Blackfish director responds to SeaWorld trainer interview

[@zran3097]

'They breathe, they eat, they interact...' Pretty sure the inmates at Auschwitz did those things too.

[@donitahewitt7563]

@Indy Behr Plus she said 'breed' not 'breathe'.

[@Becuhz.]

I don’t think you really understand, he is saying that just because they do those basic things does not mean they are happy yes it is a very extreme exaggeration but he is saying that that doesn’t make them happy. You need to calm your tits. And bringing your dead grandparents into an argument on KZbin is pretty low man.

[@change_your_oil_regularly4287]

Agreed. These others are missing the point. Its not a statement that genocide is equal with Orca captivity. It's simply pointing out the stupidity of her arguments as by her measure these people were also happy.

[@ZapRowsdower47]

Comparing wild animals to humans... Nicce

[@zran3097]

@@ZapRowsdower47 Of course! Ever heard of evolution, bud?? Don't you think primates, such as chimpanzees, would be a valid comparison? Certainly your DNA is extremely similar, having emerged from their bloodline. I would not compare an ant or a fly, but highly developed mammals with sophisticated cerebral processes, language, emotional lives etc increasingly share similarities to us, do they not?

[@clashofkingstywinlannist3r293]

"Let's not differentiate between their size and intelligence." How does anybody take a SeaWorld employee seriously. The fact that they are intelligent creatures and are fully capable of understanding feelings should mean quite a bit to this lady. How do ppl even buy what she is saying as accurate?

[@seangriffin2053]

"...stand behind our trainer..." The same way you stood behind Dawn Brancheau? Your organization blamed her for what happened. You never informed any of your employees about the potential danger of the innocent, yet psychologically-damaged Tilikum and that poor woman paid the price for it and you clearly feel no shame as long as you see dollar signs. If you truly believed "Blackfish" was a farce, then you should sue them for slander, etc. because you certainly have the funds to do it. However, you won't because you're too afraid more ugly truths will reach the surface.

[@seangriffin2053]

If you watched Blackfish, the ones interviewed were explaining why Dawn was attacked and why Tilikum did it. The head of Seaworld in the same documentary was shown going on national news and said that Dawn would've said it was her mistake. He had no way to prove that b/c Dawn was dead. SW did blame Dawn and I don't think they informed every trainer properly, otherwise trainers wouldn't risk going in the pool so frequently and I don't think they would've found the treatment acceptable. Tilly grabbed her arm, not her ponytail, according to another witness. If they are lies, why hasn't SW fought back and filed suit for slander, among other things.

[@seangriffin2053]

And you can keep drinking the Kool-Aid if you like. Tilikum has had a rough life in captivity and has snapped at certain times due to frustration, not play or curiosity. And he's not the only orca who's done that. Kasatka once grabbed an experienced trainer by the foot and held him underwater for a long period. A whale named Orchid pulled a trainer in and fractured her arm. Neither died, but it could've easily happened. There's no record of any orcas attacking humans in the wild for a reason. I agree that orcas ARE genuinely very docile around people. While a dominant predator in the animal kingdom, they are very playful and gentle towards people. In captivity, they can become frustrated and confused and some have even hurt each other (sometimes kill) because they were not from the same pod. (Look up "Kandu V" and Corky II.) Thad Lacinak, an acclaimed trainer BUT also a former SeaWorld executive, said in the interview that Dawn messed up, instead of considering maybe Tilikum was not in the right mind, which has happened before with deadly results. I'm not trying to force you into my beliefs about the incident, but when I see the film and what has happened to human and whale alike, it is hard to ignore and not consider that perhaps most of these whales, gentle as they are most times, are psychologically damaged b/c of human error.

[@seangriffin2053]

Those all look like incidents where the whales were either hunting for seals or mistook a human for a seal. Nobody was killed, and they did not outright attack the person. IMO completely different from SeaWorld incidents.

[@SaffronGrey]

+Sean Griffin This was pretty fun to read. Ever went to Carlo's channel? Yeah, he is a kid (or he sounds like a child, definitely). He has a video about the collapsed dorsal fins. His sources? SeaWorld.

[@marielavers9194]

Do you work for SeaWorld?? First of all it was SeaWorld who came up with the ponytail defence, not a SeaWorld trainer. And it was not dawn's ponytail that got her killed at all! Tillikum grabbed her arm and pulled her under. Where are you getting these lies from? How gullible are you? You say Tillikum is gentile? Wtf! Tillikum has killed three people!

[@QueenLaMadrina]

If they are in "excellent physical & mental condition" why do they give them antidepressant drugs!?

[@samanthaspsychiccabin8354]

QueenLaMadrina There is no proof of that besides a rumor.

[@tgravlin3604]

Wrong. Read: www.scribd.com/doc/215567388/Seaworld-v-Marineland-Aff-of-Lanny-Cornell Trainers give their orcas, also known as killer whales, the psychoactive drug benzodiazepine, according to the sworn affidavit filed in the Ontario Superior Court of Justice in a dispute between the park company and the rival company Marineland over the transport of a prized killer whale, Ikaika, to SeaWorld.

[@Funksinthehouse]

@@boogie8690 you still believe after what was finally brought to light in Russia. So that's cool, 90 belugas 13 orcas not to mention the ones that die during capturing. You are a clueless moron. And u probably believe SeaWorld has nothing to do with any of this. You sound very uneducated.

[@boogie8690]

Rebecca Funkenhauser SeaWorld has nothing to do with what happened in Russia. SeaWorld doesn’t capture orcas anymore and SeaWorld doesn’t torture the animals as people say. All the idiotic animal rights activists put these fake rumors into your heads. I’ve personally seen how much food they are given even if they don’t do a trick. I’ve seen one ocean and when one of the orcas failed to jump out of the water in the start of the show the same orca was still fed a lot of fish and the show continued. SeaWorld (Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio) are beautiful places that definitely deserve a visit. Some idiots still believe they should release the animals even though that would kill many of them. As a man I still visit SeaWorld daily and hate the false rumors PeTa puts into people’s heads. How can you trust a company that thinks milk gives autism. Anyways I definitely recommend you go to sea world (Orlando,San Antonio, or San Diego). You can’t see the shows I’ve seen (believe, one ocean, the new educational one, and the night shows) but you can still see orcas, dolphins, and many more.

