SeaWorld Footage Commentary

A couple of videos with some added commentary to them, the first one is in the same style as the "Harassing Dolphins" video I did a couple months ago and the second one is in a new style with me adding commentary during the video. Check 'em out!

New Video: "Harassing" dolphins?

In this video, I talk about my difficulties with certain educators at SeaWorld, San Diego. The footage within the video was taken on my trip last year.

I'm on youtube again, this time, in person.

Yep, I made a new account on youtube and this time I'm going to have it be a little bit more consistent with my content.

Here's an introduction to my account:



And here's something that could pertain to this blog, a review of one of my paleontology books:



If you like what you see, please rate, comment and subscribe!

Gray Skies and Sunny Days

A few days ago, it was pretty gloomy here, and I felt a bit drained. I felt like there wasn't much here, I'm still longing for the days when I move to a place closer to the ocean, and I'll be able to visit it anytime I want. There are a lot of days like that... but then there's comes something like today, where the sky was cloudless and a cool breeze was running through the warm air. North Carolina weather is usually very bipolar during this time of year, and I'm not saying that other places are better, but I would rather be leaning on the rails of a pier, looking out into the ocean, than sitting on my front porch. I guess I'm just longing for those moments I had back in California, whether it be at San Diego, visiting SeaWorld, or just having a walk on the beach in Oceanside. It's the only place that I've literally walked for miles, and didn't mind the time wasted.

I miss doing this most of all. Photo by RoyalDolphin.

Perhaps I'm just being a bit too cynical with my situation. I only have until the end of this year to finish up my community college education and then at the earliest, next spring, to move to Florida and start on my Bachelor's. It's not as bad as my heart thinks it is... I'm just very eager, and money is an issue.

That's a poor explanation for why I haven't been posting anything on this blog this month, but I suppose that I've been very busy over at PK Gaming, so let's use that as an excuse instead. I still have many ideas that I want to write about, but haven't fully developed them.

While you're waiting for more articles on this site (ha, like there's anyone who reads this blog), have a look over at these two fantastic blogs I came across:

The Middle Flipper

Diary of a Marine Mammal Trainer

They're for the aspiring dolphin trainer, so if you are one, definitely check them out, or if even if you just want to see what trainers write about!

Georgia Aquarium's Dolphin Tales and SeaWorld's One Ocean

I've always been excited about seeing dolphins finally make their way to the Georgia Aquarium ever since they announced the expansion back in 2008. From what the video shows, it seems to be a pretty large exhibit. I have a bit of a gripe with the place though... they said that this wasn't going to be a 'SeaWorld' show... what? They mean like Believe or Blue Horizons? Because that's sorta what it looks like from the video... I thought they meant the show was going to be more educational and not have much of a 'story' behind it. Speaking of SeaWorld... they just announced a new show this month:

I suppose it's because of the backlash with the congressional hearing they had last year, questioning the educational value of their shows... but then... One Ocean doesn't seem that different to me... maybe it's just the fountains and special wetsuits that bother me, it makes it seem like a big production.

I don't know... for some reason, these shows really bother me... I want the Shamu Adventure show back, at least that didn't seem as cheesy and fake as Believe is. If marine parks and aquariums really want to have shows like this, I wouldn't make it a regular thing, I'd rather see it as something seasonal, like the summer shows at SeaWorld. I'll withhold my official opinion on both shows for now though, since I haven't actually seen them.

Oh yeah, one more thing... why are they charging separately/extra to see the dolphin show at the Georgia Aquarium? That probably bothers me the most... though other aquariums have done it as well, like the Brookfield Zoo and National Aquarium in Baltimore. I still think it's pretty ridiculous to charge separately.

The Problem with The Cove

As many people know, The Cove is a documentary about the dolphin slaughter that takes place in Taiji, Japan. And as many people will tell you after seeing this film, with no previous knowledge about dolphins in captivity, they will tell you that aquariums in America and most of Europe are linked to this dolphin slaughter. There is a large problem with that though: It's not true. Don't get me wrong, what happens in Taiji and in other parts of Japan with cetaceans of all kinds is just horrific, but they are not linked to the western world of marine parks and aquariums... well, they haven't been in over 20 years that is. Admittedly, there were some rash decisions made by dolphinariums back in the 80's, as this video explains:

That video really reminds me of when I became interested in cetaceans due to SeaWorld, as Stewart Clark explains, it's that first visit or close-up encounter with a live animal that hooks you for life. But... last year, SeaWorld had some pretty bad publicity, with the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau due to an accident with Tilikum and there were the deaths of four orcas, Taima (and her stillborn), Sumar and Kalina. All of this bad publicity fed the activist Ric O'Barry and others with ammunition to try and criminalize marine parks and aquariums for keeping cetaceans. Captivity in itself is a very complicated issue, whether we're talking about a cetacean or some other animal, it really depends on the individual and where they came from, and I'll touch on that in a later, more in-depth article. As it stands, Ric O'Barry blindly assumes that marine parks and aquariums in the western world get their dolphins from the slaughter, but these two videos I have embedded below investigates the facts of the matter.

Videos originally posted here: http://www.seaworldparksblog.com/thecove