Bad Moms Want To Save The Whales But Aren't Quite Sure What That Means

You know what I just don't know what to say about? Killer orcas at SeaWorld. It's just too sad. It's sad for the poor young woman who lost her life doing something about which she was so clearly passionate (I cannot even look at the pictures of her hugging orcas. I burst into tears). It's so sad for the orca, who totally did not ask to be there and who was just being an orca and, again, did not ask to be there. (They're not going to euthanize him, are they? Please tell me that they're not.)

And it's also sad because we were just there last year and I got all crazy-weepy over the majesty of that show and the whole humans commune with the whales thing and it was too easy to forget that the whales did not ask to be there and even though I tried to explain to my daughter afterward that Shamu would probably be happier in the wild and that was a little complicated and, you know, Free Willy and all but it did not hold a candle to trying to avoid her questions now about why we won't go to SeaWorld when we're in Florida and why is Shamu on TV, Mommy? and I think that this is what one calls a 'teachable moment' but I'm just not sure what or how to teach.

Ideas, anyone?

Comments

[LindsayDianne]

Well... Teach exactly what you're feeling.

Holding animals in captivity teaches us anlot about those animals. Without it, we would be much more in the dark than we currently are. However, this practice comes with a danger. The animals are only animals and sometimes accidents happen. The people who do these jobs are aware of the danger and they knowingly rake the risk everyday.

I don't actually know what happened. I'm assuming shamu killed the girl. If that's the case.... She died doing what she loved.

And it serves as a useful reminder that animals are animals.
Circus trained or not.

[Glossolaliac]

Short version: when you capture something with "Killer" in its name and make it do stupid tricks in a pool, it may actually kill someone.

[yknot]

We share this Big,Blue Marble with some really great creatures! Lions,Tigers,Bears,Whales,Wolves, the list goes on & on. Many times the most anyone will ever get to see these creatures is in a zoo or Aquarium.Many live in Remote locations and Avoid contact with people.We make these places for our education & amusement. The animals don't want to be there! To them, They are pushed into really small spaces & sometimes forced into doing tricks for food. These are Wild animals & they can & do take care of themselves, when allowed. Sometimes they attack the people taking care of them.

One day, you will see that we share this world with them. The world,(and us)would be a lot worse off if they weren't here. We would Miss them! Showing you a Polar Bear make you want to Appreciate it, Protect it and the places it lives. I think it is Cruel to keep wild animals for our amusement, but not at all cruel to educate you, only necessary.

[Elodie]

Take a trip to BC and take your kids out on the water to see whales in the wild, it's pretty easy to see them in the summer and kids actually learn a lot more from the naturalists on board the whale-watching boats than from any shamu shameful show. I know the trainers are very passionnate and probably do their best to keep these animals happy and healthy, but such sociable animals are really not meant to be kept in tiny pools...