It’s been over two weeks since I’ve seen Blackfish and the images and story still haunt me. This is a powerful documentary, a must-see for everyone who respects the animal kingdom, on land and in the sea.
The film was not as graphic as I was suspecting it to be. It was, however, as sad and gut wrenching as I suspected it to be. And I was surprised to find myself feeling a strong compassion for not only the orcas, but their trainers as well. To the trainers the orcas had become their responsibility, their companions, their friends, even though they knew the dangers involved. The trainers were not involved with the barbaric capture of these fascinating and intelligent wild animals. They were not the people behind the scenes in the massive money making corporation calling the shots to keep a known agitated orca in the show who had attacked trainers in the past. They were doing their job. And some were doing their job unsure if it was morally right. One trainer expressed his reasoning best by saying something to the affect that “I felt like who else would take care of them and feed them? I can’t just leave them.”
I know I would feel the same way.
Should orcas be in captivity? My opinion is no. I felt this way long be for Blackfish was made. When I was young I watched the killer whale show at Seaworld in San Diego, CA. This was the Shamu and Namu era. I was excited and in awe with the massive animal. However, there was something that troubled me about one of the orcas and I asked the question, “Why is that ones fin curled over?” A man sitting behind me leaned over and said, “that’s what happens to their fins in captivity. They really don’t know why.”
I thought about this for a while and came to a simple conclusion at that early age. Its fin is curled because it’s not happy.
Blackfish is a necessary movie.
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