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July 22, 2013 at 1:04 am #608325
RGParticipantHello Neighbors,
Has anyone watched the documentary film titled Blackfish?
Since I was young I’ve had a fear/love relationship with orcas. As a small child I used to stand with my father topside on the ferries and I’d steel my arms around his legs for fear of them and refuse to let go until we pulled into the slip. To this day I’m scared of them even though I know better.
If you watched this film, did they show violence against orcas? I won’t be able to stomach it if there is. Was it an emotional film? Please let me know your impressions.
Thanks so much, I appreciate it.
July 22, 2013 at 2:10 am #794163
Talaki34ParticipantI suggest that you go to the website and view the trailers. This does not look like it will be an easy film to watch.
I would also contact; http://thewhaletrail.org/. They may have some insight into this movie.
I am sorry to hear that you fear these very intelligent and highly social mammals. Knowledge is the best way to help dispel fear. If you are interested in learning about Orca’s this is about the best place to start:
Orca: The Whale Called Killer. Very good reading.
July 22, 2013 at 4:00 am #794164
hammerheadParticipantI heard about this movie. It is about what sea world and other “amusement” parks have done to these poor creatures, by taking them out of their natural habitat and putting in pool water to do tricks for us.
One VERY interesting fact, there has(as long as ppl have been keeping records) NEVER been an attack by a wild Orca out in the wild EVER. There have been several in “amusement” parks.
Another wonderful book is Communicating with Whales by Mary Getten.
Our Orcas here in the Puget Sound are much different than the ones in Alaska and down in the Galapagos Islands.
July 22, 2013 at 6:53 pm #794165
RGParticipantSince I only got halfway through the trailer I’m going to pass on watching this one.
What’s especially interesting to note is that orcas that have mistaken people as food always pulled back at the last second when they realized they were going after people. If my memory serves me correctly there was a 12-year old boy in Alaska who was almost a snack (and could have been if the orca so wanted) but when the orca got a good look at the boy he backed away.
I’ve done some reading on orcas (trying to figure out I’m the only person on earth who’s scared of them) and I’ll be sure check out the books that are recommended above. I’d especially be interested to learn about children and orca interactions. From what I’ve seen on the waters here they seem to love attention from kids.
I wonder if there’s a defined phobia of orcas? I love them, don’t get me wrong (I even cut my coffee consumption in half for their sake!) I think I need more education about them.
:-)
July 23, 2013 at 1:07 am #794166
Talaki34ParticipantRG,
You might be doing yourself a disservice by not seeing this film, but to start you off this might be a better fit. http://video.pbs.org/video/1099394282/
Do you remember why you started to fear Orca? Was there any one incident?
July 23, 2013 at 1:25 am #794167
elikapekaParticipantRelatives up on Whidbey Island remember the capture of the Orcas that took place around Coupeville. They didn’t think anything about it at the time, but now realize how awful it was.
January 3, 2014 at 11:21 pm #794168
RGParticipantJanuary 3, 2014 at 11:38 pm #794169
anonymous123ParticipantJust so you know RG, I also am afraid of Orcas. I think they’re amazing creatures, but I would freak out if I ever saw one in person again. For me it’s not only Orcas though, all large sea creatures scare me.
January 3, 2014 at 11:46 pm #794170
anonymeParticipantThere were several scenes in the film that were not only powerful, but distressing. They did not involve physical abuse, but psychic abuse of these highly intelligent, extremely social mammals (they even have an extra brain segment that is associated with complex emotional and social interaction). That said, it is well worth watching. There is nothing graphic in terms of physical trauma to any animal, including human ones.
There was a discussion of this film (and the related issues) on the WSB a month or so ago when CNN first aired it. Do a search for “orcas” and you should find it. I’d also recommend a book called “Death at Sea World” for a detailed history of the problems with orca captivity.
January 4, 2014 at 12:07 am #794171
JoBParticipanti won’t be watching this
not because i don’t think it is a worthwhile project
but because i don’t want to see what i already know happens :(
January 4, 2014 at 12:14 am #794172
charlabobParticipantWe watched it “On Demand” last week. It is extremely disturbing and I strongly recommend it. Sea World San Diego had a float in this year’s Rose Bowl parade — a small, but vocal, contingent booed. Film is a powerful messenger. Knowing and seeing are two different things.
January 4, 2014 at 1:51 am #794173
wakefloodParticipantSo, it’s looking like Sea World got caught stuffing the electronic ballot box and when they did a revote, they’re getting around 70% saying their image was negatively impacted.
