When I was a kid, I loved going to SeaWorld to see “Shamu” and his performances. It was a magical place where I could go and see one of the most beautiful creatures on the planet wave at me, splash me and even do a little dance. I didn't know that the captivity of these grandiose animals is extremely harmful. Half a century ago, in 1964, the first orcinus orca or killer whale was captured and exhibited (Rose 1). Today, there are forty-five orcas in captivity, approximately half of which were born in confinement (“Killer Whales in Captivity”). Orcas are extremely intelligent, socially complex, and family-oriented animals. By studying them in captivity, and at the same time in the wild, we have learned enough about them to understand that orcinus orcas have no place in captivity and that confinement of these animals is very harmful. Imprisoning orcas for entertainment and research leads to attacks, early death, and numerous health problems. Orcas exhibit aberrant and aggressive behavior in captivity. Aggression toward each other often occurs because “incompatibility between captive whales is common” (Rose 7). It is difficult for captive whales to escape when attacked by another in the restricted space provided for this purpose. This leads to lacerations, deep wounds and even death of the whales (Rose 7). Just because they're the same species doesn't necessarily mean they get along. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration states in its Orca fact sheet: “Killer whales are social animals that live in stable family groups.” In captivity, whales are placed in artificial social groups and moved around depending on how management wants to group the whales, without thinking about how the animals will cope on their own...... middle of paper ....... Black fish. Real. Gabriela Cowperthwaite and Gabriela Cowperthwaite. Prod. Manuel V. Oteyza and Gabriela Cowperthwaite. By Eli Despres and Tim Zimmermann. Perf. Former SeaWorld trainers. 2013. DVD. Netflix. Web. “Killer Whales in Captivity.” National Marine Mammal Laboratory. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, nd Web. January 20, 2014. .Reza, HG and Greg Johnson. “A killer whale bled to death after breaking its jaw during a fight.” Los Angeles Times. Ed. Anthony Millican and Chris Kraul. Los Angeles Times, August 23, 1989. Web. January 23, 2014..Rose, Naomi 2011. Killer controversy: why orcas should no longer be kept in captivity. Humane Society International and The Humane Society of the United States, Washington, DC 16 pages.