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I LOVE A PREDATOR
The instinct of most of us humans is to view the word predator as something menacing, something destructive, something to be wary of. This perception is entirely correct from a prey originating mind.
I LOVE A PREDATOR
I LOVE A KILLER
From a menacing perception, the above statements would have to be considered both supportive true statements. If one loves a predator, one must love the aspects of its conquering lifestyle.
I LOVE A PREDATOR
I LOVE A KILLER
I LOVE A ORCA
Now add Orcas to the story and all of a sudden the menacing aspect of the prey perception has changed. Our knowledge and education of killer whales through decades of learning has given us this.
I LOVE A PREDATOR
I LOVE A KILLER
I LOVE A ORCA
I LOVE A TILIKUM
Finally add my dear friend Tilikum and all of a sudden you add a completely personal perception of love, what started out as a statement of menace. Tilikum has taught many prey no longer to be in fear.
Orcas in captivity have no fear. In their world fear does not exist as it does in our human world. This is based on the fact that the Orcas have no natural predators and so they themselves have nothing to fear in the world. Dr. John Lily summed up humans and dolphins well in his statement that humans perceive things in how something will harm them. Dolphins tend to show this same tendency, yet Orcas despite being the largest dolphin, show no fear and view things as how something will benefit them.
From decades of experience working closely with Orcas and dolphins in the confinements of captivity, I have seen this difference in fear perception. Through these experiences I have been able to develop a unique perspective at the differences of a true predator and prey mind. Not a prey species that learns to predator, but a species that is just in fact a predator.
As it is just fact that Orcas are a predator, they show completely different outlooks in the natural world. For example an Orca will never leave a pod member behind during collection. A dolphin will.
Did you ever wonder why we pay so much homage and honor to Marines, it is because of a simple motto “Never leave one behind.” It is so much in a human nature , as in dolphins, to leave one behind that we need special attention to do this act. Yet an Orca would never need to be reminded or come up with a motto to live by... it is simply an Orca. As a predator that lives in full community knows the value of an individual by its unique benefits it adds to the community.
Orcas ability to use all parts of its community skills to become one small force on this earth that owns the oceans and all its area shows you the value of loving a predator. We as a prey species should not look at life as what it is in it for me. We should look at it , what is in it for us. How you define US is entirely up to the community that you surround yourself with. Consensus among the community to never leave one behind ensures the pod is moving on in all ways the same direction.
So take time today and HAVE NO FEAR and look around your community and make sure nobody is being left behind. If everyone is there as a true predator, without fear and looking at only how it will benefit the whole, than Tilikum’s life truly was worth the sacrifice he gave. And why I love a predator.
Christopher Porter
photocredit: eyesofthewild.org
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Crazy Love to imagine that you would love a killer. Yet many around the world adore Tilikum despite his killer reputation. For certain some always feared him and always thought Orcas were killers, their name derives from being killer of whales. Unfortunately I have felt with the attention Blackfish received a more broad subject is the topic that captivity made him crazy to become a killer.
Crazy Love is something many around the world seek yet get confused when love gets crazy. That is the same thing with wild animals. So many seek the relationship with the animal while getting confused when it gets wild.
Tilikum taught us that anything, anybody , anytime can change in a moments notice. The attention should always be focussed on what led up to that change. To see if perhaps that change could be prevented in the future. Some surrender to the fact that all change is unpredictable. Yet if we were able to communicate clearer with him perhaps other deaths could of been avoided after Sealand of the Pacific.
30 years ago Paul Watson, Sealand of the Pacific, Department of Fisheries, Greenpeace and other influential conservationists at the time proposed to release one of the last captive Orcas caught still in its local waters. If Haida was released there would of never been a collection of Tilikum. That is a change that we can look in the past and review and adapt. To work towards a better solution than just surrendering that life can change in a moment.
Vision , planning, passion and a bit of crazy wild and one can create anything for love. Love of life, love of animals, love of ONE or even LOVE of a KILLER.
Enjoy your Crazy Love and Share it WILD!
Chris Porter
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ORCA TAO
An Orca is the largest dolphin. Dolphins are just like humans. They are social, sexual, community oriented, playful! Humans and dolphins share life’s experiences the same.
Living a social, sexual, playful community existence. One within the confines of the land, one within the sea. No matter how described, so easily shared without words. Shared only in the understanding of the similar experiences.
Orcas share in those same experiences. Founded in the same social, sexual, playful community aspect. The difference is the intention and the source of perception. The Orca being the King of the Sea, has no predator. In his world, nothing can fail him, nothing can overcome him.
Dolphins and humans are prey species. We are inherently fearful of predators. A predator is viewed as anti-social, anti-sexual, threatening. Our choices are based on surviving without peril. Amazing how we can live so playful, so free.
An Orca is always free. Never looking out for the predator. Never understanding what a prey is. Never understanding what fear is. Always opportunistic for the gains in the now. So it appears the lack of fear is related to the sense of being on top.
Opportunistic sounds so predatorily. No wonder some humans choose to live without the belief in its good. But is not the greater question, opportunistic for whom?
