"Blackfish" is Not Dawn's Story

To advance both its anti-captivity claim and false theories surrounding Brancheau’s death, the film falsely suggests that Tilikum had become aggressive and psychotic. Ever since Dawn Brancheau was a young girl she always said “I want to work at SeaWorld and train Shamu!” Brancheau visited SeaWorld throughout her youth and which each experience her fascination with the marine mammals grew. For her sixteenth birthday her family adopted a whale in her name. She began working at the Shamu Stadium at SeaWorld in 1996 and instantly bonded with the orca whales. Brancheau worked hard to become one of the most experienced trainers in her field. According to the Dawn Brancheau Foundation: “Dawn left the world doing what she loved.” Brancheau’s family tremendously supports SeaWorld despite the accident. After the film was broadcasted her family said: “Blackfish is not Dawn’s story. Dawn Brancheau believed in the ethical treatment of animals. Dawn followed her dreams and became a marine animal trainer. She loved the whales and was proud of her work as a trainer.”  They continue to say how Tilikum was a whale she knew well and loved and how she would have never worked at SeaWorld for fifteen years if she felt like the animals were being mistreated. (Dawn Brancheau Foundation). Tilikum went eighteen years constantly working and engaging with trainers, researchers and veterinarians safely. Today, Tilikum remains at SeaWorld where he continues to thrive and socialize with trainers and guests.

                                     

TIlikum's Innocence Regarding the Death of Daniel P. Dukes'

In July of 1999, Daniel P. Dukes, a 27 year old man was found in a killer whale tank at the SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. He intruded into SeaWorld and broke into the back area of the Shamu Stadium after the park closed for the day. He jumped into Tilikum’s tank and was found dead in the early morning. Dukes’ body was found draped over the back of the largest whale held in captivity: Tilikum. “Blackfish” claims that his death was caused by aggressive acts by Tilikum rather than hypothermia and accidental drowning as the medical examiner determined. However, Ph. D., Naomi Rose, an outspoken critic of SeaWorld who actually appeared in the credits of “Blackfish” said this after the incident: “Since the body was found on Tilikum’s back, it’s unlikely the whale was behaving aggressively…The whale was probably playing with the man and continued to play with the body after the man died.” Also, marine mammal expert from the University of Miami, Sam Gruber, also describes killer whales as playful creatures and how tossing prey around and placing it on their backs is often a form of playing…not aggression. (The Orlando Sentinel). Multiple experts, scientists and researchers have concluded that the death of Dukes’ was not a result of Tilikum’s aggression as “Blackfish” likes to claim.

 

SeaWorld Does Not Capture Killer Whales in the Wild

“Blackfish” claims that the death of Brancheau was not a coincidence and not from a singular event; but that you must go back many years to clearly understand the actions of not just Tilikum, but all killer whales in captivity. They begin by discussing an event that took place in Puget Sound, Washington thirty nine years ago. According to diver John Crowe: SeaWorld had aircrafts, spotters, speedboats and bombs to lure the whales into a cove so they could capture the calves. But because the orca’s had been captured before, they understood what was occurring and they concluded that their young would be taken from them. Orca researcher, Howard Garrett claims that the adults without young went east into a cul-de-sac and the whales with young went north desperately hoping to escape. But because aircrafts were involved in the hunt, the calves were spotted and captured, leaving behind three fully grown dead whales in the process. (Blackfish). This scene leaves viewers with false impressions that derail the once beloved theme park, SeaWorld. It makes one question SeaWorld’s ethics concerning their whales and it leaves an impact on viewers that SeaWorld captures killer whales in the wild in this abusive way currently; when in fact SeaWorld does not capture killer whales in the wild and they have not done so in over thirty five years. According to the Department of Biology at the University of Portland, SeaWorld practices a safe and effective process of reproducing killer whales in captivity. SeaWorld has maintained killer whales since 1965 and has been reproducing in captivity since 1993, no longer needing to capture killer whales in the wild. Also, the collection of the whales merely forty years ago was in compliance with federal law and was displayed falsely in the film.