The Legal Status of Whales and Dolphins

Abstract

The 2013 documentary Blackfish, whose success ultimately led SeaWorld to discontinue its orca (killer whale) program, revealed the conditions under which orcas are kept in marine parks. One disturbing aspect is that the whales are placed in an alien environment without stimulation. As one trainer interviewed for the film remarked, “It just can’t be good for an animal that is so intelligent to do the same thing every day.” The whales’ frustration led to aggressive behavior against each other. Deprived of the social environment they were used to, one expert claims that the orcas became “mentally disturbed.”