Lost Freedom; 100-110

• Benkei 3, captured in 1982 at less than 1 years old, died 1 year later at "private home" - unknown. 

• Sacchi, captured in 1982 at 9 years old, died 2 years later at Enoshima Marineland - pneumonia. 

• No name, bred in 1982, died 10 days later at Enoshima Marineland - brain abscess. 

• Kiva, bred in 1982, died 48 days later at Marineland California - respiratory failure. 

• No name, captured in 1982 at 1 years old, died 8 months later at Sealand Victoria - genetic disorder. 

• Nootka 4, captured in 1982 at 3 years old, died 12 years later at Seaworld Orlando - unknown. 

• Haida 2, captured in 1982 at less than 1 years old, died 19 years later at Seaworld San Antonio - necrosis and fungal infection. 

• Kim 2, captured in 1982 at less than 1 years old, died 23 years later at Marineland Antibes - pneumonia.

• Freya, captured in 1982 at 1 years old, died 32 years later at Marineland Antibes - unknown. 

• Tilikum, captured in 1983 at 2 years old, died 32 years later at Seaworld Orlando - bacterial pneumonia. 

Heart Broken.

source

     It is with a heavy heart I make this blog post today. This morning Seaworld announced Tilikum has passed away at the hands of captivity. My soul aches knowing he never got the freedom he deserved, taken from the ocean at only 2 years old he never saw his pod or the deep blue ever again. Tili was 36 years old, far too young to go, though SeaWorld claims it is "average," (The average life expectancy for a male Bull Orca is 70 years in the wild.) Tilly struggled with a bacterial infection for months on end, SeaWorld says it could happen in the wild or in "zoological settings." 

     

"While today is a difficult day for the SeaWorld family, its important to remember Tilikum lived a long and enriching life while at SeaWorld and inspired millions of people to care about this amazing species." - SeaWorld Cares

     Tilly was taken from his home in Iceland in 1983, he was transferred to Sealand of the Pacific in British Columbia. He took is first victim, a trainer by the name Keltie Byrne, pulling her in and drowning her. Soon after the incident, Sealand closed its doors and Tilly was sold to SeaWorld Orlando. He lived out the rest of his life in a 35-foot pool, he was 22 feet long. He performed for years until he took two more victims, a man who trespassed into the park and then in 2010 he took the life of his trainer Dawn Brancheau. After the death of his trainer, Tilly was sentenced to isolation and eventually in March 2011, returned to performing.

source

     On March 19, 2016, Seaworld released their first statement about Tilly's illness, and on June 29, they claimed he was making progress. If they had just let him go to a sanctuary he could have at least been in the ocean one last time, felt the freedom of being home once again. But now it's all over, his passing was unethical, indecent and inhumane, this could have likely been prevented had they shut down the breeding program sooner and got him "world-class" care at a sea sanctuary. 

     

     I am deeply saddened and affected by the passing of this beautiful and sensitive, caring creature. There has to be more we can do, we need to work even harder this year to prevent more casualties, fight harder for what we believe in and start a movement. We've gotten the breeding program shut down and the shows canceled but let's take a step further, let's get these whales to the ocean where they belong, we can't wait any longer. 

RIP TILIKUM. NOVEMBER 1981-JANUARY 6, 2017

NEVER FORGET.

   

My Visit To SeaWorld.

     I went to SeaWorld, and I'm not proud of it. In April 2016 my family and I took a trip to Florida and one of the stops on the way was SeaWorld. Now I have to say that this wasn't my choice and I preferred to go to Disney or Universal but this decision was heavily outweighed by the rest of my family. To avoid distress and family arguments I decided that I had to go. Though I'm not proud that I was a SeaWorld visitor, I am glad I was able to experience it as an insider... 

     The first question of the day as if the whales would perform because of the recent announcement that shows would be ending, after being reassured that the show would go on, my family happily proceeded into the park. We started the day at the dolphin rehab where a lot of unsanitized hands touched the vulnerable dolphins. The caregivers feeding them did not advise cleanliness but rather that you could pet a dolphin if it came close to you. Next, we moved over the Blue Horizons show where multiple dolphins performed vigorous routines for close to an hour. After that, it was immediately to the Sea Lion and Otter show where we then watched a Sea Lion and Otter do very unnecessary tricks that you would never see in the wild. Then to Shamu Stadium for the big event. 

     I remember sitting there and wishing and hoping the show wouldn't start. That they would cancel the show and it would all be over and we could go home. From the beginning I knew this wasn't right, the feeling in the pit of my stomach was almost unbearable. The show started and ended but it seemed like an eternity in between the start and finish. Don't get me wrong, seeing one of my favorite animals of all time up close was really cool, but it was not the ideal circumstance and I wouldn't wish it on any Orca, nor will I ever go back to witness it again. 

