Shamu Stadium Maintenance

**Tony G** · 17-12-2013, 19:28

Originally Posted by freddiehollie

Could it be why Universal closed the Jaws ride???

A lovely creature like a Great White trapped in such a small area.....

I think protesters were upset that it was burned every show.

**Lyn** · 17-12-2013, 21:04

If Sea World were to stop the whale show, then it would be the dolphin shown, then the seal show. What would happen to all these animals? you cannot just release captive animals into the wild. The majority of the whales were captive bred and those that weren't have been in captivity too long to be released back into the wild.

**FraserLynn** · 17-12-2013, 21:13

I think the favoured solution is what they call sea pens. huge yet secure pens that are in the ocean and give them the opportunity to live in their natural habitat, with proper currents and environment. I once swam with some dolphins in Israel that were kept in this environment with an open door to the ocean and the space was huge, can not be compared in anyway to the little pools at seaworld. The dolphins were free to come and go as they pleased as the door to the ocean was open, but they stayed because they were fed.

They had complete free choice about where the went, how much space they had away from the other dolphins etc, which according to the film is one of the main issues, Tilly was kept originally in a tiny pool (in Canada) with 2 females who dominated him and attacked him constantly. Males also need some space to let off their aggression and in the wild they live in family units, the children stay with their mothers for life, in captivity these units are broken up and the impact is huge apparently!! Not that I know what I am talking about, this was just from the film.

One of the quotes that really stuck with me was it is like keeping a human in a bath tub for 25 years and then being surprised that they are psychotic!

**DisneyFunVilla** · 18-12-2013, 14:03

Originally Posted by Philomena

We did a behind the scenes tour a couple of years ago where they show you round their 'hospital' area and you could not fail to be impressed by all the good work they do treating and releasing back into the ocean lots of injured turtles, manatees, etc. I suppose all this work has to be paid for somehow, but think the killer whale shows may have to go! They need the public on side to be able to keep assisting those creatures in need. I am sure they are listening.

Did any of that behind the scenes hospital area good work stuff make it into Blackfish or was it simply a slam SeaWorld thing?

**FraserLynn** · 18-12-2013, 14:58

Nope, there was none of that covered in the film, seaworld declined to take part.
I guess that is a tough one though as seaworld is a commercial for profit enterprise with share holders and investors and not a charity so any of this work that they do, they must consider brings a commercial benefit through positive PR or else they wouldn't be doing it.

**freddiehollie** · 18-12-2013, 16:13

[QUOTE=Tony G;713792]I think protesters were upset that it was burned every show.

Tony G....

That makes a lot of sense..... Especially when you add the global warming into the mix, caused by the flames ;-);-)