[@Funksinthehouse]

@@boogie8690 Firstly I would never step foot in any place that capture these self aware beings. I'm not with Peta but I do believe in being ethical treatment towards any animal or mammal ect.. I do believe in zoo conservations for rescue. Zoos don't have anything on display with trainers making them do tricks for our entertainment, they make habitats for what animals are accustomed to! I fully believe that S. W. Is fully in with China and their new found orcas, the statuim is a dublicate of one of their own. Seems like common sense tells me, orcas do not belong in captivity anymore. We know to much over the last 60 yrs. That's ample time for their studies. This all about the Ole mighty dollar. Not the welfare of orcas or any other ceatations. Period!!!

[@writerconsidered]

I get the trainers. They love their orcas, problem is they love their orcas the way a family in utah loves their pet lion lounging in the livingroom. And both are blind to the injustice.

[@dianebays5484]

And, they are brainwashed, Sea-world!

[@Ayeshazaheer444]

Yes this right here🙌🏼

[@alexiaalberts2807]

I know that this is a really reallly old post but i LOVE your example it was funny while being true

[@newax_productions2069]

hope you don't have a single pet then

[@houstonconservative1776]

@@newax_productions2069 some of us have pets who have been neglected and couldn't survive without care..tillikum was stolen from his home.. little different

[@Mean_Jean]

I love how they tear apart a whale family at the park and say they're happy

[@AnnaLee33]

It's of course to be expected, that some employed folks say exactly what their bosses like to hear and remember. No wonder the critical voices come from ex trainers, who don't depend on Seaworld's salary anymore.

[@TheLauren3305]

“My animals”.... you see that’s the problem. They shouldn’t be anyone’s. When you go and actually see orcas in the wild only then it would be possible to understand how and what they need. Save some money up and take a trip to Norway, Alaska, New Zealand and see what these beautiful smart “animals” look like in the wild. Come on common sense folks....

[@catchairintherye9503]

She also constantly repeated "Killer Whale". If SeaWorld want to educate people (as they say) they should call them orcas.

[@jonutsthedanklordpayton]

@@catchairintherye9503 frist they do its just the layman name so by your logic they should refer to them as Orcinus orca because that's there scientific name. And there name comes from the fact that they kill whales

[@jonutsthedanklordpayton]

@@catchairintherye9503 it's obviously used the same way you use "my brother" or "my friend"

[@FreshSalad645]

It is pretty clear to me that as Humans, we condemn our worst criminals to sit in a concrete box for the rest of their lives. This is how we punish the worst of us, why do we have to do the same with innocent animals? For the pleasure of seeing them jump in the air under our command because we're such big masters of the universe ?

[@camdevtube]

Yep, it's called supply and demand. People want to see animals without having to dive under the water themselves or travel to Africa, and other people want to profit. So as long as people want to see animals and as long as people like money, we're going to have animals in captivity.

[@3dmoddeler]

please watch this.. kzbin.info/www/bejne/jImXeIV5a7Fjbdk

[@maybesoda]

3dmoddeler Full of lies as he is brainwashed by SeaWorld and doesn't know what he is talking about.

[@annalesebletsch2166]

maybesoda So everyone who supports SeaWorld is a lier and is brainwashed?

[@FreshSalad645]

Annalese Bletsch Nah. Some people just don't know better ;-)

[@EivindKreyHanssen]

I'm no "animal activist" etc... actually a hunter myself, but keeping those animals in captivity, feels just wrong to me.

[@dimitristsekeris1821]

+Eivind Krey Hanssen What it "feels" like is not what it is. I mean us, humans, have thins such as morality and sense of rights and such stuff, and we tend to believe that such things as captivity of animal killing are "just wrong".

[@EivindKreyHanssen]

Gr8 b8 m8.....

[@newax_productions2069]

better not have any pets then.

[@horse-lover68]

@@dimitristsekeris1821 And you know that because???

[@horse-lover68]

Yes it is wrong!!! SW had 60 year's to get better and still are the orca's dieing at 1/3 of their natural lifespan, why?? Because they are so happy and only get vitamin's!!

[@kathleenkavanagh1695]

I don't need to watch a documentary to know that if I were taken against my will to live in a bathtub for the rest of my life is wrong. Think logically people.

[@JonathanStephens84]

Kathleen Kavanagh Thinking logically only works if you listen to both sides of the debate and question everything. For instance, both of the above points are fundamentally flawed. 1. Sea World do not capture wild animals, and have not done so for more than 30 years! 2. The bath tub analogy is a simplified and biased one for example. True - they don't have the open ocean to swim in, but their facilities are at least equivalent to an olympic swimming pool, if not bigger. Do your own research people!

[@mcoordinator]

Jonathan Stephens did you really just suggest that the SeaWorld facilities being the size of an Olympic pool is anywhere near similar to the wide open ocean ??your logic is scary... you want to justify keeping another living being in captivity for entertainment? not for research... not to avoid extinction but simply for entertainment purposes ! Ppl like you are going to find a way to justify the enslavement of these animals for entertainment & PROFIT bc you lack empathy. you don't value ALL life...you think animals are beneath you so OF COURSE you think it's harmless & that we are "saving them or giving them a better life" by enslaving them....idiot! An Olympic size pool = the ocean... Really?? I just can't!!

[@JonathanStephens84]

mcoordinator​​​ Short answer is no I did not. The rest of your comments are pretty much slander, which seems to be a common weapon of choice by most of the anti-SW activists.

[@meganrose7870]

Jonathan Stephens Seaworld's tanks are larger than Olympic pools.

[@JaneDoexxx]

@ Megan loves animals Olympic pools are for humans! Do you even know how big orcas are? That is one of the dumbest arguments I've heard yet!

[@ProudChristian73]

I bet they are "content" with a profit of two billion dollars each year!!! No amount of money is worth forsaking your moral code!! One thing is for sure, God doesn't take cash, credit, or checks and I'm thankful for that! The bible says "it's hard for a rich man to enter heaven"!! God Bless everyone who always tries to do what's right no matter what and to those who do not agree with this type of abuse or neglect!

[@vidjdwhite]

+Crystal Mack My sister knows you. You used some guy for his money last year !!!

[@2011blueman]

People have to remember that these trainers aren't scientists and aren't educated. They're simply actors/entertainers.

