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Brief Summary Of The Documentary 'Blackfish' By Georgia Mason

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Recommended: Moral issues behind zoos

Zoos have long been a popular attraction, but concerns about the welfare of animals and ethical practices have led to a growing debate over their continued existence. The concern surrounding the ethics of zoos and animal welfare has continually been rising despite being considered a popular pastime. This can be elucidated through two sources that I will utilize “Blackfish” a documentary, and Georgia Mason’s article on species differences in response to captivity stress in 2010. People’s changing perspective can be attributed to a plethora of factors.
Zoos, also called zoological garden or zoological park, place where animals and, in some instances, domesticated animals are exhibited in captivity. In such an establishment animal can generally …show more content…

According to Mason, "virtual zoos could provide a way to engage people with animals and their habitats without harming the animals themselves" Mason (2010). In addition to these alternatives, Mason also highlights the importance of improving animal welfare within traditional zoos through the implementation of better management practices and the development of enrichment programs that provide animals with mental and physical stimulation.
Overall, Mason suggests that there are a variety of potential solutions and alternatives to traditional zoos that could address concerns about animal welfare and ethics. These alternatives range from the development of naturalistic enclosures to the use of virtual reality technology, and could provide a way to engage people with animals and their habitats without harming the animals …show more content…

The film has been widely credited with contributing to a decline in attendance at SeaWorld parks and with increasing public pressure on the industry to improve animal welfare standards. According to Lori Weisberg “In the year after the film’s debut, attendance at the park fell 17 percent, from 4,554,774 in 2013 to 3,773,288 in 2014, SeaWorld reported.” In 2016, SeaWorld announced that it would end its orca breeding program and phase out its theatrical killer whale shows, citing public pressure and evolving societal attitudes towards the use of animals for entertainment purposes. The documentary "Blackfish" has had a significant impact on public concern about the welfare of animals in captivity, and has contributed to a broader debate about the ethics of using animals for entertainment purposes in zoos and

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They explain their point of view on the how the animals are being treated. The main purpose of the film is SeaWorld should not be allowed to keep orcas in captivity. Gabriela describes SeaWorld as. “evil”, and gives examples of her claim throughout the film. The film starts with a trainer inside a dark lit tank with a whale swerving around him.

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Numerous people agree that SeaWorld should be shut down so that the breeding of the orcas will end and stop the parks from growing. Blackfish exposes SeaWorld during the documentary for separating a young orca from its mother because it was not performing the way SeaWorld desired it to. The audience was present when the mother orca separated herself and cried for her baby. This is one of many cons that Blackfish reveals about Whales in captivity. These whales are repeatedly at risk as they are being put and stuck inside small tanks for long hours, and being punished or starved if they do not perform tasks or tricks a certain way.

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Blackfish shows the viewers this by how physically unhealthy the orca's become, how unwilling communication becomes between orca's and the emotional instability they go through. All of these problems are caused by marine parks like SeaWorld creates. Orcas are massive mammals that need to move to stay healthy.

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In 2013, the documentary called Blackfish was released, a story about a killer whale that over the years at SeaWorld killed several people. It highlighted some of the major problems with animals in captivity. SeaWorld, known for having several different animal attractions; Dolphin Cove, Dolphin Nursery, Orca Underwater Viewing, Shark Encounter, Wild Arctic (Habitat) and many more. The organization first started with the intention of learning more about animals in order to educate the public about different behaviors of each animal. Trainers at Seaworld are offered the opportunity to get hands-on training with animals and are eventually are allowed to entertain the public with the skills they have acquired.

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In conclusion Blackfish is gives audiences a shocking, aggressive and deeply compelling look into cruel practices of marine parks for decades that will change the way you look at captive/trained killer whales and other animals. In watching this documentary has significantly opened my eyes regarding the brutal treatment and methods of capturing wild animals giving me a greater sympathy for orcas in parks such as SeaWorld. This startling documentary will surprise audiences as Cowperthwaite is unrelenting in showing the fatal consequences of keeping killer whales in captivity while also critiquing of the cruel and immoral practises of

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931 Words | 4 Pages

Blackfish is a documentary directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite in 2013. This movie used informative clips to inform marine mammal trainers and viewers about the various welfare issues surrounding the use of orcas in marine parks and the dangers that these trainers face. In a world where people would use any means possible to earn profit, Cowperthwaite directed the film of one woman’s death which led her to discover the truths of what Seaworld covered up. Through the use of eulogy, anaphora, and imagery, Cowperthwaite proves to us the truth of the matter.

