Copy of Debate On The Life Spans Of Killer Whales
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KILLER WHALES
CALLISTA SNOW
The movie Blackfish is a documentary about SeaWorld’s killer whale program. In this movie it talks about killer whales that live in SeaWorld parks die much earlier than they would in the wild. SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. disagrees with this statement because they believe that they provide the whales with a heathy and stimulating home. Though, SeaWorlds captive collection is the largest on the planet.
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The marine park industry is led by SeaWorld, but "Blackfish" is a significant challenge to that industry. Both SeaWorld and activists are using numbers to make their case. Some experts accuse both sides of only choosing research that helps their own argument.Researchers have studied only a small percentage of the world’s wild killer whales. That is one of the biggest difficulties in understanding the whales’ life spans. Only a handful of populations in the northeastern Pacific Ocean have been observed by scientists long enough to reach strong conclusions.
Photo by Morouxshi
Several studies conducted by U.S. and Canadian government researchers have calculated average lifespans for killer whales in the Pacific Northwest. They found orcas can live from 30 to 50 years for females and from 19 to 31 years for males. But the numbers can change depending on which population was studied and during what period.Individual whales can live much longer. The longest lifespan has been estimated at up to 90 years for females and 70 years for males, depending on the study.
Most of SeaWorld’s whales are far younger unfortunately only one has so far lived into her 40s.
Photo by Fremlin
