Annotated Bibliography
"30 Years and Three Deaths: Tilikum’s Tragic Story”. Seaworld of Hurt. PETA, n.d. Web. 7 May 2014. <http://www.seaworldofhurt.com/>.
This article takes a journey into documenting Tilikum’s entire life. The author claims that because of the trauma that Tilikum has experienced in his life, it is not surprising that he has such a history of aggression towards humans.
"A look at killer whales in aquariums and parks." Captive Orca Statistic. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. <http://www.orcahome.de/orcastat.htm>.
This web page lists all of the orcas currently in captivity, and all of the links at the bottom offer links to various pages about orcas in captivity. Links include pages that discuss life expectancies of orcas in the wild versus in captivity, and the study of the violent capture of the orcas in Russian and Iceland.
Blackfish. Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Perf. John Hargrove, Samantha Berg, Mark
Simmons, Kim Ashdown, Dean Gomersall. Magnolia Pictures, 2013. Netflish. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Blackfish takes an in-depth look at the history of violence and aggression of captive orcas towards human trainers. These sentient beings are contained within enclosures that do not meet the needs that their highly developed species has become accustomed to. The director argues both pathetically and logically that the dangers of having orcas in captivity and for show outweigh anything that the SeaWorld shows offer to society.
"Free Willy -- And All His Pals." Scientific American 310.3 (2014): 10. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
The author of this article argues about the high intelligence of orcas and how containing them forces them to suffer mentally. They are capable enough in the wild to be fully happy and self-sufficient, and they are meant to stay together as a family of orcas.
Haq, Husna. "Sea World tragedy: How common are 'killer whale' attacks?." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Feb. 2010. Web. 19 May 2014. <http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0225/Sea-World-tragedy-How-common-are-killer-whale- attacks>.
This article claims that, since Tilikum was captured so young, the stress he was under as a previously wild orca may have caused him to perform the dangerous deeds he did. He was confined to small spaces his entire life, which the author surmises is something that led to his mental breakdown that caused Dawn Brancheau’s death.
Hoyt, Erich. "The Ethics of Keeping Whales and Dolphins Captive." PBS. PBS, 1 Jan. 1992. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/whales/debate/ethics.html>.
The article claims that orcas should be kept in captivity, as long as they are kept in humane conditions. By keeping orcas in captivity, we can ensure that they are being treated well and are not suffering as they could in the wild. They can receive proper treatment for illness and injury in captivity, and their lives will be improved in that way.
Johnson, Brian D. "A Killer Whale Gone Very Bad." Maclean's 126.27 (2013):
1. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
The author discusses how Tilikum unpredictably killed Dawn Brancheau and Tilikum’s other murders. The article does not make a specific argument or claim, but simply outlines the life of Tilikum the orca.
Rainer, Peter. "'Blackfish' centers on the dangers of orcas in captivity." Christian Science
Monitor 19 July 2013: N.PAG.Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
The author asks why Tilikum is still even performing in these parks. Explaining how Blackfish puts the “killer” back into killer whales, the author explains that it is unacceptable that these orcas are still performing given their tainted record of encounters with humans.
"Should Orcas Be Kept In Captivity?." Scholastic Scope 58.17 (2010): 4-5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
The article claims that orcas should be kept in captivity because it allows scientists to more easily study these creatures than in the wild. Orcas are extremely mobile creatures, so it is very difficult for a scientists to study a specific group of orcas for an extended period of time. There is much we can learn from studying orcas, and keeping a few in captivity gives us that opportunity.
"Ten Things you Didn't Know about SeaWorld." Seaworld of Hurt. PETA, n.d. Web. 7
Apr 2014. <http://www.seaworldofhurt.com/>.
The author outlines ten different reasons why orcas should not be held in captivity, ranging from how orcas in captivity have shorter lifespans to how when the orcas were first captured, the ones that they did not want were killed, filled with rocks, and dumped into the ocean. The orcas suffer in cramped living arrangements, and cannot be happy as a result.
