The captivation of orcas in amusement parks, is cruel and physiologically destructive. The mindset of orcas in the wild to orcas in captivity is extremely different because of the emotional trauma they go through. The study of orcas has shown that orcas have a part of the brain that humans don't, and unlike most animals they feel emotional pain as well as physical pain. In the wild, an orca and its pod can easily swim over 100 miles per day. An Orca at Sea World would have to swim around the main pool 1900 times to reach the same distance. The lack of exercise and interaction with family has a horrible effect on the mental state of orcas in captivity. Not only does it affect their mental health, but also their physical health. Due to their anxiety and boredom, many captive orcas grind their teeth against the concrete and iron bars of their pools, which can result in broken teeth, which they have fixed in painful procedures without anaesthesia. In captivity, all adult male orcas have a collapsed dorsal fin, whereas in the wild it is rarely seen, with only 1-5% of male orcas having fully collapsed dorsal fins. A collapsed dorsal fin is a sign of an unhealthy orca and is a direct result of the unnatural environment of captivity. It is clear through statistics that it is an unhealthy and traumatic experience for an orca of any age to be kept in captivity. This is particularly apparent when you look at life expectancy statistics. The average life expectancy of an orca in the wild is between 30-50 years, with females living over 80 years in many instances and some living over 100. This is in sharp contrast to orcas in captivity. More than 70% of orcas who have died in captivity did not make it more than 10 years. Only 32 captive orcas have survived past 20. please STOP supporting this cruel form of entertainment
