1. Affolter, Zach. “SeaWorld Doesn’t ‘Educate’ Students.” The Dodo. N.p., 21 Oct. 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.

Background: In this article the author talks about how SeaWorld is not educational for students and that schools should no longer take the students here on field trips because they are being shown dishonesty and cruelty.

How I Used It: I used this article in my argument to emphasize the fact that SeaWorld is not educational for children. The author did a good job explaining that even teachers see the problem with bringing their students to SeaWorld and that is what I used from him in my argument.

2. Entertainment, SeaWorld Parks &. “Education.” Where Imagination Meets Nature. N.p., n.d. Web. 11 Apr. 2017.

Background: This is SeaWorld’s home page that talks about the educational experiences they offer and how they care for the animals. There are several links on this page that gives you more information on what SeaWorld is all about and what they do.

How I Used It: I used their information to refute some of the things they had on their website to help with my argument. I used their website and words as evidence to demonstrate that they were providing false information to the public.

3. Hogenboom, Melissa. “BBC – Earth – Why Killer Whales Should Not Be Kept in Captivity.”BBC News. BBC, 10 Mar. 2016. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Background: This article talked about a lot of information on the killer whales such as their ecotypes, how they live in captivity compared to the wild whales, and the health problems that captivity causes. It also talked a little bit about Tilikum, the killer whale responsible for the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau and the star of the documentary Blackfish.

How I Used It: I used this article to explain the concept of the ecotypes and that two whales from different ecotypes do not belong in the same pool. I also used it for information about the downsides of captivity such as health effects.

4. Kirby, David. “If SeaWorld Is About Educating the Public, Why Doesn’t It Have Any Porpoises?” TakePart. N.p., 13 May 2014. Web. 26 Mar. 2017.

Background: This article is all about the porpoise, which is a marine animal that not many people know about because SeaWorld refuses to include them in their parks because they don’t give off the same appeal as other animals such as the massive killer whale or bottlenose dolphin. It also goes on to say that these animals are not easily trained and are not flexible for tricks making them unappealing to an audience, which leads to the conclusion that SeaWorld is only in it for the entertainment and shows.

How I Used It: I used this article to show that SeaWorld only cares about money and having appealing animals in their parks because of their refusal of the porpoise.

5. Schelling, Ameena. “SeaWorld Says ‘The Facts Are On Our Side.’ Let’s Look At the ‘Facts.’”The Dodo. N.p., 07 May 2015. Web. 06 Mar. 2017.

Background: This article mentions some of the claims that SeaWorld tells the public and then the author goes on to refute them. Some of the claims the author refutes are that orcas live as long in captivity as they do in the wild, they don’t separate calves from their mothers, and they don’t starve the orcas.

How I Used It: I used this article to show that SeaWorld is treating their animals poorly and that captivity is not good for the animals. I cited this article in my paper to give evidence that the orcas are being mistreated.

6. Worrall, Simon. “Former Trainer Slams SeaWorld for Cruel Treatment of Orcas.” National Geographic. National Geographic Society, 14 Apr. 2017. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.

Background: In this article, Former SeaWorld trainer John Hargrove talks about the dangers of being a trainer and keeping these whales captive. He talks about how dangerous being a trainer us because these are KILLER whales they are dealing with and they could snap at any moment. The article then goes on to talk about how bad captivity is for these animals and that they belong out in the wild.

How I Used It: I did not use this article in my paper but I read it and had it in my proposal to give me some background information about SeaWorld and what the trainers thought about their interactions with the whales and what they saw and encountered in their experiences.

7. Schelling, Ameena. “Ex-SeaWorld Employee Gives Chilling New Details About Orca Mistreatment.” The Dodo – For Animal People. N.p., 19 Sept. 2016. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.

Background: This article is about former SeaWorld diver Sarah Fischbeck’s experience of the animal cruelty that went on. She talks about the experiences and trauma that not only the whales went through, but other animals such as dolphins and penguins. She revealed some very dark and descriptive details and events that she has witnessed herself, even though SeaWorld denies it all in order to keep business going.

How I Used It: I used this article to say that the former trainer claimed that SeaWorld would deprive the whales of food before a visit from a celebrity to ensure that they performed well. This helped in my refutation of SeaWorld’s claim that they don’t food deprive their animals.

8. Meyers, Cara. “SeaWorld Lies About Research: Killer Whale, Orca Dorsal Fins.” Global Animal. N.p., 28 May 2014. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.

