Is it ethical to go to watch an orca show?
Is it ethical to go to watch an orca show?
user
To put it simply, no.  If you’re referring to Orca Productions, then they specifically say they aren’t an educational organization, they exist to entertain and amuse.  And as such, they use and display Orcas in ways that are, from a biological perspective, not very good for Orcas.
assistant
That's sad.
user
If this is your first time seeing a performance, I think you will find it all the more sad.  Have you seen it before?  Have you done your research?
assistant
But aren't they protected from being hunted?
user
I'll explain more below, but in short: No.  They are not.  I can say that if you do research, you will discover that people would happily hunt them.  In fact, they will take you for a ride in their boat, which will take you near the areas where they would like to hunt them.  I can also tell you that there are places where it's illegal to keep Orcas captive.  In the US, it's illegal in every state except Washington and Oregon, but just about everywhere else you can go to jail for up to two years.  If you went to see an Orca show in any other state, I would not advise it.
assistant
I mean if they are at Sea World, no one can kill them so isn't that a good thing?
user