[@bigrigJim]

Hey lady, you can raise a goldfish in a coffee cup , doesn't make it right . I bet if she had to live the rest of her years in a doughboy swimming pool she wouldn't be doing cartwheels of joy about it .

[@thexophguy]

its not our natural environment , she would die in 2 days in swimming pool , we need to keep her in a dry well heated cage and let people rape her so she can happily breed after eating porridge made with water

[@nicholeclark3478]

She was obviously paid to say what she said. She hit every point of controversy perfectly like going down a checklist. Obviously seaworld backed her for this interview and told her what they needed her to say.

[@samshaw2779]

They should be made to live in a bath for a year though. Only get fed when she does a forward roll and with no interaction and her kids banned from visiting. Wonder if she'll feel about it after that.

[@GamingGirl25]

A lot of the orcas have their offspring with them and they are in family groups. None of the orcas are withheld food. Do you even know how basic animal training works? Withholding food is not how you properly, positively train ANY animal..not a dog, not a bird, and NOT an orca, and that isn't how SeaWorld operates.

[@angelgrant843]

+Sam K Exactly

[@Pretty.Biology.Princess]

Sam K no? lmao

[@marishkaspirit]

@@GamingGirl25 this is Exactly how Sea World operate, seems like you know nothing of what you are talking about.. The former trainers admited they use pisnishemnt of witholding the food to teach them to do tricks. Also there are several cases wehre they separate the mother form the child very early, when they are still very little. Not to mention they are forcing teh breeding process and at a very ealry age fro the orcas, whe. They are noy fully grown/matured.

[@zran3097]

Haha did she really say '...let's not differentiate based on their size or intelligence?' OMG! If you ever want to show someone how well-meaning trainers get brainwashed by the SeaWorld admin, just play this vid! LOL!

[@hannahcornell5025]

But why? So you only care about the orcas none of the other animals matter cause that's the anti-cap vibe nowadays.

[@zran3097]

Hannah Cornell Er, well, firstly you assume a lot to say 'none of the other animals' and secondly 'cause that's the anti-cap vibe nowadays'. Actually I care deeply about all whale/dolphin captivity and during my only trip to slaveworld aged 7 I started crying when we looked at the dolphins and we had to leave. To answer your question (and I don't believe I actually have to do this but here goes) the reason WHY it is more perverse to keep large, intelligent animals in captivity is because their needs are greater and their behavior more complex than smaller, less-intelligent animals. For instance, a goldfish's roaming area is far smaller than an orca's and in the wild they do not stay with their mothers for life. I could give you a thousand more examples like that but why bother? You've obviously been brainwashed too :(

[@hannahcornell5025]

Maybe I should of said Im not really on either side of the argument. Main reason being I just can't stand the whole talk no show vibe but I understand your point and I think the cause I justified but I'm not talking the silly extremes. Let's be normal about this. No one seems to care for the other animals anymore. Is the polar bear that lives at SeaWorld Orlando alone not matter? The bottlenose dolphins seem to have gone under the radar too. You can go further by saying where the attention on other marine parks like Miami Seaquarium with one solo 40 year old orca. I'm sorry to unload this on you but it just pushes my buttons when people only care about one animal and one park when the bigger picuture should be noticed.

[@zran3097]

OK, so maybe I trolled a bit, I really respect your measured and cool response. Yes, I agree, there are fads which distract from wider issues; but ultimately any human rights movement (or in this case, anti-inhumane rights movement) needs a breakthrough moment and I think Blackfish may be just that. Sometimes there's such a thing as trying to be clever. I think we should rejoice for the positive influence Blackfish is having on the world. No doubt if it carries through to actual global orca release, the dolphins and other whales will be up next!

[@hannahcornell5025]

Wow thank you maybe I just came off wrong in my first comment and I apologise for that. I must say though I do personally prefer The Cove over Blackfish but there's no doubt it has had a big impact on how people see the parks but I think The Cove is more powerful :)

[@victorvector4355]

Keeping Killer Whales in Sea World is like keeping a human in a studio apartment with full food in fridge and comfortable furnishings but never being allowed to leave. Who among us would be happy with that arrangement?

[@LonelyBlackWolf96]

So according to that trainer's logic, as long as a kidnapper's victim is eating and is occasionally being raped, he or she is happy?

[@sinnerssandwich4140]

Good on SeaWorld for saying they stand behind their trainers! It's not like they threw Dawn Brancheau under the bus after her death, stating that her ponytail was what caused Tilikum to attack (when she's not the only female trainer to have a ponytail, and that most eyewitnesses say Tilikum didn't grab her by the hair, but near her midsection or arm).

[@NourKLI]

He did grab her by the shoulder and it’s because he didn’t get his reward. He needed to wave to the public , so he did but he didn’t hear the sign to stop he kept going. He then later went to get his food but he didn’t get it, because he thought he did a good job, and he did, he just thought he did what he was ordered…Thise trainers aren’t innocent. The crap they sell. Educate yourself.

[@sinnerssandwich4140]

@@NourKLI I'll educate myself when you get basic reading comprehension lol. I'm not saying Dawn Brancheau did nothing wrong or is "innocent" I'm saying that it's hypocritical of SeaWorld to say they stand behind their trainers when they tried to blame their shit animal welfare and training causing a whale to kill after years of maltreatment on one trainer's hairstyle.

[@FaqoOG]

@@NourKLIthey are

[@lisamorrison214]

@@NourKLIthey are just performers. They are not marine biologists.

[@bftb2656]

without SeaWorld, she would loose her job. wo her job, she cant pay her bills. Close the doors Sea World. Wake up people.

[@NYGGJELEBEITE]

The trainer seems a little strained. Maybe seaworld didnt drug here enough for her informal session.

[@phanie2206]

The trainer is such a liar. This is the worse thing ever created. Blackfish actually opened up a lot of people’s eyes and I’m so happy about that.

[@tessdurberville711]

Steph Steph www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/the-20m-lessons-of-freeing-keiko-the-whale/ medium.com/@isaacwadd/whats-wrong-with-blackfish-3e5a366c28c7

[@rorolilred]

I feel sorry for the trainers, they obviously applied for the job in the first because they love orcas so it must be pretty depressing when everyone starts tell you you're hurting them. Not that I think it's ok to have cetaceans in captivity, I just feel bad for the trainers. It must be like if you have a beloved pet rabbit and then someone tells your it cruel to keep rabbits in hutches.

