The Lasting Impact of the Documentary ‘Blackfish’
The media has played an imperative role in questioning the ethics of keeping killer whales in captivity. In particular, the 2013 documentary Blackfish has given viewers the space to question false narratives surrounding the wellbeing of captive killer whales and the safety of their trainers. After almost 10 years later, the film’s message remains relevant and reminds us how much work there is still left to do.
When I was a kid, I was just like any other naive observer sitting in SeaWorld’s bleachers. I was blown away by the Shamu show where the magnificent killer whales jumped and flipped out of the water. I believed the trainers who said that the whales were ‘smiling’ as they splashed the audience with ice cold water. When we left the park I, of course, wanted to be an orca trainer when I grew up. Then I watched Blackfish.
In the wild, the average lifespan of a killer whale spans from 50–80 years. They are found in every ocean and measure from about 23–32 feet and can weigh up to 6-8 tons. They are impeccably social and intelligent creatures who live in tight-knit family groups. Wild killer whales can swim up to 40 miles a day and dive down to 100–500 feet. They are extremely family oriented and usually remain with their pods for their whole lives. Knowledge is passed down through generations by unique vocalizations.
Since 1961, at least 166 orca whales have been taken into captivity from the wild, 129 of them have died. One of the most infamous capture incidents happened in 1970 when over 80 Southern Resident orca whales were rounded up in Penn Cove in Washington State, seven whales were taken into captivity and five whales died in the process. The only whale who is still alive from that particular capture is Lolita (also known as Tokitae). She has lived at Miami Seaquarium for 51 years. As of November 5th, 2021, at least 58 orca whales remain in captivity, 27 whales were caught from the wild and 31 were born in captivity.
Gabriela Cowperthwaite’s 2014 documentary Blackfish explores the tragedies involved with captive orca whales, specifically focusing on the infamous 12,000 bull orca, Tilikum. While in captivity, Tilikum (or Tilly) was involved in the deaths of three people, including SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau during a 2010 performance at the famous Orlando Park. The stirring film originally premiered at the Sundance Film Festival in January 2013 and was soon picked up by CNN and Magnolia for wider release later that year. 21 million viewers tuned in for the documentary’s November 12th premiere on CNN. It was nominated for a BAFTA in 2014.
The showing sparked public outcry against orca captivity. ‘#Blackfish’ and ‘#EmptyTheTanks’ spread like wildfire on Twitter. Performers were immediately pressured to cancel their shows at marine parks and SeaWorld corporate sponsors were pressured to end their relationships with the newly coined ‘abusement parks’. Protests against marine captivity took place outside the parks and around the world.
Before the documentary, many people had never known the background of marine captivity and the extensive negative impacts it had on the animals’ wellbeing. For years, many spectators and trainers had been taught the narrative that the animals were happy and cooperated willingly. However, the film draws attention to the horrors of capturing wild whales, their harrowing experiences in tanks, and the impending dangers for humans who perform with them.
The film looks at the history of marine captivity and magnifies SeaWorld’s role in endangering not only the wellbeing of the whales, but also the wellbeing of trainers. Accompanied with accounts from experts and over 10 former SeaWorld trainers, the film paints a bleak picture of what life is like for these animals who live in concrete tanks and the role that SeaWorld played in hiding imperative information from trainers.
By watching the documentary, viewers are shown damning evidence that forces them to question the morality of keeping these large and intelligent animals in tanks. The one and a half hour long documentary has been heralded by the likes of The New York Times, Variety, The Guardian, The Daily Mail, The Times, and The Huffington Post.
The film solemnly opens with the words “February 24, 2010 SeaWorld Orlando.” Eerie underwater video footage plays showing a captive whale swimming around, accompanied with the sound of two SeaWorld trainers calling 911. The first caller notifies authorities that a trainer is in the water with a whale “that they are not supposed to be in the water with.” The second caller then emotionally utters “A whale has eaten one of the trainers.”
The film then cuts to an old promotional clip for SeaWorld’s Shamu show with former SeaWorld trainers giving accounts of what inspired them to join the company as trainers. The former trainers give humble, emotional, and relatable testaments. The documentary then shifts focus to Dawn Brancheau and the aftermath of her death in 2010 including the extensive media coverage, personal accounts, and court testaments.
