in a backlash against SeaWorld and many of its practices. After the release of Blackfish, SeaWorld's attendance dropped by one million people and its stock price crashed by 33%. SeaWorld attributed the drop to the seasonal nature of its business. Nevertheless, the film created a worldwide outcry against captivity and even caused protests in many cities. While SeaWorld recovered, some viewers are still very skeptical and want to see an end to orca captivity. Captivity's effect on killer whales' lifespans
Effect of Captivity on Lifespans
In 2006, scientists from the Aquarium of the Pacific and the National Marine Sanctuary in San Diego published a study that questioned whether orcas could live a normal life in captivity. They compared the survival rate of captive orcas to the rates of wild orcas. The study found that orcas in captivity had shorter life spans than their wild counterparts. Although the survival rate was much higher in the United States than in foreign facilities, captive orcas were significantly poorer than their wild counterparts at certain milestones. The average killer whale lives between 50 and 30 years. While in captivity, the animals are usually well cared for, the effects of captivity on their lifespans are still evident. Only a small number of captive killer whales have survived past ten years. Only about twenty of these whales have lived for 15 to 20 years. Of the remaining whales, two of them have lived more than 30 years. Tilikum's attack footage
Tilikum's Attack Footage
Tilikum's attack footage in the Blackfish documentary movie 2013 was shocking. The movie depicted Tilikum's aggression as post-traumatic stress, contradicting SeaWorld's claims that the animals are generally cooperative during shows. The movie also sparked public outrage against the practice of keeping orcas in captivity. The hashtag "Empty the Tanks" was spread on Twitter, and many viewers demanded that corporate sponsors end their partnership with SeaWorld. Protests were held in cities all over the world. The film details the cruelty suffered by the killer whales in captivity. During the film, we see how the animals were captured from the wild, separated from their families and taken to animal parks to be exhibited for the public's amusement. The man who helped round up Tilikum later states that it was the worst thing he had ever done. The footage of the young whale wailing for his family is heartbreaking.