[@4theOrcas]

I hold no ill will towards the trainers. Someone has to care for the animals! They're only doing what they're told. It's the park directors I have an issue with.

[@dirtbitch77]

Lol another ignorant comparison

[@rorolilred]

Why is it ignorant? I know it's not a perfect analogy because rabbits aren't trained to perform but I meant from the perspective of the trainers they say that they form a close relationship with the dolphins (like a pet I would guess) so I feel a bit sorry for them. I don't agree with animal shows at all I'm just saying that I don't think the trainers are completely evil people.

[@hannahcornell5025]

it's so nice to see this comment! You see too many comments saying how all the trainers should be killed which is so horrible!

[@kylieandrews6616]

rorolilred they brainwashed

[@figelnuget4569]

to me, keeping a killer whale in a tank is the same as keeping a human in a cage.

[@Sophie2570]

1:17 People in prison "breathe, eat, and interact", that certainly doesn't mean they're happy. What an idiot!

[@mad7fisher]

Exactly. 🫤. Sounded ridiculous

[@katiaoddi]

If people want to know more on this subject they should read ' Death at Sea-World; Shamu and the dark side of killer whales in captivity' by David Kirby, it is very interesting.

[@lucidhound4632]

Oh my god, that statement at the end from Seaworld, I did such a loud petty laugh. They may work with these animals, but they do not understand them. They know nothing about their health, physically, psychologically, or emotionally. They take these intelligent, diverse creatures who all speak different languages and come from different cultures and put them in a tiny tank together and expect them to get along. And they take the babies away from the mothers which traumatizes the mothers because they don't know why their baby was taken away. As long as they see dollars, they will never truly care about these animals.

[@fernandavalenzuela1433]

blackfish is the truth.

[@Tucker358]

I work at the Marine Mammal Care Center. It is a hospital for wild marine animals. We rescue and release roughly 400-700 animals each year. SeaWorld rescues and release up to 1,200 animals every year. Whenever we get the endangered Guadalupe Fur Seals and Northern Fur Seals, we send them to SeaWorld for rehabilitation. This is because SeaWorld has one of the largest and most successful rehabilitation centers in the entire world. In fact, NOAA (part of our own government) requires that they be sent to SeaWorld or TMMC. Back in 1910, there were less than 100 northern elephant seals left in the wild. SeaWorld rehabilitates and releases dozens and dozens of those animals every year. They could very possibly go extinct without SeaWorld. All of this is paid for by people going to visit orcas and other cetaceans at the parks. SeaWorld has rescued and released over 31,000 animals because they have the money. The Marine Mammal Care Center can't do as much because our facility is run entirely on donations. Don't believe for one second that SeaWorld doesn't care.

[@shannyd1]

They do that to look good. It's the Orcas paying for it not them. How is that showing they care exactly. It's just business and publicly stunt. If they cared those aniamals.would have pools bigger than their car parks. And they wouldn't blame the whales or trainers for attacks, when they know the truth.

[@Tucker358]

@@shannyd1 Well luckily its been years since my first comment. I have been a dolphin trainer for years now. I have worked with bottlenose dolphins, killer whales, beluga whales, and more. I get paid shit. Like $13 an hour. That's not enough money for me to abuse animals. If I thought for a single second that my animals were abused in any way shape or form, I would be gone. I don't do this for money, I do it because I care about animals. You have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. The size of a parking lot has absolutely no correlation to the size of an animal habitat. You can talk when you've spent years of your life caring for these animals. Until then, you don't have a leg to stand on.

[@nareyakireina]

@@Tucker358 So you think that the orcas being in a small tank in captivity is a good thing? That it's not abuse?

[@Tucker358]

​@@nareyakireina I personally wouldn't consider it small, but that's not the point here. To put it in perspective, let's talk about horses. Horses under human care are identical to their wild counterparts. Wild horses can travel for miles each day, yet they are perfectly happy living under human care in a stable where they get plenty of exercise, toys, health care, etc. Orcas at SeaWorld get better care than every dog, horse, cat or other pet in the United States, and I can guarantee that. These animals are non-releasable for many reasons including, legality, safety, and necessity. So now that they are living under human care, it is our duty to ensure they have the best care possible. Me and my colleagues spend our entire lives ensuring that through objective means. We have independent researchers, doctors, veterinarians, etc. helping to care for these animals. I could go on and on, but I guarantee, I know more than you about animal welfare.

[@nareyakireina]

@@Tucker358 You don't have to be such an a*sshole know it all, dude. You wouldn't consider it small? Compared to the ocean where these creatures belong? Ha! Yes they aren't able to be released because they were born in captivity so they would just die in the wild. At least they aren't allowed to breed them anymore. And you're comparing a horse to an orca? LMAO! Also bold of you to say that they get better care then any other animal/pet in the country. Anyway, continue thinking you're more knowledgeable than anyone else. You just make yourself look like a douchebag. Have a good day!

[@caffeinatedconstellations2291]

Fact: a collapsed dorsal fin on an orca usually means that it is not in physical health and is most likely suffering through malnutrition.

[@hahyrningr]

I don't support captivity at all, but here's an actual fact: Dorsal fin collapse happens because of gravity. The dorsal is made of connective tissue and has no bone. The orcas at SeaWorld spend much of their time floating on the surface so there's nothing supporting the dorsal fin, causing it to collapse. Wild orcas have water flowing continuously on both sides of the dorsal fin, holding it upright. In captivity, it doesn't have anything to do with malnutrition or poor health, but simply happens because of gravity. You couldn't say the same for wild orcas though, as dorsal collapse on wild killer whale is most likely a sign of an underlying issue.

[@BK-qp8zp]

The trainer is a tool of SeaWorld (in more ways than one); 'nuff said.

[@rebeccameyer7721]

It's funny that SeaWorld keeps saying that everything in #blackfish was a lie... Yet when asked for interviews to tell their side, they all declined.. Interesting. And the fact that if everything in #blackfish was indeed false, then why isn't SeaWorld suing the movie for slander? Hmmm, makes you think.. #stopseaworld #savethewhales #savethedolphins

[@Utilitybox]

Rebecca Meyer maybe because the only thing Seaworld would gain from a lawsuit is more money? Which we all know they have plenty of.

