Stephanie Gutierrez
The Paw Print
As a young child my parents surprised my sister and me with the greatest vacation ever. They told us to pack our bags for some sunny, warm weather, but they would not tell us where we were going. They were taking us to SeaWorld. As a child I had always loved the creatures of the sea, particularly dolphins. We went to a couple shows. We met a walrus named “Tiny,” and went to the dolphin and Shamu shows. I remember seeing these magnificent creatures with their floppy dorsal fins and hearing the squeaks and other noises they produced. Now that I am older, I have heard and learned things about captivity and the harm it causes for these beautiful creatures. By putting these majestic beings in captivity, the human race physically and psychologically mistreats and abuses these marine mammals.
Many people can recognize an orca or dolphin if they saw one. Both of these mammals are known as intelligent beings. There are countless stories of dolphins saving surfers from shark attacks. These beings are undeniably intelligent; some argue they are even more intelligent than humans. Dolphins can manipulate situations, create out of imagination, and are self-aware; if they saw their reflection in a mirror they could recognize themselves. They are also one of the few other mammals that engage in sexual intercourse for fun. Orcas are also described as friendly, and they intuitively want to become a companion. Orcas have a lifespan similar to humans; males live between the ages of fifty and sixty, while females can live to be one-hundred years old
In the Academy Award winning Best Documentary The Cove, Ric O’Barry brings a team of skilled people to Taiji, Japan to help expose the horrors that happen in a small, hidden cove. In this cove the largest slaughter of dolphins in the world ensues. Many people do not know about this because there is a no picture policy. The water of the cove is bright red, colored from the blood of the dolphins. The fishermen viciously stab these creatures with unnecessary brutality. The cries and screams of these dolphins can be heard loud and clear.
In the documentary Black Fish a diver explains the process SeaWorld uses to capture orcas. They use speed boats and throw bombs in the water to herd the whales. To thwart the capturers the adults with young go in one direction, and adults without young go in another in an attempt to save their young. Airplanes follow and let the boats know which group has the baby orcas. When the boats finally corner the group they set up nets to separate the young from their mothers. The adult orcas could have left, but they remained by the side of their babies, screaming and crying for their young
It is incredible to be up-close and personal with these animals. Unfortunately, many do not realize the pain they are in. Not everyone can hear their cry for help. One man from California used a drone to take videos of dolphins and grey whales off the coast of San Clemente, California. He was able to capture some humpback whales in Maui, Hawaii. The videos show the animals jumping, playing, and swimming with one another. There are many opportunities to safely witness and study these creatures in the wild. People can see them in their natural habitat and witness their true greatness, and the greatest part is they do not support captivity by purchasing a theme park ticket.
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