Petition to Rehabilitate and Release Tilikum

Petition to Rehabilitate and Return Tilikum to the Wild

Greetings,

At Sea World, Orcas are used to entertain crowds. Trainers are shown diving into the tanks and swimming around with, and riding atop, the large animals. Orcas are portrayed in a docile, domesticated light. This is dangerous misinformation! There are so many times that people go on whale watching tours and naturally assume that these creatures are completely harmless due to the things they have seen/heard from establishments such as Sea World.

Take this into consideration also: a horse is recommended to be housed on NO LESS than 5 acres PER HORSE in the state of Texas. Many times, people will try to keep one horse on one acre, and the state removes the animal from the premises. A horse weighs around 1,000 lbs. An orca weighs 5,000-8,000 lbs on average. A performance tank (usually larger than the holding tanks/housing tanks) are much smaller than one acre!

For educational purposes, I believe that establishments such as Sea World, need to go back to the drawing board and re-evaluate the manner in which these animals are kept. They also need to re-assess the manner in which these animals are interacted with.

Remember that these are WILD animals. I do not immediately condone the removal of any wild animal from its natural habitat, however I realize that in order to learn about and respect these creatures, it is sometimes preferred. It is phenomenal to watch these majestic creatures turn tricks. We all love watching them sail through the air. However, it is always mixed emotions for me. It's incredibly bitter-sweet. It's amazing to be able to share their talents and majesty with the world, however it is also very unnatural.

If Orcas are to remain in the public eye, I believe it should be for educational purposes only. I do not believe that these animals should be performing. They should be observed and respected, not put on display and forced to endure a life enslaved to the entertainment of man.

This is just my opinion. I pray that Tilikum will be set free, returned to the wild. He should not have to endure captivity any longer, where he is a threat to himself and others.

It is our sincerest concern that you consider the immediate relocation, rehabilitation, and eventual release of Tilikum to the wild.

[Your name]