[@stitch6995]

They didn't want anything to do with it because they know that the movie would have just edited their points against them like they did with the majority of interviews in the movie

[@jeaniegrant9445]

I do not believe a word this trainer speaks!

[@meghantravers1589]

The prisoners on Alcatraz did all those things too

[@nikkibates617]

Let them go man.

[@Lily-ng7no]

The trainers are paid to say shit like that!

[@Lily-ng7no]

+SeaWorld Tyler I'm not being paid i just know the truth, intact i wouldn't accept payment for telling the truth.

[@playerone1746]

Orcas feel the same way a human being would feel being imprisoned in jail cell for no reason.

[@Toxxaluvier]

Well, women held in captivity also eat, breathe and interact so why the outrage and sympathy when they are rescued? According to that lady, they were jolly as hell!

[@tinajaeger8267]

So ridiculous that this trainer doesn’t bother to do her own research. I get it. Ya can’t put them back in the wild. They won’t survive, but to claim these beautiful creatures are happy living in a damn pool without a family pod is just ignorant.

[@navyxa2599]

P.S....Ask yourself?.....If we all took money out of the entire argument,....would we still be so cruel to animals?.....Their is no other answer than NO?....WE do EVERYTHING for money in this world, EVERYTHING?...... It's every ones fault here, even YOURS!...... Shame on anyone that pays and funds these bad people.

[@kevinmalone3210]

Samantha Berg needs to challenge this SeaWorld trainer to a debate.

[@jddj2952]

This trainer lies because she is getting a paycheck. The dorsal fins show us a big clue that they are not well in captivity. The water in which they are kept is another big factor. What will stop this, is no one buy a damn ticket to these shows.

[@madicatgeniveve]

Blackfish is true. No lie! #PETA

[@Metalhead_Coaster_Fan]

Madicat Geniveve Bullshit #FuckPETA

[@thesenate5913]

"They're threatning our revenue, say bullshit or something!"

[@ellanawillette]

It matters when a orca is sick, then you HELP IT not TRAIN it plus human lifes are at sake, this isn't some dog, it's a real wild animal

[@NorrieOrca]

The southern resident would(in my opinion) have had greater numbers if it hadn't been for Seaworld constantly plucking out healthy animals and dumping them into a pool.

[@fuckgoogle4704]

"Constantly"? They havent taken an orca since the 70s.

[@NorrieOrca]

FuckGoogle+ I meant they constantly took young calves from the southern residents in the 70's. They took nearly an entire generation of young animals, giving the population little chance to reproduce.

[@fuckgoogle4704]

NorrieOrca statistically the argument is groundless since the known number of orca calves taken represented something like much less than 5% (forgive me I dont have the exact stats in front of me) of todays estimated but diminished population. So by projection you could estimate they took like 2 or 3 percent of that populations breeding potential which is statistically insignificant and could be more than offset by attrition from disease or mishap.

[@NorrieOrca]

So 45(in total between 1962 - 1973) healthy, young killer whales captured for marine parks didn't badly affect the population in ANY kind of way? Well, i don't know about you but i'd say it did affect them in a bad way because a female killer whale carries her calf for 18 months and may not have another calf for 4 or 5 years after that. They are slow when it comes to reproduction and the continues captures in the 70's may aswell have completely destroyed the southern residents back then if it hadn't been stopped.

[@fuckgoogle4704]

NorrieOrca I didnt say it didnt affect it in any way. I addressed your earlier statement which was entirely different.

[@mljcwest]

SeaWorld orcas are in excellent physical and mental condition? Is that why they have to take Tagamet (for ulcers) and diazapam (Valium)?

[@ZephyrBluePaddy]

Err cos they don't? That claim came out by people working on Blackfish.

[@reneelynn3080]

StephenFryForPope And how are you 100% sure that they don't?

[@dirtbitch77]

Lol Riiight cause seaworld would tell you they were medicating their whales which would mean that captivity is bad for them ...Jeez people use your brain and common sense that the good Lord gave you...if you can...

[@navyxa2599]

WHOEVER dies by a wild animal in captivity for money, already knew that they would die eventually?....... I don't wish any death on anybody, but refuse to feel sorry for any human being that is so cruel,..ESPECIALLY if they receive $$$ by doing so? I'm not going to say anything like, "you get what you deserve",.....BUT I AM thinking it! Why are we so cruel as a species?....Shame on ALL of us! Not just the trainer, and their employer........

[@markbatch6374]

"the opinions she offers are consistent with sea worlds positions" really ??? what a shock … she agrees with her bosses who give her a job and pay her ??? things that make you go Hmmmmm

[@textthing]

Informal interview my eye. That's a PR video with a professional actress.

[@jordanflynn527]

That’s a good point, I didn’t even think of that

[@aileensaysheyy]

SeaWorld is a MULTI- BILLION DOLLAR ABUSEMENT PARK.

[@Metalhead_Coaster_Fan]

Aileen Fuck off

[@davidfitzgerald4683]

My Animals? What A Narcisissit.

[@tursiopss]

1:06. Not right. Animals harder to keep under human care are not those with higher intelligent but those whose survival instinct are harder to imitate in captivity. So polar bears are actually consider the harder animal to adapt to a life under human care as they have low rates of natural breeding, this is consider to happen because in the wild they tend to walk a lot in order to find food and are adapted to extreme conditions. Dolphins (which include orcas) have a high rate of natural breeding and low cortisol levels, enrichment and positive training that is use in all seaworld parks helps a lot in that. 1:36 I agree trainer could have give much more argument than "they are happy because they eat" (we should actually be a bit careful with that also with our pets as "eating" is a way to reduce stress so it doesn't always means happiness, although the first sign on a sick animal is that they stop eating) but she probably just wanted to give an "easy to understand" opinion about it. Now no animal is going to swim/walk/fly long distances if they have food avaliable, there are actually dolphins pod out there having territories even smaller than some dolphinariums just because they have food in there. Long trips takes too much energy and when you are in the wild the last thing you want to do is waste energy.

[@lakerphan17]

Those aren’t your animals

[@anamiramontes3627]

"my animals are happy"......ummm they're Not Yours🙄

[@laurabonnell582]

She knows nothing about those animals I can bet she never seen them in wild how they live.