     At the end of the show, we went back to the viewing area where the most beautiful creature to live on this planet swam inches away from me, it was the most fulfilling and depressing moment of my life. This wasn't how I imagined it. I wanted the freedom to see this in the wild, much how he wants the freedom to live in the wild, this was the moment I met Tilikum. 

     The "expert" that was standing by was answering the questions everyone was asking. A young child asked if Tilly was Shamu, "No that's not Shamu but we call them all Shamu because it is like their last name, they're all family." If only that young child knew the truth behind that horrifying statement. Tilly swam by a few times before being released into a different pool so the other whales could come in. Someone else asked why Tilly's dorsal fin was collapsed and the "expert" told us that it's 'natural,' that all males have collapsed dorsal fins in the wild. 

     My dad then proceeds to ask about the baby Shamu that was born in 1985, the "expert" blatantly lied to my fathers face claiming that there was no "Baby Shamu" born in 1985 and she had no idea what he was talking about. My dad visited the park just days after the birth of Kalina (baby Shamu.) Kalina was baby to Katina and was taken at only 4 years old and moved to SeaWorld San Diego. 

     SeaWorld lies, they tell you what you want to hear because it sounds good. Wild Orca males never have collapsed dorsal fins unless injured or ill. Kalina was the original baby Shamu who was ripped from her mother at a very young age. All the whales' last names are "Shamu" because almost all of them have the same dad, Tilikum. 

     I will never step foot back into SeaWorld, I felt sad for the animals and mad at the world for letting this happen, for letting humans take these beautiful creatures away from their homes. They deserve a life worth living where they belong, in the ocean.   

           

Their Story; Tilikum.

Picture from www.independent.co.uk

     My name is Tilikum, I am currently living in SeaWorld Orlando. I am the largest recorded Orca in captivity, I weigh over twelve thousand pounds, and am a lengthy twenty-two feet long. I was captured near Iceland in November 1983 when I was only two years old. I spent almost a year in a cement holding tank before I was sent to SeaLand Of The Pacific in British Columbia. My tank there was only 100x50 feet, and it was only 35 feet deep. Food was withheld from me a lot like a training technique and I was often abused by Haida and Nootka, the two females I lived with. I was forced to perform every hour, eight times a day and seven days a week. After performing I would have to go to a metal-sided module with the other whales for fourteen hours before I could get out again.
     On February 21, 1991, my trainer Keltie Byrne fell into the pool, I was so frustrated and sad I pulled her down to the bottom and killed her. Not too long after that SeaLand closed and sold me to SeaWorld. SeaWorld wanted me for their breeding program. I now have lots of children and grandchildren, they make up 54% of SeaWorld's whales. I have been in captivity for a long time and I can get very aggressive. I chew on metal gates and concrete sidewalls. I also killed two more people, Daniel P. Dukes and Dawn Brancheau. After I killed Dawn I was put in a tiny enclosure where I couldn't swim, communicate with the other whales or interact with humans. I floated in that pool a lot and that's very rare for a whale like me. After a year of being alone in that pool, they made me return to performing.
     But now I am very sick and have been for a while. I have a drug-resistant bacterial lung infection and I am dying. Please help me, check the link down below.

Sign the petition to get me into a rehab: https://www.change.org/p/seaworld-inc-humanely-release-the-orca-whale-known-as-tilikum-to-a-seapen-for-rehab 

3 Ways You Can Help Save Captive Whales RIGHT NOW.

www.causes.com

     1. Educate.

          - Watch "Blackfish" ~ http://www.blackfishmovie.com/ ~ (Also on Netflix)

               - Read "The Killer In The Pool" ~ http://www.outsideonline.com/1924946/killer-pool

                    - Read "Killer Controversy" ~ http://www.hsi.org/assets/pdfs/orca_white_paper.pdf

                         - Visit and Read "Death At SeaWorld" ~ http://deathatseaworld.com/

                              - Read "Why Killer Whales Should Not Be Kept In Captivity"                                                                                                                                                       ~ https://www.bbc.com

                                   - Read "8 Reasons Orcas Don't Belong At SeaWorld"                                                                                                                                                         ~ www.SeaWorldOfHurt.com

                                        - Watch "Voiceless" ~ http://bluefreedom.org/#film

     