The Whale That Ate Jaws. Dir. Jonathan Hughes. NGHT :, 2010. Film.
This documentary discusses a lethal interaction between an orca and a great white shark, in which the orca actually ends up winning the fight. This is the only documented interaction between an orca and a killer whale, but it just proves how capable an orca is, if it can defeat a great white shark in battle.
Visser, Ingrid. "A Day in the Life of Lolita." . Orca Network, 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 May 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/user/TheOrcaNetwork>.
Dr. Visser visits the seaquarium in Miami to have a look at the orca Lolita, an orca confined to an extremely tiny tank and isolated by herself. She is a wild orca scientist, and explains how they have a plan in place to reintroduce her to the wild so that she can actually live as she was intended to live by nature. She explains how the things they make Lolita do for shows is simply unnatural, and that claiming that having the orca in captivity for educational purposes is outdated.
White, Jeremy. "Capitol Alert: SeaWorld tells California lawmakers orca shows help whales - sacbee.com." The Sacramento Bee. N.p., 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/04/with-orca-ban-bill-in-background-seaworld-touts- their-programs.html>.
This author argues that the shows are conducted safely, and also argues that if the orcas are in captivity, we can make sure they are happy and healthy. He argues that orcas want to interact with humans, and that, because safety is a top priority, the interactions between humans and orcas is acceptable.
Williamson, Heather, prod. Killer Whales. Discovery, 2010. Film. 13 Mar 2014.
The documentary takes an in-depth view on the species itself. It does not make an argument or a claim, but just offers insight into the diverse and intelligent being.
"Zoos and Other Exhibitors." Humane Society . N.p.. Web. 7 Apr 2014.
<http://www.humanesociety.org/>.
The Humane Society is a national organization that ensures that creatures are being properly treated and cared for in captivity. I used this article to find a definition of what it truly means to properly treat an animal in captivity. It unfortunately states that most establishments do not meet industry accreditation standards.
This article takes a journey into documenting Tilikum’s entire life. The author claims that because of the trauma that Tilikum has experienced in his life, it is not surprising that he has such a history of aggression towards humans.
"A look at killer whales in aquariums and parks." Captive Orca Statistic. N.p., n.d. Web. 19 May 2014. <http://www.orcahome.de/orcastat.htm>.
This web page lists all of the orcas currently in captivity, and all of the links at the bottom offer links to various pages about orcas in captivity. Links include pages that discuss life expectancies of orcas in the wild versus in captivity, and the study of the violent capture of the orcas in Russian and Iceland.
Blackfish. Dir. Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Perf. John Hargrove, Samantha Berg, Mark
Simmons, Kim Ashdown, Dean Gomersall. Magnolia Pictures, 2013. Netflish. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
Blackfish takes an in-depth look at the history of violence and aggression of captive orcas towards human trainers. These sentient beings are contained within enclosures that do not meet the needs that their highly developed species has become accustomed to. The director argues both pathetically and logically that the dangers of having orcas in captivity and for show outweigh anything that the SeaWorld shows offer to society.
"Free Willy -- And All His Pals." Scientific American 310.3 (2014): 10. Academic Search
Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
The author of this article argues about the high intelligence of orcas and how containing them forces them to suffer mentally. They are capable enough in the wild to be fully happy and self-sufficient, and they are meant to stay together as a family of orcas.
Haq, Husna. "Sea World tragedy: How common are 'killer whale' attacks?." The Christian Science Monitor. The Christian Science Monitor, 25 Feb. 2010. Web. 19 May 2014. <http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2010/0225/Sea-World-tragedy-How-common-are-killer-whale- attacks>.
This article claims that, since Tilikum was captured so young, the stress he was under as a previously wild orca may have caused him to perform the dangerous deeds he did. He was confined to small spaces his entire life, which the author surmises is something that led to his mental breakdown that caused Dawn Brancheau’s death.
Hoyt, Erich. "The Ethics of Keeping Whales and Dolphins Captive." PBS. PBS, 1 Jan. 1992. Web. 19 Apr. 2014. <http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/shows/whales/debate/ethics.html>.