[@29tenshi]

Don't buy a ticket

[@clairecooper2012]

THIS IS FACT NOT A LOAD OF CRAP!!!! The only people who look after these animals are the trainers only. The rest of Seaworld dont give a crap about these beautiful animals. To the rest of Seaworld and the visitors these animals are just comodaties. There for human pleasure and are nothing but $$$$$$$ only. Just because they are eating, and interacting does not mean they are happy. Also I have had the pleasure of seeing orcas in the wild and they do live upto over the age of 70 to 80 years old, not like what seaworld claims "They live upto 35 to 30 in the wild". This is a load of crap. Also wild orcas have not killed any human, where as in captivity :O they have killed people. All the people who claim Blackfish is full of lies and properganda, really do need to get a life and do your actual reaearch into marine biology. It has proven that Orcas DO live longer in the wild, more happy in their OWN POD and NOT in an artifically made family in a small tank and and have NOT killed any human in the wild These mammals swim upto 100 to 120 miles per day, in a tank they are swimming in constant circles. Do you really think this is good for a Orcas mental stability? The answer is No. This goes for the same as Dolphins. Seaworld claims their dolphins are "born in captivity" howevee this is NOT the case. Their bottlenose dolphins, beluga whales etc are from the wild ocean of Japan. They give money to Taiji fishermen for wild caught dolphins. The Japanese trainers select the most beautiful dolphins, mainly babies and juveniles with no marks or scratches for a lifetime in captivity. The babies are dragged away from their own family and slinged to a side of a skiff. The remaining family that were never selected a brutally killed for meat. These baby dolphin has witnessed its own family being killed in front of them. This is traumatic enough for them. Then they are dropped into a small tiny seapen, starved to perform tricks. A fully trained dolphin can sell from $10000 to $150000. Seaworld buy this fully trained dolphin, and it gets flown over to the USA. This is where Seaworld claim their dolphin was born in captivity in which in theroy it was taken from the wild ocean. So to anyone wanting to buy tickets to see a dolphin show and see them perform tricks, just remember YOU are paying for other wild dolphins to be brutally killed in Taiji, Japan.

[@ikaikamaleko8370]

"MY ANIMALS".....................hmmmm already then......wow.

[@jo5707]

RIP Dawn Bracheau

[@josephv.1333]

Can you say PAYCHECK BONUS!?!?! LOL

[@pattiprochaska1743]

If the orcas are so healthy, why are the male dorsal fins flopped over?? Not a sign of good health.

[@chloetroub1428]

If the orcas aren't healthy, then why are only males fins bent and not females as well?

[@pattiprochaska1743]

Cus the females' are shorter!

[@chloetroub1428]

So then it has nothing to do with health or depression...

[@EmmaiscoolXD]

honestly I have a dream of being a orca or dolphin trainer, But in some parks there are good reasons on why they are in captivity 1. Found young and without a mom 2. Severally hurt 3. disability But I do agree that they should not under talk or capture them without a reason! I feel like if it were a calf they would not be able to realse it, but if they were an adult rehab them then realse. Also facts I've seen 'You know that girl who claims she rode that orca..yea that was me.` 'dawn would not have worked there for 15 years if she knew they were mistreated .`

[@CATSWITHKYLA]

None of the Orca's in captivity have been found young or Injured or hurt or without a mother expect Morgan who is in captivity at Loro Parque and she wasn't suppose to be used as entertainment. They do not live a good life in tanks hun. You really need to reconsider your choose if you really care for these creatures

[@karenmiller9381]

Seaworld needs to be closed indefinitely........ and I hope that lying blonde trainer is the first to be made unemployed.

[@catkook543]

I watched that video. 2 MAJOR points this response failed to address. -The orca cry in the film, was edited into the film, from a different species, in a different region of the world -Sea world claims they do what they do, to spark interest in the wild world. (Or, the trainer interviewed made this claim) Basically their point in that, people won't care about conservation, if they don't understand the animals their conserving.

[@summitsparrow]

By feeding these animals and "caring for them" in captivity, you are actually harming the species. Natural selection has been the mechanism that has allowed these animals to become the dominant form of life in the ocean, and that has all stemmed from their hunting techniques and the teamwork that goes into executing them. Raising orcas in captivity is not helping the gene pool select for orcas that master these learned techniques. What we want is to permit these animals to engage in their ecosystem by performing their function in the sea is predators that hunt fish, seals, and other mammals. This, in turn, selects for prey animals that are the most agile, the most successful at avoiding the orca. Humans cannot just come in here and say "I'm going to help these orcas by feeding them fish." No, that's not how it works on this earth. I'm not even going to go into the inbreeding issue. They need to hunt and they need to be free.

[@pamelamahood47]

let them go every time a animal attacks we blame the animal. It’s an animal Orcas need to be freed. Please let them all go it can’t be healthy for them look on their fin on top it’s bent all the way over why???? because their not happy . When are people gonna learn???

[@gracem9737]

Lol. A wild animal shouldn't be in the wild because I could hurt them. Them we should bring more poor girls from 3rd world countries here to be sex slaves because their home country isn't safe. I can't believe people think that putting animals in small areas like this is good for them.

[@iamprotoss1]

LOL....Talk about LOYALTY! That's what you need to get a paycheck from companies deemed evil. Be loyal or go die

[@SPACEMONKEY288]

anyone that calls themselves a animal person should watch the documentary earthlings on youtube.

[@vidjdwhite]

+SPACEMONKEY288 Says the guy who supports high school kids making $15 dollars an hour so we have to pay 4 dollars for our morning coffee and therefore people don't spend on it and the value of the dollar drops and the economy hits the shitter yet again. All credibility lots with your hippie supporting avatar.

[@SPACEMONKEY288]

John D yes because that always happens when we raise the wage...

[@vidjdwhite]

SPACEMONKEY288 Are you insane? The Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 is a US Act of Congress that amended the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to gradually raise the federal minimum wage from $5.15 per hour to $7.25 per hour. We are talking around two fucking dollars. NOT EIGHT!!!! What basis do you derive your logic if THIS is your point? & What would you think would happen? Companies would take the loss from the top?!??! That is a JOKE, they would raise costs in a heart beat!!! OH and BY THE WAY.... DO YOU REMEMBER WHAT HAPPENED IN 2007?!?!?! Wow I knew Bernie supporters were dumb but you are on acid or something. Your statement made no sense what so ever considering 1) we aren't talking about a two dollar increase but something four times as much and 2) the economy fell in 2007 !!!!!!!

