Death at SeaWorld Quotes

“What we should enjoy, perhaps, is not their performance, but the mere fact of their existence. That, we believe, is wonder enough.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“One faction views SeaWorld as a Garden Hilton for killer whales, and the other views it as a Hanoi Hilton for killer whales.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“Nearly one-quarter of all orcas captured for display during the late sixties and early seventies showed signs of bullet wounds. Royal Canadian fighter pilots used to bomb orcas during practice runs, and in 1960, private fishing lodges on Vancouver Island persuaded the Canadian government to install a machine gun at Campbell River to cull the orca population.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“Keiko was interested in videos of other orcas, but his favorite seemed to be Monty Python and the Holy Grail, the only movie he watched in its entirety. He also showed interest in parts of Blazing Saddles and The Lion King, but reportedly turned his back on Free Willy.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“Naomi noted in closing that Britain had one of the "most staunchly conservation-oriented publics ... they are strongly antiwhaling ... they are an island nation who feel they must protect the marine environment." Yet there were zero cetacean displays left in the UK. "Clearly they are getting their marine education, their marine ethic, from some other source.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“Orcas can be spotted from the shores of Seattle, Tacoma, Port Angeles, Bellingham, and the popular San Juan Islands in Washington State; and Vancouver, Victoria, Nanaimo, Campbell River, and other cities in BC. These venues not only offer easy access to the whales, they are scenic and pleasant places to live: Researchers who study orcas tend to gravitate more toward this region than, say, Iceland.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“Gudrun had a rough time when she got to Florida. Not only did Katina assert her dominance by raking and shoving the newcomer, but SeaWorld began breeding her almost immediately. She was locked in a back pool with Kanduke, who chased her around the tank, trying to penetrate her over and over, and often succeeding. What seemed like serial rape to Jeff produced the birth of Taima, the unpredictable Transient-Icelandic hybrid, in July 1989. Born during a summer storm, her name was a Native American word for 'crash of thunder.' It would prove to be an appropriate moniker.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity

“Then Jack Hanna joined the fray: “How are you going to love something, Larry, unless you see something? You can’t love something and save something unless you see it.”
Naomi had heard this argument before. It was ridiculous on its face, she thought. What about dinosaurs? People, and especially kids, were crazy about dinosaurs. They loved them, without ever having laid eyes on a single one.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld by David Kirby (9-Oct-2013) Paperback

“The two also mated harmoniously. There was no 'rape' between Tilly and Gudrun ... 'Tilikum was so gentle!' she marveled to Jeff later that day.' He would swim behind her, and Gudrun would be in the lead, and she would look back at him, as if to say, 'You're still following me, right?' And then he would swim up to her and caress her with his head, or he'd roll over and take her on his chest. It was so romantic. Afterwards, they were completely content, resting side by side. It was totally different from Kanduke.”
― David Kirby, Death at SeaWorld: Shamu and the Dark Side of Killer Whales in Captivity