Background: This article talks about how SeaWorld claims that the whales bent dorsal fin is due to genetics and how it is just a natural thing to occur. It is most commonly seen in whales that are kept in captivity and rarely seen on wile orcas. The article goes on to say that SeaWorld is lying to the public about this.

How I Used It: This article gave me some insight about the bent dorsal fin and the reasons that they occur both in captivity and in the wild. The article made me interested and allowed me to research more about why whales in captivity had the bent dorsal fin.

9. Schelling, Ameena. “No, SeaWorld Didn’t Just Have Their Last Orca Show.” The Dodo – For Animal People. N.p., 08 Jan. 2017. Web. 20 Apr. 2017.

Background: This article mentions SeaWorld San Diego’s last show, which is a big step towards finally freeing the orcas, but what people don’t realize is that San Diego is the only park doing this as of now. Also they are not completely ending the show they are creating a new show to try and focus on the natural behaviors of the whales. But this is not a change for the whales since they will still be kept in captivity and they will still have to perform commands that will have the audience think they are natural, but they are really being forced to do them.

How I Used It: I used this article to show that SeaWorld is not making any improvements to the lifestyle of the orcas because they are still going to be expected to perform and be kept in small tanks.

10. Fisheries, NOAA. “Killer Whale (Orcinus Orca).” NOAA Fisheries. N.p., 08 Jan. 2015. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

Background: This website gives you all the basic information you need to know about orcas such as their life span, behavior, diet, habitat, and some facts about the different types of killer whales.

How I Used It: I used this article to quote the lifespan of the orca to prove that what SeaWorld was claiming was false. I also used this to get an idea of what their natural behaviors and diets were.

11. Weisberg, Lori. “SeaWorld Bids Farewell Sunday to Shamu Show.” ProQuest, 07 Jan. 2017. Web. 23 Apr. 2017.

Background: This article talked about the death of Tilikum, the killer whale that was responsible for the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau. The article then went on to talk about the new show that is opening up in San Diego soon that is replacing the old orca show. These shows are still going to include tricks and orcs flipping into the air but it is supposed to resemble a more natural habitat for them including the backdrop that looks like a natural environment.

How I Used It: I used this article to give me more information on the new renovations SeaWorld is making for their shows. This article said that the orcas are still going to be performing shows, which means that they aren’t really changing much from the old shows only that it is supposed to seem more natural.  This article did a good job in providing me the details of the new show that allowed me to understand that this new show is no better from the last.

12. “Basic Facts About Orcas.” Defenders of Wildlife. N.p., 19 Sept. 2016. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

Background: This website gave me detailed information and the basic facts of the orca. It included the diet, population, range, behavior, reproduction, and the basic physical description of the orca.

How I Used It: This website was very helpful in comprehending the basic facts about these animals and it gave me a good idea of what the life of a wild orca was like. I was able to use these facts to distinguish them from the orcas at SeaWorld to see how much they differed.

13. “Killer Whale Facts.” Whale Facts. N.p., n.d. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

Background: This website gave many interesting facts that I did not know about killer whales prior to reading this. The article talked about echolocation and how they hunt their prey. It also mentioned what they normally eat, their habitat, how they migrate, and how they communicate.

How I Used It: This website really helped me to learn every aspect about the killer whale and I was able to learn a lot of interesting information about their daily lives and how they survive. I also learned some differences between captive and wild orcas and some of the human attacks that have occurred.

14. “SeaWorld Responds to Questions about Captive Orcas, ‘Blackfish’ Film.” CNN. Cable News Network, 28 Oct. 2013. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

Background: This article is SeaWorld responding to questions regarding the Blackfish documentary about whale captivity including the killer whale Tilikum and the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau. CNN asks SeaWorld many questions regarding captivity, rescue efforts, and the treatment of these orcas.

How I Used It: I used this interview to get some information about SeaWorld’s reaction to the documentary and to see what their answers were when they were asked a variety of questions regarding the treatment of their whales.

15. Cronin, Melissa. “What Is SeaWorld Trying To Hide By Painting Their Orcas Black?” The Dodo – For Animal People. N.p., 24 July 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.

Background: This article talked about the fact that SeaWorld is covering up the orcas burns with black zinc oxide. Orcas in captivity get sunburn because their water is clear, they are more exposed to the sun, their water is not deep, and they don’t have enough shade. When they get sunburn they begin to blister and have peeling skin, which is not appealing to the audiences so it is covered up with this oxide to make it look like there was nothing wrong.

How I Used It: I did not use this article in my paper but it gave me another reason that captivity is not good for animals and that SeaWorld tries to cover up for their misdoings.