I don't believe that we have any reason to be capturing more orcas out of the wild. They are successfully bred in captivity. There are only 54 orcas in captivity, and from I've heard, only four of those are wild caught animals. That means that 50 orcas were born in captivity.
These orcas are born in an environment where the water is super filtered, kept at a precise temperature and salinity, around humans, in fact, an orca at Sea World has its own team, with trainers, biologists, and veterinarians watching practically every move. They are born in those tanks and don't know what it would be like to be in an unlimitless ocean. They are fed (at least in the United States) the best fish that money can buy, with antibiotics, and they are fed by hand. The know that humans are going to provide their food.
These are also crazy intelligent animals. Their minds need to be kept active, so they are taught tricks. Some of these are so they can be provided with veterinary care, some are for performances that are given. They are interacting with their "pod", which includes humans, much like a dog considers his humans part of his "pack."
Think about it. What is the difference between training animals in a zoo setting, that was born in captivity, and training your dog to perform tricks that aren't "natural" for them? I have worked with animals in the short time I was able to work. I did petsitting and worked for a vet for 4 years. One thing I learned...it is ABSOLUTELY imperative that dogs have stimulation, ESPECIALLY intelligent breeds. Not only will the benefit from training, but also activities such as dog agility training, or herding programs to keep them active in both mind and body. They are happier because of it.
I think the same is true with captive orcas. Think about it...how are you going to teach a marine mammal that weighs some 12,000 pounds to do tricks unless they want too? No, it's not a fact that Sea World withholds food. Sea World is an AZA accredited institution, with very strict standards. They are rewarded for doing the tricks. In fact that is very common when training every animal. It's called positive reinforcement. They DO NOT withhold food.
The young orcas are brought out with their mothers during performances and are introduced to audiences. They don't separate the mother from her calf even if the mother goes out in the performance arena. In fact, as intelligent as they are, she probably helps in teaching her little baby what to do. They grow up this way, learning new things and receiving positive reinforcements. Who is to say that hearing the applause of people after an orca slams down his or her flukes to soak the people doesn't feel stimulation from hearing the crowd's reaction. There are no studies done to prove that doing these shows are in anyway a detriment to their mental faculties.
So should they be released? Absolutely not. The precedent was set by Keiko, the orca that played Willy in "Free Willy." He was released into a pod, that he either didn't bond with, or they didn't want him there. He ended up in a bay in Iceland, going up to fishing vessels asking for food and/or interaction with people. This is very dangerous (and why I don't even believe in feeding wild animals AT ALL) because the people on the vessels are, I'm sure, frightened, and the orca doesn't understand that, or that his massive size could capsize or damage their vessels. In the end, they had handlers for him that gave him food and attention. He died from pneumonia, possibly because of a compromised immune system from captivity.
I had someone say that they imagined him happy that he was free when he died. I don't feel that way. He was taken away from everything he ever knew. He was scared, and he went to a place where he could get food given to him and companionship from humans.
But let's look at releasing realistically, not just Keiko's case.
Wild orcas form family pods and rarely do they allow complete strangers to join them. An introduced captive animal would either be kicked out, leave on its own, or be killed.
And remember what I said earlier? They are born in conditions that can't be replicated in the wild. They are born in super filtered water, the oceans are polluted. The water is set at a certain temperature in captivity, it varies in the ocean. The water is kept at the perfect salinity, salinity in the ocean varies as well. They are fed fish that are already dead from humans. In the wild they would have to hunt for their food, and kill them or eat them alive or whatever.
Captive orcas are isolated. They build up immunity to their environments. They do not build up immunity to all the bacteria, viruses, and pathogens that are in the ocean, or that are passed between orcas.
And think about what kind of environment the captive orca is exposed too. What do they hear? People cheering, the voices of their care team, the sounds of other orcas around them.
What would they hear out in the wild, if set free? Not only other orcas, but all other animals, boats, ice breaking off, crashes and bashes. It would be frightening and stressful. A stressed out animal is not a healthy or happy animal.
And this is why sea pens wouldn't work either.
Basically to set them "free" or to stop their performances is to rip them out of an environment that they are used to, have always known, and if stopped, cause them undue stress. If they aren't performing or doing their tricks, then their minds aren't being enriched and stimulated. That could cause more harm than good.
It is a matter of looking at it logically, without your emotions, or imagining how you would feel if you were the orca. You are not the orca.
And now a note on Sea World and other U.S. Aquariums - if they are AZA accredited they are REQUIRED to participate in conservation. I don't know about the other locations, but here in Florida, Sea World is instrumental in taking care of cold shocked sea turtles and manatees during the winter, or caring for marine mammals caught in red tide, a deadly algae bloom that suffocates animals. And Sea World doesn't just have their theme parks, they own other facilities as well.
I believe that Sea World, and AZA accredited zoos in the U.S. are vital to the conservation of animals. I believe that they are vital to ensuring that the next generation grows up appreciating the animals that they see. And I believe that they are dedicated to the well being and health of every animal that they take care of. I'm not speaking out of my behind here. I have been lucky to talk to people that work or have worked in the industry. I have heard and read about the positive effects of the conservation that the AZA does.
And to end with my usual snarky opinion here...if you don't believe that animals should be kept at zoos and aquariums, then don't keep them captive in your own homes. If you keep a cat or dog, then you are doing the same thing that zoos do with their animals.
Ciao...
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