Orcas have been seen to develop stereotypies, also known as zoochosis—repetitive patterns of activity that have no obvious function, which range from self-mutilation to rocking and swaying. Usually related to stress and inappropriate habitats, stereotypic behavior has been documented in orcas in scientific research since the late s. In the wild, orcas live in tight-knit family groups that share a sophisticated, unique culture that is passed down through generations, research has shown.
In captivity, orcas are kept in artificial social groups. Captive-born orcas are often transferred between facilities, breaking up social relationships.
In , the documentary film Blackfish laid bare the psychological toll of captivity, through the story of a wild-caught orca named Tilikum who had killed two trainers at SeaWorld Orlando. All rights reserved. Orcas are highly intelligent, social mammals. Common Name: Orca Killer Whale. Scientific Name: Orcinus orca. Type: Mammals. Diet: Carnivore. Group Name: Pod. Size: 23 to 32 feet. Weight: Up to 6 tons. Size relative to a bus:. Data deficient. Least Concern Extinct. Current Population Trend: Unknown.
This photo was submitted to Your Shot, our photo community on Instagram. Follow us on Instagram at natgeoyourshot or visit us at natgeo. Share Tweet Email. Go Further. Aquatic Mammals Sikorski, Z. Protein changes in frozen fish. Watch our killer whale trainer explain why we feed our killer whales gelatin — the same kind you and I would eat.
References: Couquiaud, L. Is it something management orders? Is this something the trainer can do voluntarily, or must they have management approval? In some cases, the animals themselves would determine if their base was too high by refusing food at the end of the day, so cuts would be made until the animal was eating consistently. This was something ordered from one of the management layers above me. Systematic reductions of bases were not up to trainers and trainers could not do this voluntarily.
This was something management would dictate. Plus, the results are obvious. Trainers can only report that an animal is misbehaving, which could lead to a base cut. SeaWorld is denying it now, but in reality they are just using different words for the same thing. The vets salaries are dependent on the shows, just like everyone else.
They nearly always comply. Our current trainer said this is usually decided on a case-by-case basis, but in general, no:. Sometimes certain fish are decreased while others are increased … say herring would be exchanged with capelin herring is fattier while capelin is higher in water content. Jett appeared to agree that the process sometimes entailed a balancing act which could be tied to performance or the health of an animal:.
In reality, an animal who regularly performs poorly might be consuming too many calories, in which case cutting their base slightly might be in the best interest of the animal, and certainly in the best interest of shows and training sessions.
This can be a difficult call. Sometimes a poorly performing animal would be given all of their base and then sometimes they would be withheld. In his book, Hargrove argued that anytime food was cut for an animal at SeaWorld, it was always recorded or documented. All of the former trainers acknowledged this. In other words, there is now no evidence to show that animals are withheld.
Training may incorporate different terminology, but the basics of training are the same across the board between all parks.
Certainly, if true, the suggestion of record amendment on food withholding is disconcerting. However, it comes as no surprise to Jeff Ventre. He also discusses what happens when targeting is used for more formidable purposes.
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