Next, viewers are taken back in time to 1970 to understand the process of capturing wild whales for captivity. Tilikum’s life-story is then painstakingly revealed by trainers, eyewitnesses, and experts. Former trainers give heart-wrenching accounts of the abuse and neglect that not only Tilikum, but also other whales faced on a daily basis. They also attest that the company consistently withheld information from employees regarding the wellbeing of the whales and the safety of the trainers.
The film ends with experts and former trainers agreeing that the imprisonment of these whales must end. Video footage of national protests against marine captivity splashes across the screen. The last scene is a sentimental moment between the former trainers who came together to watch killer whales in their natural habitat. The uplifting yet somber ending pulls at the heartstrings as wild whales cut through the ocean waves.
After the film’s public premiere, SeaWorld adamantly downplayed “the Blackfish effect” — the spiraling threat that the documentary had on SeaWorld’s reputation. In the year following Blackfish’s release, SeaWorld’s attendance dropped by one million visitors. In 2014, the company announced an 84% fall in income and saw its share price drop by 33%, although they attributed this to ‘the seasonal nature of the business’ and not due to the impact of the documentary.
In 2014, SeaWorld Entertainment shareholders filed a lawsuit against the company claiming that they mislead investors about the company’s treatment of whales and the documentary’s impact on business. Blackfish premiered just months after shares went public for $27/share. In 2018, the S.E.C. announced that SeaWorld and former CEO James Atchison agreed to pay more than $5 million to settle fraud charges. In February 2020, SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. agreed to pay $65 million to settle a lawsuit alleging that the company violated the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, along with costs of administration and legal fees and expenses.
In 2016, SeaWorld announced that they would immediately end their orca breeding program and would phase out theatrical orca shows. The shows, which had over 400 million guests in the past, would shift in to an encounter experience where guests “will learn about killer whales’ roles in the ocean ecosystem, behaviors the animals exhibit in the wild, the importance of conservation to their habitat, and animal welfare practices at SeaWorld” said Chris Dold, chief zoological officer for SeaWorld in the company’s statement at the time.
Though the documentary can’t be held solely responsible for the positive changes such as the ending of the breeding program and lowered attendance to the park, the documentary was instrumental in raising public awareness and igniting conversations.
Now that society has faced our own version of confinement, we should have a better idea of what these imprisoned animals experience. They are living in small, concrete tanks being deprived of food and stimulation all for the purposes of entertainment and profit.
Tilikum passed away in January 2017, but there are still 19 killer whales at SeaWorld’s three parks. Although the documentary premiered almost 10 years ago, its message remains as imperative today as it was then. These magnificently large and intelligent animals should not be imprisoned for the sake of human selfishnesses.
Progress has been made, but the public must continue putting pressure on parks, officials, and governments to end cetacean captivity. If people, like SeaWorld suggests, want to learn about whales in their ‘natural habitat’ then people should make the trip to their natural habitat, not the other way around. Having been dependent on people for most of their lives, captive orcas should be relocated to seaside sanctuaries where they can live in an environment much more similar to their natural habitat. There is too much evidence that these animals are suffering, dying, and injuring people in tanks that hinder their natural personalities.
In 2019, the Dolphin Project created the Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center, the world’s first permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for formerly performing dolphins in Bali, Indonesia. The sanctuary is currently home to three dolphins Rocky, Rambo, and Johnny. Additionally, the Whale Sanctuary Project is an organization currently building a sanctuary in Nova Scotia for captive whales and dolphins. These organizations are trailblazing the way for providing captive whales and dolphins with better lives.
If customers stop going to the parks who imprison killer whales, then the industry will slowly fade away. It’s the demand to see these creatures up-close that drives the industry. The silver lining is that people can and should educate themselves on this subject. Even if it’s out-of-sight and out-of-mind for us, the animals are swimming circles in their concrete cells everyday.
Luckily, people are continuing the pressure. On December 11th, 2021, the Whale Sanctuary Project posted on their Instagram account that “The tide is turning. More and more humans are coming to understand that captivity of dolphins and whales is cruel and outdated.”
Blackfish is a documentary that gave a voice to the voiceless at a crucial time. It gave a side of a story to an animal that had been yanked away from his family at 2-years-old and forced to perform with other whales who repeatedly attacked him. The film is a painful magnifying glass that reminds viewers to pull the curtain back and acknowledge our own responsibilities. It is the SeaWorld customers who will inevitably be the driving force to end killer whale captivity.