Keep up the good work. I hope they start making amends by reuniting the families already in captivity but spread around to the other parks. That’s just plain cruelty given their strong familial ties.
January 4, 2014 at 2:10 am #794174
KevinParticipant@anonyme – Thanks for the info about these whales having an “extra” brain segment devoted to social interaction. Very interesting!
January 4, 2014 at 6:27 am #794175
amaliaParticipantI thought it was a fascinating film; tended toward the anthropomorphic, particularly when the trainers (self-admittedly underqualified in most cases) spoke versus the scientists, but still pretty engrossing. I was riveted.
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Correction to one of the above comments: there has never been a FATAL attack on humans in the wild; there are several documented incidents, however, including overturned ice floes, bumped boats, breaching onto kayaks,and bites.
January 4, 2014 at 3:28 pm #794176
anonymeParticipantKevin, there is an interesting article re: the brains of killer whales here:
http://greymattersjournal.com/killer-whales-are-non-human-persons/
January 5, 2014 at 2:39 am #794177
service dog academyMemberAs a dog trainer using marine mammal training methods, I highly recommend this film. I knew about this stuff about 8 years ago when I had just started learning clicker training. It only strengthened the views I had about animals in captivity and makes me even question the captivity aspect of owning dogs.
January 5, 2014 at 8:44 am #794178
CountingCoupMemberA very good documentary and a must for Seattleite’s IMO
January 5, 2014 at 4:13 pm #794179
waynsterParticipantJanuary 5, 2014 at 10:20 pm #794180
KellyParticipantSadly, here is more information about some of the orcas studied by Erich Hoyt, the author of “Orca: The Whale Called Killer,” referenced by Talaki34 above. Several of these orcas have been captured from their home waters in Russia. They are being transported to Sochi to be entertainment for the tourists during the Olympics. These will be the first captive orcas displayed in Russia at the Sochi Dolphinarium.
I would imagine that this is very difficult for the researchers who have spent a great deal of time knowing these animals in the wild, to see them captured by people who are looking to make a buck.
Anyway, I also highly recommend “Blackfish.” It may be difficult for us to watch, but we view a lot of things that are potentially difficult to see. Don’t we owe it to these magnificent creatures who share our waters to educate ourselves?
If you prefer to get the information a different way, I also highly recommend David Kirby’s book, “Death at Sea World.”
January 5, 2014 at 10:37 pm #794181
hammerheadParticipantif this just isn’t another reason to boycott the olympics. this is just disgusting and so wrong. i bet the whales will die during all of this. I actually hope they do, so they are not suffering any more.
http://us.whales.org/news/2013/11/wild-killer-whales-to-be-held-captive-in-winter-olympics-host-city
January 5, 2014 at 10:57 pm #794182
JoBParticipantJanuary 6, 2014 at 12:39 am #794183
anonymeParticipantThis news about the Olympics is so bloody infuriating. It will be too soon for these whales to have learned the stupid circus tricks that insult their intelligence and add insult to the injury of captivity. The audience may instead be treated to the sight or sound of a sentient being screaming in agony at being torn from its home and family, or hanging lifeless in the corner of the tank in deep depression. Killer whales suffer from social isolation and severed family ties far more acutely than humans do; their brains are wired for connection. Male orcas spend most of their lives a few body lengths away from their mothers, the ultimate momma’s boys.
Just how entertaining is it to watch animal torture? Apparently this violent, primitive species called Homo Sapiens thinks it’s just ducky.
January 6, 2014 at 4:05 am #794184
IrukandjiParticipantBlackfish is a well-presented documentary, but an emotional cakewalk compared to The Cove. The two films ought be enough to keep anyone from supporting SeaWorld and its ilk worldwide, ever.
January 6, 2014 at 4:53 pm #794185
amaliaParticipantI forget, was The Cove about captivity captures or just fishing/whaling? I couldn’t stomach that one again.
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Blackfish was very well done and while the sources may not be entirely unimpeachable, they are certainly not easily dismissed. In fact, CNN backed it, and Sea World’s refusal to comment smells of guilt. I might also venture that you don’t need to be a rocket scientist to know that dolpins (which includes orcas) would suffer greatly mentally and physically in captivity. I figured that out at age 7 when we went to Sea World and saw those poor creatures. Insane and tragic that we still torture them for our entertainment. Blackfish has done them a service (hopefully).
January 7, 2014 at 12:26 am #794186
RGParticipantAs I continue to learn and figure out how to join with others to end the financial exploitation of orcas I received this in my inbox today:
It is very much worth passing along.
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