In Native American culture, orca whales were regarded as spiritual and holy.  The Tlingit tribe of the Northwestern United States believed these “blackfish” were guardians of mankind, sent here by higher powers to protect us.  The Kwakiutl believed orcas were reincarnated humans, so the tribe performed special ceremonies to insure that orca spirits would return to human bodies in future lives (Native American Indian Whale Mythology par. 1).  As far fetched as these beliefs may seem, Native American whale mythology does a remarkable job of describing just how humanlike these intelligent, emotional beasts really are. 

Corporations like Sea World, however, strip whales of their humanity.  These inhumane institutions kidnap young whales from the wild, force them to live in cramped and stressful conditions, and turn them into nothing more than entertainment for the masses.  This is disgusting and inhumane.  Whales are more than exhibits to be gawked at.  They are highly intelligent, emotional beings, capable of complex learning and communication (Spear par. 10-17).  Orcas should be left in the wild to their own devices and admired from a distance.  Cooping them up in small viewing tanks is cruel and harmful to the whales, who get bored, stressed, and agitated (Spear par. 30-32).  This stress and agitation causes the whales to lash out violently on themselves, their trainers, and other whales (Rose par. 2-5).  Clearly, it is wrong to put whales through this.

Orca expert Dr. Ingrid Visser supports the movement to release orcas from captivity.  She claims that although Sea World claims “to be doing much for conservation, the little that they might do doesn’t justify or balance what they are doing to the orca and dolphins currently held” (qtd. in Kirby par. 9).   As one of the world’s foremost experts on the killer whale species, Dr. Visser clearly knows much more about the issue than the average person.  The fact that she is so supportive of the movement to release whales from captivity shows that the movement is valid and justified.  Why keep whales in captivity when the world’s most learned whale experts are wholeheartedly against it?
It can be argued that parks like Sea World are a necessary evil.  Some say that although Sea World mistreats a few animals, it feeds to the whale conservation movement overall by using shows and performances to spread awareness about the issues at hand.  This is simply not a valid argument.  Parks like Sea World donate only small amounts of money to conservation efforts, and few people are moved enough by the awareness spread by Sea World to actually act. 

Orca whales are beautiful, majestic, and complex creatures.  They are capable of comprehending  emotions and communicating within their family groups using complicated vocals.  Captivity does not do them justice.  Parks like Sea World abuse whales and strip them of their happiness, majesty, and humanity.  Exhibiting orcas in parks is most definitely wrong.

Works Cited
Kirby, David. "Meet the Scientist Who Is Standing Up to SeaWorld to Save Orcas From Captivity." TakePart. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
"Native American Killer Whale Mythology (Orca or Blackfish)." Native American Indian Killer Whale Legends, Meaning and Symbolism from the Myths of Many Tribes (Orca or Blackfish). N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
Rose, Naomi A. "A Win-win Solution for Captive Orcas and Marine Theme Parks." CNN. Cable News Network, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.
Spear, Kevin. "How Smart Are Killer Whales?" How Smart Are Killer Whales? Orcas Have 2nd-biggest Brains of All Marine Mammals. PHYS.ORG, n.d. Web. 25 Sept. 2015.