     2. Join an Anti-Cap Group.

          - Whale and Dolphin Conservation

               - Blue Freedom

                    - Free Morgan Foundation

                         - Orca Conservancy

                              - The Orca Project

                                   - SeaWorld Of Hurt

                                        - SeaWorld Slaves

     3. Sign Petitions. 

          - Release Tilikum To Sea Sanctuary

               - Investigate SeaWorld And Why Whales Keep Dying

                    - Urge SeaWorld To End All Animal Acts

                         - Get Starbucks Out Of SeaWorld And Boycott Until They Do So 

SeaWorld: Announcing A Drop In Attendance

Picture from: www.theodysseyonline.com

    August 4, 2016, SeaWorld announced a major drop in attendance. The parks have lost over half a million visitors and have lost more than eighteen million dollars. This is the lowest drop since 2013 when "Blackfish" was released. For 3 years SeaWorld has been blaming poor weather and holidays for their decrease in visitors.
     In March 2016 SeaWorld announced the end to their captive breeding program in hopes to get an increase in revenue but it seems like it's not enough. SeaWorld has denied moving their whales to sea sanctuaries claiming it would be a "death sentence" for the whales. (Because keeping them in a tiny tank isn't a death sentence. *rolling eyes*)
     On Monday, August 1, SeaWorld announced Kasatka was being treated for a bacterial respiratory infection. Earlier in the year announcing Tilikum was dying of a mysterious respiratory infection. Both whales illness' were announced around the quarterly earnings report periods. SeaWorld is blaming both Tilly and Kat's infections on "old age."

Read more about this topic here: https://www.thedodo.com/seaworld-attendance-drop-1958918497.html

SeaWorld: End To Captive Breeding Program

     On March 17, 2016, SeaWorld announced that they will be phasing out Shamu Shows and ending their captive breeding program, this will be the last generation. These whales will live out the rest of their lives in their concrete habitats, with a new "natural encounter" show. 

    "SeaWorld has not collected an Orca from the wild in almost 40 years, and the vast majority of our orcas were born under human care. These orcas have never lived in the wild and could not survive in oceans that include environmental concerns such as pollution and other man-made threats."  - https://seaworldcares.com/en/Future/Last-Generation/

     Just a few short weeks after SeaWorld announced their end to the captive breeding program, CEO Joel Manby came out with a statement that shocked everyone. Basically. The decision to stop breeding wasn't for the welfare of the animals but because of money.

    "We understand some customers are upset and you may feel betrayed, but in a simple way, the data and trends showed it was either a SeaWorld without whales or a world without SeaWorld, we are an organization that needs to have cash flow to [succeed] and unfortunately, the trends were not in our favor."- https://www.thedodo.com/seaworld-breeding-ban-reason-1702760044.html

     
     If SeaWorld was interested in the welfare of their animals they would have allowed them to be sent to sea sanctuaries. SeaWorld has also claimed that putting captive-bred Orcas in the wild would be even worse than dropping them in the middle of the ocean. 

     SeaWorld doesn't care about their animals. 

   

Their Story; Shamu.

Picture from www.orcahome.de

      I am starting a series here called "Their Story;" I will be sharing with you the tragic story of every whale that has been captured and forced to perform for many places including SeaWorld. I wanted to start this series off with the original Shamu, she started a sickening trend in the entertainment industry and her story, as well as the others, needs to be shared. 

     My name is Shamu, nobody knows when I was born, only when I died. I was captured in Puget Sound, Washington in October of 1965. Very soon after I was captured I was sent to a Seattle Public Aquarium where I met Namu, Namu and I didn't get along very well so they sold me to SeaWorld San Diego in December 1965. I was forced to perform every day for 7 years before I got to retire. 

     I was retired for bad behavior. I bit on the legs and hips of one of the employees because I wasn't used to my trainer not wearing a wet suit. I attacked people in the past as well because they weren't wearing wet suits and that confused me. I showed a lot of erratic behavior during shows and they didn't know I was sick. Five months after I was retired as a performer I passed away in August 1971. 

www.shamudictionary.tumblr.com

www.fineartamerica.com

Rest In Peace Shamu

#OrcaWeek

     July 18-22 is Orca Week. This week is dedicated to all the whales being held in captivity at SeaWorld and other Seaquariums around the world. I thought this week would be the perfect time to launch this blog "over-whale-ming." This blog is dedicated to Tilikum, one of SeaWorld's captive whales. 

     I will cover topics ranging from SeaWorld to the documentary Blackfish and beyond. I am very passionate about marine life in general so occasionally you may find posts about other marine life or marine life-based subjects. I am so happy to be starting up this project, I hope I can make a difference in at least one whale's life. 

     The above picture is a formation of names I have compiled from lists of Orcas who are currently being held in or have deceased in captivity. Typing these names into the generator was overwhelming. Some of these whales haven't seen their pods in years, some have passed away in brutal ways and some have no clue that there is a whole other world waiting for them. These lovely creatures don't belong in a concrete bathtub. Please help them. 

Links that could help these whales get back home; at least into Sea Sanctuaries: 

• Pledge to not attend Marine parks; http://www.seaworldslaves.com/#!takethepledge/d6mzt
• Urge SeaWorld to send Orcas to Sea Sanctuaries;  https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=2945 
• Watch the documentary "Blackfish" on Netflix and get educated; https://www.netflix.com/search/blackfi?jbv=70267802&jbp=0&jbr=0