Reflections of Scientific Method: The Captive Orca

Introduction

It is this scientist’s opinion that Orcas (Orcinus Orca), or killer whales by nickname are not naturally aggressive towards humans, but are more prone to attack human beings when placed under conditions or within circumstances for extended periods of time which are unnatural to the whales. The following will delineate the scientific method considered and suggested for this matter of science.

Observations

Many believe that humans are “violating wild animals' right to exist and, quite frankly, acting in a senseless manner when we imprison animals who cannot exist in small spaces. [T]he Orca tank at SeaWorld facilities [are] described as "bathtubs" by comparison to the large expanse orcas normally inhabit.” Sea World Orca Attack on Trainer Demonstrates Human Cruelty, B. Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street Blog, U.S. News & World Report, Opinion, February 25, 2010, retrieved April 1, 2010 from http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2010/02/25/sea-world-orca-attack-on-trainer-demonstrates-human-cruelty.html. A viewing of the tanks at Sea World and other aquatic centers establish that orca tanks are extremely small for such large whales, especially considering that their natural habitat is expansive sea and ocean. It is also possible that other factors, such as general attempt at domestication, being fed as opposed to having the opportunity to utilize natural instincts for the hunt, and being made to perform as a spectacle for human audiences, may also deal an impact on the orca psyche. These considerations are present upon the backdrop of recorded experiences of whales being unsolicited assistants to humans in natural oceanic environments.

Question Arising from Observations

Were humans to interact with orcas in environments which do not displace the whales from openwaters, or otherwise impose on their natural state of existence, would the animal’s tendencies prove passive towards human beings?

Hypothesis

Extracting any species from its natural habitat and then forcing it to exist in one which severely restrains it, and takes away the state of being which is normal to the species, will very likely result in unnatural and abnormal reactions by the species. Taking orcas out of the sea and ocean (and perhaps even having them birthed and reared in captivity), will degenerate the whales’ mentality, at the least. Examples over the years of orcas in captivity attacking human beings would seem to support this hypothesis. Using the Scientific Method, setting several scenarios of which humans interact with orcas in natural and unnatural environments, it would be able to be tested whether the arguably cruel treatment substantially increases orcas’ propensity to attack humans.

The question weighs with significant consideration for scientific exploration where our own human science of psychology would suggest that subjective conditions should seriously affect orca pathology. This side of the scientific debate is shared by many critics in the public and in the media. Consider the following excerpt from an article for U.S. News & World Report: “If someone tied you in your bathtub, or your bed, for years at a time, wouldn't you go a little nuts? I would. I think most people would go stark raving mad in short order. And yet even in our now-enlightened "zoos," which have changed their names to "conservation societies," wild animals are confined to areas that scientists know are not large enough for them.” Sea World Orca Attack on Trainer Demonstrates Human Cruelty, B. Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street Blog, U.S. News & World Report, Opinion, February 25, 2010, retrieved April 1, 2010 from http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2010/02/25/sea-world-orca-attack-on-trainer-demonstrates-human-cruelty.html. The observation is compelling, and the question logically valid.

Predictions for Experiment

Experiments will show that Orca would not normally attack humans. The experiment situations will bear out that entering unnatural conditions and or experiences lead to unnatural and abnormal propensities by orca to become hostile or violent towards humans. Control situations will show that interactions amid orca and humans under natural conditions and or experiences will usually be peaceful and that it is an unlikelihood that the whales would attack human beings. Based on the understanding that the nature of orca and its behaviors is (and shall still remain even after this experiment) scarcely known or understood by humans, there will likely be a minimal variation of results ranging between passive and aggressive acts in both controlled and experimental situations. Notwithstanding the level of variation that is likely, the experiment will yield results which demonstrate that captivity and other unnatural experiences and or circumstances significantly increase the propensity of orca to behave out of character; a character that is dually demonstrated to be human-friendly and noble even, in some cases of controlled situations.

Controlled Experiment and Methods

An experiment of this nature requires many resources, both physical and human. It also necessarily requires a number of orca specimens and human divers and actors. There must be several experimental environments, including natural oceanic as well as man-made aquatic atmospheres. There must also be specialized technical equipment such as protective barriers and underwater suits for human divers and actors. Controlled experiment situations will generally take place on the open sea and ocean and will be conducted by placing human divers and or actors in close proximity of orca, being careful to maintain unaltered natural conditions. Experiment situations will enter varied human manipulated, constructed, and designed conditions. Specific experimental situations shall include replications of aquatic tanks at Sea World and other aquatic centers. Interactions between humans and orca will be conducted on a continuous basis and throughout a span of months in order to collect adequate data.

Controlled Experiment Specifications

Controlled variables shall include above water and under water interactions amid humans and orca. The variable to be tested shall be captive and otherwise tampered with orca versus free and undisturbed orca subjects within the scientific experiment. Specific controls shall be physically healthy orca and entering human interactions both above and underwater. Data to be collected will be detailed logs and reports subjecting the behaviors of orca. The variables of entering unnatural conditions such as steering orca to restraining enclosures, feeding replacing hunting, and orca being made to domesticate or be trained shall be being tested once at a time, while other variables shall be held constant.

Results

The experiment supports the hypothesis that taking orcas out of the sea and ocean (and perhaps even having them birthed and reared in captivity), degenerates the whales’ mentality, causing abnormal behavior, including increased hostility, violence, and attacks towards humans. Although there were instances of arguably aggressive or violent behavior by orca even in controlled situations which did not enter the aggravating variables involved, where all results of both controlled and experimental situations are aggregated and evaluated, it is seen that the putative aggressive behavior occurred 1 out of 100 interactions under the controlled situations as opposed to 67 times out of 100 interactions under the experimental situations.

Conclusion/Discussion

I accept the hypothesis based on the results. The experiment was successfully conducted and can only be believed to have yielded reliable results and generated valid data. In controlled situations there was very limited occurrence which could be deemed to have affected the desired natural conditions for orca. The experimental situations were creative and effective. Orca was observed to consistently respond negatively to external stimuli created by humans, including but not limited to steering and keeping the whales in restraining enclosures, small tanks such as used at Sea World and other aquatic centers. When comparing the observed behaviors of orca in which were fed by humans against those who were able to hunt for their own food, the hunters displayed much more human friendly behavior towards humans when placed into direct contact. Moreover, orcas born into captivity were observed to display a diminutive zest for their aquatic lives than those of their wild born counterparts.

What this means in terms of the hypothesis is that it is imperative that the information be disseminated to scientific authorities and a thorough and official report based thereon be generated for submission to political authorities for review and request for remedial actions. Where the practice of creating and maintaining so called conservation societies which are assimilative of the subject matter involved in this scientific experiment are commercial and widespread in human civilization, there is a need for additional experiments, and or practical use of the results here, in order to promote innovations in operations for the aquatic centers and conservation societies, if not the phasing out of some sorts of them.

References

Sea World Orca Attack on Trainer Demonstrates Human Cruelty, B. Erbe, Thomas Jefferson Street Blog, U.S. News & World Report, Opinion, February 25, 2010, retrieved April 1, 2010 from http://www.usnews.com/blogs/erbe/2010/02/25/sea-world-orca-attack-on-trainer-demonstrates-human-cruelty.html.