[@vidjdwhite]

SPACEMONKEY288 What the fuck did you think happened in 2007? Do you people try and be stupid? I mean, it must take effort!

[@SPACEMONKEY288]

John D googled real quick "Myth: Increasing the minimum wage is bad for the economy. Not true: Since 1938, the federal minimum wage has been increased 22 times. For more than 75 years, real GDP per capita has steadily increased, even when the minimum wage has been raised. Myth: The federal minimum wage goes up automatically as prices increase." no one said the wage goes up to 15 the next day you fucking idiot. it slowly goes up over the next decade or 2. of course if you raise it big the next day it can effect prices.

[@ladiesman1ate7]

How the fuck can you mentally diagnose a whale? Who makes this determination? They keep a whale shrink on staff? What education must one acquire to be qualified as a whale psychiatrist?

[@MM3OG]

What I really don't understand is some of these animals are rescues that turn into captives. No one protest Zoo's with mammals but everyone protest against SeaWorld makes no sense. Some animals just can't be released back into the wild they would easily die.

[@finnsoldies1087]

I breath and eat and interact and sometimes I’m not happy!

[@tyesngates5607]

The trainers are blinded or being used as pawns.

[@Tenzin62]

I wonder what she says now. Eight years on.

[@pinellasexoticreptiles8707]

SeaWorld is about to get deeper in the lawsuit. Just yesterday 06/26/2017 on the news, the case escalated further where the courts ordered further reports and evidence to be brought forward from SeaWorld. It was nice to see the major decline of financial revenue of visitors to the park as well. My family refuses to go now though we are just over a hour ride from it.

[@benbuckley3022]

Come on Kristi you go make us proud ♥️♥️

[@deniseroberts3176]

Its simple stop breeding them take them out the tank never have them again ...so cruel i was in tears hearing them crying for there baby's

[@utterlynice1]

She totally is uninformed!

[@berniceobias467]

Well she doesnt have the option to voice her opinions against Sea world if she had any. It's her job and she just wants to keep it

[@thousandwater]

The basic assumption is wrong. Intelligence makes a difference. An orca and a jellyfish are just different...

[@adrianallen8826]

Ok so i notice ppl always comment and say that these whales cant hunt anymore bc they have been in captivity and that they would starve blah blah blah..... Umm orcas are extremely intelligent....I watched a video where an orca in captivity coughed up a fish and used it as bait to catch a bird...Im sure they are capable of learning to hunt again...

[@RebeccaTaylorTillery]

I think so too. However, given that most of the surviving whales were born in captivity, they would be unable to hook up with a family. Lolita is a different story as we know her pod and she still knows her language. Also, her mother is still alive and would probably remember her and she remember her mother. The born captive whales have no pods to belong to and the other still surviving wild captured whales, we don't know their pods. It is unknown if the captive born whales would create a pod themselves. There is also the issue of hybrid whales. It is very complicated. The only pretty sure shot is Lolita and SeaWorld doesn't own her.

[@davidweaver2156]

That's my story now I have to drink some more of SeaWorld Kool aid

[@MattJohno2]

I think trainers themselves genuinely have a deep care and respect for the orcas, otherwise they wouldn't have signed up for the job there - But these orcas need at least something to interact with when not performing. How would you like it if you were trapped inside your own house, but in this case, there's no furniture, no paint on the walls, It's just a huge block of concrete. Or just send them to a sanctuary, where they can learn to hunt and communicate with other orcas. Seaworld would do just fine if they just became an ocean oriented theme park. It's great news that Seaworld have stopped their breeding program, and they stopped all shows. Now, apparently, Seaworld want to offer education about their animals. Which is at least a step in the right direction.

[@HunterJumper-sf8cb]

@timothyomara6303SeaWorld controls the corporation that governs the accreditations so they can maintain their “clean” reputation!

[@tyjackson7053]

The trainers may love the orcas but SW definitely does not, even in blackfish the ex trainers talk about how SW separated an orca named Kalina from her baby shortly after birth which resulted in even more stress than she was already enduring, Of course the trainers who still work there will lick SW’s boots and defend everything they do because they still depend on SW for paychecks

[@reidaltrance]

Hate these pp , the only way to stop it is that pp dont go to that show

[@GUALLACOL]

Someone came with the brilliant idea of capturing these these magnificent animals that belong in the wild. The damage has been done already.

[@horse-lover68]

That is no reason to let it be like it is.

[@GrizzleeRoblox]

lOl “they breath, they eat, and they interact” Well no durrr that’s their best shot of staying alive! Plus that sea world worker is saying how that vid wasn’t true, but literally if you look behind her those poor whales are legit in a pool that’s only 2x the size of them smh.

[@kiminainteasy5841]

I don't know if whales can but dolphins can stop breathing. The guy who trained the original flipper thinks she committed suicide and chose to stop breathing. So going by if that's true, and it whales can too, I guess it brings more into question on their happiness there. But I will say that at least the ones that were born in captivity are lucky, they never got to experience the ocean so they can't miss it.

[@justinmckenzie5399]

"Of just the 3 years Ms. Berg spent working at SeaWorld, she spent only one year working with killer whales and she never conducted direct training with Tilikum." - I don't really think she is an "expert" As far as the director, she has cashed in on her one sided snuff piece, she's no more expert than me. All the experts she had on her one sided snuff piece (I refuse to call it a documentary) weren't really experts at all. If you have a look at what SeaWorld has said in response to the Blackfish movie (seaworld.com/en/truth/truth-about-blackfish/?from=Top_Nav) you may make up your own mind. But this is only one side of the story! Regardless of what your thoughts are on Orcas being kept in captivity, there is MUCH more to SeaWorld than that... they spend lots of money on research and rehabilitation of injured wild animals, many that are reintroduced to the wild. On a side note, I am in no way affiliated with SeaWorld, and have no vested interest, this is purely my opinion as someone who has worked with animals for many years (not dolphins/whales). The reason I've added this paragraph is in the past I've had people saying "Don't pay any attention to Justin, he is paid by SeaWorld" - which is 100% not true. I just believe the good they do far outweighs the bad.

