1. A Different Perspective on Animals in Captivity Allison Larsen

2. Evaluation Despite protests made against animal care facilities, scientific evidence supports that such institutions solely strive to inspire conservation, while utilizing training to enlighten existing knowledge of breeding, behavior, and species preservation

3. SEAWORLD V. BLACKFISH Blackfish accuses:  Death  Psychological Trauma  Physical Confinement  Bodily Harm  Trainer Ignorance  MONEY (Blackfish, 2013)

4. SeaWorld’s Defense In response to death:  Potential risk is always present  Animals, though trained, are still wild and therefore unpredictable  Dawn Brancheau’s death was inaccurately portrayed (“SeaWorld Cares”, 1)

5. “We have invested tens of millions of dollars in state-of-the art improvements, including lifting floors, underwater cameras, all of which are tied in our Emergency Response Program.” -(SeaWorld Cares, 1)

6. Mental Health Benefits  Sufficient mental and physical stimulation… EXERCISE  Trusting relationships between animal and trainer  Eased stress and promoted mental function  Role of trainer is crucial (“Captive Breeding”, 2015)

7. “Trainers, their presence alone, has been seen to calm stressed brain waves in the animals; their interactions, their trainings with us, stimulate them mentally, and provide emotional attachment based on trust” -Kyle Kittleson, Former Senior Killer Whale Trainer

8. Abundant Spaces  Abundant spaces designed specifically for animals  Multiple pools designated for individual animals TSA, 4 pools assigned to 2 dolphins  Free time allowing animals to wonder  Play groups encouraging natural pod gatherings (“Can Zoos Offer More than Entertainment?”, 2015)

9. Top Notch Physical Care Multiple full-time trainers available for each individual animal  TSA, 8 full-time caretakers for dolphins, including vet staff and training team Daily husbandry routines inspecting animal’s physical health  Voluntary blood draws, weight scans, x-rays AZA regulations monitoring healthcare practices  Inspections of operations to maintain accredited (“The Blackfish Effect”, 2014)

10. First-Class Handlers  1 in10,000 individuals get hired for animal care positions annually  Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in field of Biology, Psychology, Animal Science, etc.  Minimum 2 years handling experience  Ability to pass rigorous swim test  Knowledge of various animal species, biology, and behavior (“Wearing a Wetsuit to Work”, 2013)

11. CONSERVATION  Study conducted in 2007 over a 3 year period found that:  42% guests recognized important role zoos and aquariums play in conservation  61% guests able to provide scientific knowledge and biology of animals encountered  35% guests reported strengthened knowledge of conservation and rekindled love of animals  5,500 individuals in one single survey confessed they reconsidered their role in conservation after visit (Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals, 2013)

12. Species Preservation  Captivity allows studying in species reproductive behavior, birth, development, & growth patterns  6 out of 16 bird and 9 out of 13 mammal endangered species saved  31 species classified as extinct in the wild are currently being bred in captivity (“Training and Behavior Management”, 2013)

13. Endangered Species Saved African ElephantCheetah Gray WolfBald Eagle

14. Call to Action…? “If you can touch people with wildlife, then they’re going to want to save it. If you go to SeaWorld and you get to have an encounter with a dolphin, you’re going to want to save dolphins. Gone are the days of sitting back on the long lands on the dry board and looking at wildlife way over there. Humans want to save what they love.” -Steve Irwin  Visit your local zoos and aquariums, INCLUDING SEAWORLD  Enjoy your visits  Connect with the animals  Find a passion for conservation  Gain knowledge on the animals you love  GET INSPIRED

15. References “Captive breeding.” Populations. Smithsonian Conservation Biology Institute, n.d. Web. 10 Nov 2015 Gross, Michael. “Can Zoos offer more than Entertainment?” Current Biology 25.10 (2015): 1-4. Science Direct. Web. 8 Oct 2015 Klausner, Alexandra. “The Blackfish Effect.” Dailymail.com 26 Feb 2015: 1-3. Print. Kittleson, Kyle. Wearing a Wetsuit to Work. Vol 1.N.p.: Kyle Kittleson, 2014. Print. Robeck, Todd R., Justine K O’Brian, and Daniel K. Odell. “Captive Breeding.” Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Second ed. 2009. Science Direct. Web. 8 Oct 2015. Turner, Ted, Todd, Feucht, and Tyler Turner. “Training and Behavior Management.” Encyclopedia of Marine Mammals. Second ed. N.d. Science Direct. Web. 10 Nov 2015.