The article claims that orcas should be kept in captivity, as long as they are kept in humane conditions. By keeping orcas in captivity, we can ensure that they are being treated well and are not suffering as they could in the wild. They can receive proper treatment for illness and injury in captivity, and their lives will be improved in that way.
Johnson, Brian D. "A Killer Whale Gone Very Bad." Maclean's 126.27 (2013):
1. Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
The author discusses how Tilikum unpredictably killed Dawn Brancheau and Tilikum’s other murders. The article does not make a specific argument or claim, but simply outlines the life of Tilikum the orca.
Rainer, Peter. "'Blackfish' centers on the dangers of orcas in captivity." Christian Science
Monitor 19 July 2013: N.PAG.Academic Search Premier. Web. 13 Mar. 2014.
The author asks why Tilikum is still even performing in these parks. Explaining how Blackfish puts the “killer” back into killer whales, the author explains that it is unacceptable that these orcas are still performing given their tainted record of encounters with humans.
"Should Orcas Be Kept In Captivity?." Scholastic Scope 58.17 (2010): 4-5. Academic Search Premier. Web. 21 Apr. 2014.
The article claims that orcas should be kept in captivity because it allows scientists to more easily study these creatures than in the wild. Orcas are extremely mobile creatures, so it is very difficult for a scientists to study a specific group of orcas for an extended period of time. There is much we can learn from studying orcas, and keeping a few in captivity gives us that opportunity.
"Ten Things you Didn't Know about SeaWorld." Seaworld of Hurt. PETA, n.d. Web. 7
Apr 2014. <http://www.seaworldofhurt.com/>.
The author outlines ten different reasons why orcas should not be held in captivity, ranging from how orcas in captivity have shorter lifespans to how when the orcas were first captured, the ones that they did not want were killed, filled with rocks, and dumped into the ocean. The orcas suffer in cramped living arrangements, and cannot be happy as a result.
The Whale That Ate Jaws. Dir. Jonathan Hughes. NGHT :, 2010. Film.
This documentary discusses a lethal interaction between an orca and a great white shark, in which the orca actually ends up winning the fight. This is the only documented interaction between an orca and a killer whale, but it just proves how capable an orca is, if it can defeat a great white shark in battle.
Visser, Ingrid. "A Day in the Life of Lolita." . Orca Network, 21 Oct. 2013. Web. 20 May 2014. <https://www.youtube.com/user/TheOrcaNetwork>.
Dr. Visser visits the seaquarium in Miami to have a look at the orca Lolita, an orca confined to an extremely tiny tank and isolated by herself. She is a wild orca scientist, and explains how they have a plan in place to reintroduce her to the wild so that she can actually live as she was intended to live by nature. She explains how the things they make Lolita do for shows is simply unnatural, and that claiming that having the orca in captivity for educational purposes is outdated.
White, Jeremy. "Capitol Alert: SeaWorld tells California lawmakers orca shows help whales - sacbee.com." The Sacramento Bee. N.p., 2 Apr. 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2014. <http://sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2014/04/with-orca-ban-bill-in-background-seaworld-touts- their-programs.html>.
This author argues that the shows are conducted safely, and also argues that if the orcas are in captivity, we can make sure they are happy and healthy. He argues that orcas want to interact with humans, and that, because safety is a top priority, the interactions between humans and orcas is acceptable.
Williamson, Heather, prod. Killer Whales. Discovery, 2010. Film. 13 Mar 2014.
The documentary takes an in-depth view on the species itself. It does not make an argument or a claim, but just offers insight into the diverse and intelligent being.
"Zoos and Other Exhibitors." Humane Society . N.p.. Web. 7 Apr 2014.
<http://www.humanesociety.org/>.
The Humane Society is a national organization that ensures that creatures are being properly treated and cared for in captivity. I used this article to find a definition of what it truly means to properly treat an animal in captivity. It unfortunately states that most establishments do not meet industry accreditation standards.