Sea World and Their Lies
by Diane Nguyen
Thesis
in the documentary Backfish, Gabriela Cowperthwaite is successful in showing the negative impact of captivity for killer whales by involving former trainers and footage of the whales attacking their trainers as well as interviews wit the what catchers.
Stock Footage
News Reports
Keltie Byrne, Daniel P. Dukes and, Dawn Brancheau were all subject to victim of Tilikum's aggression. From terrifying police call and bystanders watching the horrific event, as always the news reporters share that days tragic events. All three were reported but Dawn's was more publicized because of the mass of audience watching. Keltie Byrne didn't have a clear story of how she drowned as such it was deemed an accident of sorts. Daniel P. Dukes was found dead in the park dead and naked when staff arrived. Leaving Dawn Brancheau attacked in broad daylight witnessed by many
Expert Whale Trainers Attacked In BLACKFISH
The Trainers Attacked
Ken Peters a trainer at Sea World is dragged down to the bottom of the tank dangerously close to drowning. As the video below shows the event that occurred in 2006. If he was not a experienced diver he would of not have survived. Upon release from the killer whale he swam as fast as he could with a broken foot away from the orca.
SeaWorld releases video of 2006 killer whale attack
Interviews with Former Sea World Trainers
After Dawn Died
After the trainer heard of Dawn's death they were stunned. Dawn one of the best trainers working at Sea World Was killed by Tillikum her whale. Upset knowing one of their friends died they knew they weren't safe either. Sea World trying to cover up the truth to line their pockets lie about what happened that day. Dawn who was mostly dragged in by her arm was apparently dragged in by her pony tail claims Sea World. I was her mistake it was her fault, if she were her she would agree, claims Sea World. Shoving Words down a dead women's mouth. One of the trainers is upset with the statements that Sea World claims because Dawn is not there to defend herself, because dawn is dead.
Tillikum's First Victum
She was drown by Tillikum
Tillikum's Second Victum
He was found Striped and missing a body part
A Survivor
When she finally got out of the water her arm was broken and ear shaped
Death and causes for Killer Whales
Life in the wild vs captivity
Uninformed Staff
From Sea World facts about the life expectancy for whales is about about 25-26 but in the wild it's 90 years for females around 80 for males. None of the staff knows this but they are spoon feed the information SeaWorld gives them. As well as Tillikum. a new whale in the late 1990s was bought buy Sea World. When Tillikum first arrived a trainer was petting him as the normal training with the whales. Then a Manager who happen to see this yelled at her to get away from Tillikum. They don't know why since they were never informed.
Interview With the Whale Catchers
How The Whales Tried
in BlackFish the movie shows how smart and "human" like the whales are. Example: as the whales swim away by splitting up in groups males being a diversion and the females taking the babies with them. As well as after the babies are taken the mothers don't leave right away they call out to their young waiting at the dock. Even the whales at SeaWorld really care for their young. When the first baby whale was born the mother was always by her baby. As of one day SeaWorld shipped her baby some where else. As a normally quite whale she was waling for her baby signalling long distance calls. Life for her later she was very depresses even the other whales didn't know what to do when she was sulking.
Fisher Man's Guilt
The job was to capture the whales and ship them to Sea World and when it was banned in one area they go to the next. They would take the young ones because is was cheep to ship them that way. As they take the babies the mother whales didn't leave they just stood there and watched, crying to their young. This is when they came to the realization they were basically kidnapping children form their mother. That didn't stop them but it left them doing the job with guilt.
Blackfish Clip 2