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The target audience of this documentary is the general public that includes a big emphasis on the customers of SeaWorld. The filmmakers are trying to inform the public of the inhumane treatment and the conditions that the orcas face while at amusements parks such as SeaWorld. As described in the film, orcas are seen as intellectual animals that are aware of their surroundings. Because of their intellect, orcas don’t belong in a place SeaWorld and should be released.

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In 2013, a documentary called Blackfish was released to the public. This film was produced, written, and directed by a lady named Gabriela Cowperthwaite, as a way to show the world how poorly whales are treated and why they do not belong in captivity. Blackfish also shows how little people really know about the beautiful and highly intelligent orca whale itself. Her film was seen by many, and touched the hearts of a lot people, taking the debate of the topic to a higher level. The movie hits on a lot of main issues about captivity, told by reliable people, along with proven statistics to go along with them.

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Their tears and memories, although subjective, proved their devotion of the animals as well their apprehension for working at seaworld. I feel that Blackfish balanced the information it held between the maltreatment of the animals as well as the consequences it had against trainers who were injured or even killed in the handling of the animals at Seaworld. The documentary is only 1 hour and 30 minutes long, and I feel that the producers used every minute as effectively as possible in

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Blackfish The documentary Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite released in July 2013, explores the mistreatment of killer whales and the relationship between the killer whales and trainers as well as the significant problems of the sea-park industry, with a focus upon SeaWorld. Cowperthwaite positions the audience to feel sympathy towards the killer whales by making deliberate choices in sound, visual, language, and structure through the representation of trainers as unprofessional, and whales as mistreated, also experts as reliable information source. Firstly, Cowperthwaite uses effective language techniques to position the audience to view the trainers as undertrained and unprofessional.

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Chuck Jones wrote the article, “A $29 Battery Could Cost Apple Over $10 Billion,” where he talks about how IPhone’s supply would decrease if the new battery becomes the better option for consumers. The IPhone 6, 7, and SE models have the ability to change their batteries at the cost of twenty nine dollars. This is a great possible opportunity to fix issues on the IPhone, by fixing their slowness on the phone and other issues involving the battery. This could be good for the consumers, but it could be detrimental to Apple itself. If consumers start to get their IPhone battery replaced instead of upgrading to the new IPhone then Apple could lose over ten billion dollars.

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To begin, zoos are unprincipled due to the fact that they take animals out of the wild and place them in synthetic environments that have failed to meet the animals designated standard of living. For example, research has shown that some larger animals need for space is not fulfilled in their confined cages. One example

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Although zoos seem to portray an educational factor they fail to teach people about the natural world. Over 2,800 children were surveyed from the London zoo and demonstrated a lack of learning outcome (Zoos Neither Educate nor Empower Children). Zoos claim they teach children about how to become conservationists, but children fail to believe they can actually make a difference. “It is hardly surprising to learn that most children visiting zoos are neither empowered nor educated by the experience of seeing captive wild animals so far removed from their natural habitat. Zoos present an entirely false view of both the animals themselves and of the real and very urgent issues facing many species in their natural homes,” says Liz Tyson director from Captive Animal’s Protection Society (Zoos Neither Educate nor Empower Children).

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Zoos are bad for humans, most people do not believe it but zoos are not educating us, they are hurting us. Evidence for zoos are bad for humans is, in 2013, a zookeeper in Missouri was killed when he was knocked to the ground by an elephant, he died instantly.(Estrada). This reason this matters is because zoo animals are killing people, and that would not happen as often if they were left in the wild. Animals in films are not as nice as they are on camera. For example, the orca featured in the film “Blackfish,” is responsible for three human deaths.

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This leads to many concerns from the public on the physical and mental impacts of captivity on the wild animals. This essay examines the advantages and disadvantages of zoos to lead us to a possible conclusion whether it is ethical to place animals in captivity. We will also examine if zoos have the best possible facilities to keep animals in captivity. Body One of the advantages of having zoos, is to provide protection to some animals that are endangered.

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