By Rebekah Marin
Liberal Studies/English Major
This week I decided to switch it up and embrace the wonderful resource that is Netflix to do a little documentary watching. Blackfish, directed by Gabriela Cowperthwaite, came out in 2013 and depicts the life of performing killer whales, more specifically a 12,000 pound Orca named Tilikum. The documentary explains the lives of killer whales in the wild, and the drastic changes they endure once captured and held in captivity for years while being forced to perform.
As a former SeaWorld trainer wanna-be, who used to cry tears of joy while watching the Shamu show, I was appalled to learn what really goes on at SeaWorld. I grew up believing the very lies that SeaWorld’s executives wanted the public to accept: the animals held there were being rehabilitated, and every incident involving a trainer and a killer whale was the trainer’s fault. I was aware of the documentary, but I had been living the “ignorance is bliss” approach, because I anticipated that this film would completely change my mind about the issue. And it did.
These animals live in pods in the wild, where the offspring never leave their mother’s side. For years SeaWorld has captured young Orca’s, separating them from their families, placing them in a tank with other unfamiliar Orcas and teaching them to perform for the sole purpose of entertainment.
The film tells the real story behind all of SeaWorld’s tricky tactics through interviews with former SeaWorld trainers, Orca experts, and witnesses from some of the attacks. They recall the 2010 incident that resulted in the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, where SeaWorld blatantly blamed Brancheau for her own death, first saying that she slipped into the pool, and later that her ponytail triggered the whale to attack. Both explanations were proven false. Unfortunately this was not the first incident where SeaWorld attempted to sweep any evidence or truth under the rug. After a number of battles between SeaWorld and OSHA, the trainers are no longer permitted to enter any tank with any of the whales.
Blackfish isn’t a documentary to ignore. Whether you’re a marine life enthusiast, a SeaWorld lover, or somewhere in between, you’ll be shocked by the truth and in awe of the true power these mammals possess. I can’t write much more without spewing the whole mesmerizing storyline out, but next time you feel like you’ve watched everything else on Netflix, watch Blackfish.