Blackfish Documentary - Seaworld & Tilikum's Story

[Greg Bernhardt]

Just got done watching Blackfish. Documentary on Seaworld and the Orca "Tilikum" who a couple years ago killed the trainer. It was extremely interesting and amazing how deep/disturbing the story is. I think it's worth the watch. Many parts are emotional and it's hard to watch. I can't say Seaworld is evil, but it makes you think.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8OEjYquyjcg

 

[dlgoff]

This CNN story gives Seaworlds response to the "documentary".

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/21/us/seaworld-blackfish-qa/

"Blackfish is billed as a documentary, but instead of a fair and balanced treatment of a complex subject, the film is inaccurate and misleading and, regrettably, exploits a tragedy that remains a source of deep pain for Dawn Brancheau's family, friends and colleagues. To promote its bias that killer whales should not be maintained in a zoological setting, the film paints a distorted picture that withholds from viewers key facts about SeaWorld ..."

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

This CNN story gives Seaworlds response to the "documentary".

http://www.cnn.com/2013/10/21/us/seaworld-blackfish-qa/

That's exactly the response you'd expect. I had the pleasure of spending 3 weeks with the trainer for Keiko (Free Willy). From my discussions with the trainer, Blackfish is credible.

 

[dlgoff]

They do make a good case for their research involvement from the cited references.

"i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2013/images/10/11/killer.whale.bibliography.10.08.13.pdf"

"i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2013/images/10/11/killer.whale.sea..hubbs.collaboration.pdf"

 

[Greg Bernhardt]

Did SeaWorld stuff ballots for 'Blackfish' poll?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/03/tech/web/sea-world-blackfish-poll/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

More than half of early votes traced to an Internet address were from SeaWorld IP

 

[Student100]

Did SeaWorld stuff ballots for 'Blackfish' poll?
http://www.cnn.com/2014/01/03/tech/web/sea-world-blackfish-poll/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

I just saw that on the news, they were specualting that many of the votes came from employees voting. They were trying to dig into it and see if seaworld management help spur some of the voting along though.

 

[phion]

Watched the documentary after reading this thread. I found the separation of trainer and managment very interesting with regard to the business decisions as well as to the whales themselves, and was actually appauled with how poorly those animals are treated. With the emotional intelligence these animals seem to have it's no wonder they can be triggered so easily after all they go through and how deprived their lives become. While I admire the obvious relationships we as humans can develope with these beasts, it still strikes me as unnatural, and by the end of the documentary am left with no sympathy for the people involved in the tragic events displayed in the documentary eventhough part of me says I'd have put a slug into Tilikum's brain.