Blackfish Ethics

“Blackfish”
Animals and their trainers always became a major part of the performance, and marine creatures were not an exception. However, such “human-animal” collaboration often created both ethical and security issues. The documentary Blackfish demonstrates this combination and covers such topics as: is it dangerous to work with orca, and does these animals suffer because of their life in amusement parks? The answer is “yes” for both questions. The documentary also shows that administrations often covered up an information about the danger level of orcas (even from trainers) to continue to profit by them as actors or inseminators. Parks often try to shift responsibility to the victim in case of an accident; they hide or falsify information

It looked like the last respondent provided the best testimony and the best information about the problems of the SeaWorld. There were many orators who described orcas’ sufferings when they were caught or mothers were separated with their children. They also spoke about animal’s aggression, understanding of the hierarchy and ability to collaborate with trainers at their wish. However, Marino gave a scientific basis for all these features. Duffus suggested orcas use some sort of language (“Blackfish” 00:25:19 – 00:25:27), and the neuroscientist supported this theory with the information of the complex structure of the animal’s brain. “They've got a part of the brain that humans don't have. A part of their brain has extended out right adjacent to their limbic system. The system processes emotions” (“Blackfish” 00:25:52 – 00:26:04). Marino claims orcas have a rich emotional life and strong family bonds. This highlights an ethical issue: how can people treat orcas in an existed way (food deprivation, isolation in small boxes or separation from children), if they are as smart or even smarter and more emotional than

Ethical appeal or ethos is also present in the choice of orators. Documentary’s director Gabriela Cowperthwaite is an expert in her sphere (documentary movies) that cannot be treated as ethos in case of marine animals. However, the ethos was realized with the aid of orators who were former SeaWorld’s trainers, eyewitnesses of the horrible events or experts. Logos or logical appeal was shown with the set of facts. The documentary starts with the description of the accident that led to Dawn Brancheau’s death in 2010. She was killed by the orca Tilikum. The woman and the animal became the frame of the story. The documentary includes descriptions of several death and accidents with the participation of Tilikum, like the death of Daniel P. Dukes that happened in July 1999. The movie includes forensic medical reports, parts of documentaries, SeaWorld’s videos and dialogues from court sittings. All these evidences supports the documentary’s idea that it is dangerous and unethical to put orcas in conditions they have in such