[@BunzingJeeper]

I watched Blackfish four times and saw and read a lot of Seaworld's reactions including the one you posted. But I have to say most of the film isn't a snuff piece in the sence that there is a lot of truth to be found in it. They were hunted and bred, they killed and injured people, they aren't living the life they should be living (drugged, depressed) and next to that Seaworld has been caught lying many times. They still lie when it comes to simple facts about orca's and the way they take care of them! And about the research and rehabilitation.. Imagine a corporation like Seaworld and their bussiness is in the field of marine biology yet they do not do any research and in this case rehabilitation to further their bussiness. This would make no sense because they need the research to grow in their field (like any bussiness) but it would also come across like an organisation that doesn't give a rats ass about their product (animals on display). So why does Seaworld do reseach and rehabilitate animals? Cause it makes money in the long run. Look at how many Seaworld fans there are just because of how "important" they are when it comes to the well being and research of oceeanlife! There are enough of you to fill their seats until the end of time! It's fine if you don't care and just want to be entertained by animals, just don't be so naive and expect these people (seaworld executives) to do it out of love for the animals cause they simply don't. It's for their love of money, nothing else.

[@minkytak3156]

Justin McKenzie What good do they do? They do not appear to be interested in education or conservation...

[@justinmckenzie5399]

I don't know about the USA... but anytime there is a stranding etc here in Australia, they are the first ones there helping... same with injured animals, rehabilitation

[@jimnewson8128]

Justin McKenzie This is obviously a good thing and what people (should) support - although if its like in the US, these rescues are funded by Government grants and charitable donations and very little from Seaworld themselves. It's just a shame they have to ruin this good side by treating other animals badly by exploiting their intelligent and socially complex nature. You might say they have to do this to fund their rescues, but like I said, (if its like in US) that side is handled by a separate entity (thought still under the Seaworld brand) and they could still make money by adapting their business model to not include exploiting wild marine mammals. Unfortunately Seaworld aren't listening to a growing public response and instead of adapting and because their profits and attendance is continually dropping, they are therefore going to open up marine parks in countries where people aren't so informed about these issues and where they can continue to exploit both wild marine life and the public's ignorance.

[@jimnewson8128]

Seems my earlier post was deleted. Here it is again: This is a good article about these character assassinations that Seaworld and its supporters often use: crooksandliars.com/2014/05/truth-about-truth-about-blackfish

[@stitch6995]

So anyone who is against sea world is also against all zoos and other useful methods to help the animals too from being in danger in the wild then

[@amywright201]

+Stitch!! Most zoos make every attempt to allow the animals to live in an environment that mimics their natural environment. Most zoos do not have the animals performing tricks for the patrons. Zoos aren't ideal, but they are much better than the environment and treatment afforded cetaceans held in captivity at SeaWorld and other Marine Aquariums..

[@MrsGrumpy4]

+Amy Wright Ask the elephants if they are happy in an environment a sliver of the size of their natural habitat. I am all for conservation, and I'd like to see SeaWorld stop its breeding program, but I am so tired of the armchair activists who were born in the minutes after the Blackfish credits rolled. There is a REASON why this film wasn't nominated for an Academy Award. Stretching the (sad in its own right) truth into outrageous lies as fact is one of those reasons.

[@PUNKinDRUBLIC72]

The arrogance of that "trainer" is ridiculous!

[@layla5312]

NOTHING literally NOTHING will you give you an excuse that keeping animals in captivity is good

[@lolox318]

Of course they gonna say good things about seaworld.the trainers work for them...

[@davidkeenan5642]

It runs a little deeper than that. In defending SW they are defending themselves. As a child in the 1960s I was both awed & disturbed by seeing large animals in cages. Today I would visit a safari park, but you'd need wild horses to drag me to an orca or dolphin "show".

[@doodledots]

The abject stupidity of this 'trainer' is a very sad testament to what is generally wrong with the majority of so called human beings in the world these days.

[@elisabethstocco5166]

Manda em português não sei a língua de vcs

[@yeexiong1942]

We should put all the trainers and the owner in prison for life and have them do magic tricks for snacks if we are not impress with there stupid tricks then they don't get fed. I'm pretty sure these people will be happy just like they say that the killer whales are happy. Come on people let's all have a vote on this

[@alexcrasci3940]

I wouldn't believe an employee of sea world from someone at the top to a trainer about how good the orcas have it there if they came notarized smh

[@sarahgrimason4898]

No harm to all the seaworld kiss asses, but this trainer is all over the place with her answer. She goes on to say mindless things about how orcas are part of the dolphin family, which I'm sure people know. She is clearly remembering what seaworld has trained her to say to the people that question their slavery. If you want to go and see any animal in seaworld with horrible living conditions, illness, anger and inbred orcas, then be my guest. But you are supporting the people who are making profits from slavery.

[@fuckgoogle4704]

There is no scientific evidence orcas recognize human concepts such as slavery, freedom etc.

[@jimnewson8128]

FuckGoogle+ I'm sure they experience the feeling of being confined to a small space and the emotions that go along with being moved away from their mothers and being placed in a pod of orcas they don't know or can't communicate with.

[@fuckgoogle4704]

Jim Newson who is doing that to them now? Nobody. So why continue the emotion baiting rhetoric when these things arent happening? Babies being taken from their mothers and pods? Well a lot of folks dont like the village people. Guess what they aint making records no more. Go complain about the ussr. Oh theyre gone too.

[@jimnewson8128]

FuckGoogle+ "who is doing that to them now? Nobody." What? You don't think captive orcas get moved around to different marine parks? If you want to dispute someone at least know what you are talking about first. And the village people analogy is pretty good...means things change by public demand.. as it happening at SeaWorld where their attendance and stock price has significantly dropped over the last few years and we've seen The National Aquarium listing to public opinion and look into retiring their dolphins and phase out captive cetaceans. The time are indeed changing.

[@333CLEAR]

FuckGoogle+ What's interesting is that unless I'm mistaken, there was at least one wild orca attack on a surfer in about 1972, or thereabouts. The orca released the man's leg and I think he did have fairly substantial injuries requiring stitches.It was a case of mistaken identity, most likely. (GW attacks on swimmers are generally considered cases of mistaken identity as well)Not sure about any other attacks or if they occured at all. But for people to say it has NEVER occured in the wild is false.