Sea world opinions

[Guest]

Orca's can swim up to 100 miles a day, wonder how many miles they have done in their fish bowl. It makes me so mad that we have effectively imprisoned them (through no fault of their own) for our "entertainent"

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by caz glasgow

Orca's can swim up to 100 miles a day, wonder how many miles they have done in their fish bowl. It makes me so mad that we have effectively imprisoned them (through no fault of their own) for our "entertainent"

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Elephants usually roam over 100km per year and thousands of kilometres in their lifetime. Eagles can fly 200km per day, especially during migration. I wonder how many kilometres they've done in their small enclosures in various zoos?

When it comes down to it, Seaworld is a zoo just like any other zoo (including Animal Kingdom, for instance). Animals are conserved - or, if you like, 'imprisoned' - in enclosures in all the zoos and these enclosures are far, far smaller than their natural environments.

Seaworld is one of the better zoos in America. But if someone is against the idea of keeping wild animals in captivity then Seaworld, just like any zoo, would not be the place to visit.

But if you like zoos and appreciate the work many of them do, then Seaworld is a very good park to visit.

[Guest]

The OP wanted people's personal opinions and mine is that I like Seaworld.

I don't think they force the animals to do anything they don't want to as we saw the show last week and a couple of times the animal didn't want to splash the water with his tail so he didn't. I'm not daft and I know that it's not their natural habitat, but the animals are well looked after at Seaworld, and their well being is important to them.

They also do a lot of good work rescuing animals, the lady in the turtles bit was saying about how they'd rescued this injured turtle from when there was the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

At the end of the day, it's up to you and you should prob experience it for yourself to make your own mind up. We've always had a pleasant day there though.

[itsrachelhere]

Originally Posted by Nimbus

Elephants usually roam over 100km per year and thousands of kilometres in their lifetime. Eagles can fly 200km per day, especially during migration. I wonder how many kilometres they've done in their small enclosures in various zoos?

When it comes down to it, Seaworld is a zoo just like any other zoo (including Animal Kingdom, for instance). Animals are conserved - or, if you like, 'imprisoned' - in enclosures in all the zoos and these enclosures are far, far smaller than their natural environments.

Seaworld is one of the better zoos in America. But if someone is against the idea of keeping wild animals in captivity then Seaworld, just like any zoo, would not be the place to visit.

But if you like zoos and appreciate the work many of them do, then Seaworld is a very good park to visit.

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Yeah, which brings up another point (and this is more for discussion than me saying "this is how it is"). But for many they might see keeping birds of prey as cruel as they don't get to fly when they choose. However, in the case of many these birds don't fly for pleasure, they fly because that's how they get their food. Many falconers will point out how 'lazy' the birds are, and if they could get their food by doing absolutely nothing, they would go with that.

If you think of all the wild egrets at Seaworld, they could choose to be anywhere, but they choose to 'live' at Seaworld because it's safe and there is a constant source of food for them (although admittedly they have to be sneaky to get it!)

[Andi]

We went to Seaworld this summer and they were celebrating 50 years. They had various signs up around the park showing the various help, rescue and conservation work they have done for so many years and the different animals they have helped and in many cases been able to release again. I think that without the income from the park it would be impossible for Seaworld to continue the terrific work they are doing for the wonderful creatures in our oceans.

My advice to the OP would be to go have a look, check out all the work Seaworld are involved in and then you will be able to decide whether you want to go back or not.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by Andi

My advice to the OP would be to go have a look, check out all the work Seaworld are involved in and they you will be able to decide whether you want to go back or not.

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I agree with this too.

[Guest]

Originally Posted by staceylou89

I'm in a bit of a pickle...

I absolutely love orca whales have done since i was a kid from watching free willy for the first... still love it now and watch it so often at 25.

my pickle is i would love to see these magnificent creatures up close it would make my whole world seeing them...but i don't know if sea world is the right place for me... after watching Blackfish and other documentary's im really sceptical about paying to see them in a pool... i think it would upset me BUT i really want to see them and i fear this is my only option.

has anyone else felt like this? Is it not as bad as the documentary's make out?

I'm really torn in two.

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I won't comment on the documentary itself as it's been gone over on here over and over again and the outcome is always the same BUT what I will say is myself and DW have just this week booked our trip to Iceland in Feb to go whale watching, looking through their whale diary Orcas have been spotted in Feb quite a lot.

The trip cost for the two of us around £500 which we thought was really good. Don't think Seaworld is the only way to see Orcas because it isn't, especially not in their natural environment

Edited to say that any respected Whale Watching company will follow certain codes of conducts towards whale watching so if you do decide to go make sure they follow them.

I tend to think if you can afford to go to Florida then a trip whale watching shouldn't be out of the question if you're that serious about it. I've no doubt Seaworld do really great conservation work etc etc but all that work is undone in my opinion by the way in which they have come by their Orca and keep them.

[Guest]

Sea world is amazing

[LadyDebs86]

Originally Posted by itsrachelhere

Yeah, which brings up another point (and this is more for discussion than me saying "this is how it is"). But for many they might see keeping birds of prey as cruel as they don't get to fly when they choose. However, in the case of many these birds don't fly for pleasure, they fly because that's how they get their food. Many falconers will point out how 'lazy' the birds are, and if they could get their food by doing absolutely nothing, they would go with that.

If you think of all the wild egrets at Seaworld, they could choose to be anywhere, but they choose to 'live' at Seaworld because it's safe and there is a constant source of food for them (although admittedly they have to be sneaky to get it!)

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I was just about to make this exact point about birds of prey and you beat me to it a lot of of animals wouldn't move at all if they didn't have to. Birds of prey don't fly for fun, they do it to find food. If they have eaten, and are in a safe place, they don't fly.

In terms of Seaworld, I like most posters would say that you should go in order to make up your own mind. You will never replicate someone else's experience of something. I won't be visiting SW on our next trip but nothing to do with morals, I just feel like we've exhausted it for the time being and there's not much point going back until a few years have passed.

I watched Blackfish and found it very emotive but also very manipulative. I'm sure a lot of it is factual but I also feel a lot of it has been exaggerated in the name of an agenda. I wouldn't base my actions on something from a documentary, which by its very nature is going to be biased.

[Nimbus]

Originally Posted by itsrachelhere

Yeah, which brings up another point (and this is more for discussion than me saying "this is how it is"). But for many they might see keeping birds of prey as cruel as they don't get to fly when they choose. However, in the case of many these birds don't fly for pleasure, they fly because that's how they get their food. Many falconers will point out how 'lazy' the birds are, and if they could get their food by doing absolutely nothing, they would go with that.

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One wonders whether the same applies to orcas. They swim dozens/hundreds of miles due to migration (i.e. to find sources of food due to the seasonal climate changes). That's the exact same reason that birds of prey fly hundreds of miles.

So, I expect orcas wouldn't swim very far if food was abundant in the area they were in. But I'm no expert.

Originally Posted by xcited1sttimer

Edited to say that any respected Whale Watching company will follow certain codes of conducts towards whale watching so if you do decide to go make sure they follow them.

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But as Simon posted earlier, if everyone stopped visiting Seaworld (and other zoos) and instead visited animals in the wild it would cause far, far more harm. It doesn't matter how good the company is or what codes of conduct they follow - the sightseeing ships will still disrupt the animals' natural environment.