Opportunity for the pod, the community, would appear common. Whether dolphin, human or Orca. The collective so important for the survival of the species. The survivability of the individual related to his place in the pod. Only in Orcas have I seen the order of the pod supersede the individual.
Dolphins and humans allowing the individual’s will to supersede the pod’s. The primary difference being that the Orca’s solution of will needs collective will to succeed in the collective’s solution. Whereas the dolphins and humans collective adapts to the individuals.
Adapting opens up avoidance, escape, individual gain, ease of flow. Orcas create the flow. Never adapting to their creation. Knowing the collective is surviving. One a prey way, one an Orca Tao way.
Christopher Porter
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Who could imagine 50 years ago that we would learn so much about Orcas to be able to be confident enough to deploy medical care to them in the open ocean. Such sacrifice of learning so many wild orcas participated involuntarily with us in the captive understanding of them. Much like a doctor cutting an arm to learn how to heal it. Perhaps out of ignorance we return back to the wild and debate if it is feasible to look after them directly without removing them.
Of course the answer is yes. How much more difficult it sounds to imagine that myself and others around the world at one time embarked to the open ocean to simply try to locate the wild animals. Nobody really knowing their routes or their behaviour. Only listening to stories of tribes and fishermen sharing their experiences living on the ocean.
From that information locating the animals and bringing them from their own expanse environment and actually brazenly transporting them in boats, planes, and trucks to ship around the world and within 3 months entertain thousands of people on behalf of education for wild conservation.
Yes we should intervene in the wild. But we should use ALL OUR KNOWLEDGE collected from captive work with them. We should embark on an extensive integration plan on how we can closely monitor the animals without interfering in their choice of life.
https://www.seattletimes.com/seattle-news/environment/scientists-attempt-to-feed-chinook-to-ailing-orca-but-did-she-eat/
In Morgan’s release plan I participated in the observational and behavioural work component ll. Just reacting appropriately in the communication method learned by countless hours spent with Orcas. to the plan. How to best integrate the choice of the wild and a way to communicate with Morgan throughout it. Using captive training techniques learned but this time not training tricks. In fact not training at all but using our understanding of that training to better interact with them in the wild. Imagine a recognition of the assistance being offered. Imagine animals that know our intention is to assist. Imagine humans that interact in a clear fashion with the whales.
I can imagine that world. and thank full that Fisheries and Scientists are thinking more WILD. I hope that more participation by all aspects of the communities that care for wild orcas can contribute to a better understanding through interacting with them FREE!
Christopher Porter
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Once bitten twice shy....
Twice shy always starts with first being shy that you are going to get bit. It is an instinct nature of humans to be shy. We are in deed (by action) , a prey species. Dolphins like us are prey species and live very similiar to us in their oceanic environment. Orcas are predators and though exhibit the same emotion and community aspects of humans and dolphins, have a complete different outlook on life.
Sea Lions are a prey species yet live in a community where might is right. The biggest male sea lions fighting for beachfront property to get complete access to the entire female population of the rookery. Since every female needs to go to the ocean to eat to nurse their young. So in their community there is a lot of jostling and arguing and fighting for personal space. Added a skull from the bear family and you have one tough ocean animal. No matter how cute they look like balancing a ball.
Training them you have to enter their world. So you either choose the path to be the biggest sea lion of the pool all the time or you try to adapt to their enviornment and keep them in their own happiness. As I have never yet to discover a species in their happiness that harms you.
One particular sea lion changed my complete outlook on emotion life. Smudge was born to Bonnie and Clyde and was the youngest in a group of three siblings. Her appettite was ravenous and she must of had a hyperactive thyroid which would make her frustration level with training high.
Smudge would bite you faster than a card con changes aces. And it would hurt. I still to this days have Smudge tattoo kisses. I was brand new to training and heard stories that the only reason Smudge's father was so nice at 650lb was he was brought up in a strict might right environment. And with sea lions might is only done through over powering. My instinct could not look at Smudge, the size of an American Bull Dog, needing that same king of might.
That year I attended my first International Trainer's Conference. I loved communicating with the animals and wanted to learn more my first year at it. Off to Hawaii I went and was sitting in the front roll, dreadlocks and sunburnt feet listening to a elder trainer talk about sea lion aggression. After listening to his presentation I asked a question about Smudge. I thought his answer was a bit smug.
Me: (Explained story of Smudge) than asked what should I do immeadiately after she bites me?
Elder: Doesn't matter. Time you get bit it is already too late.
That answer burned through my head for weeks. How does it not matter to react once you got bit. That hurt. The scron in me ( actions with intention of reprucussion or redemption or equalization) wanted Smudge to know how much it hurt and to make sure she understood that.
Fortunately the elder in his paper included some articles on training techniques called DRI and DRO. They have a longer scientific name of course but in summary it simply is looking at how to training anything to occur more than biting.
Anything that gets reinforced will continue. So if you reinforce lying down lots it will want to continue. With her lying down it is hard to get bit unless I choose to lie down beside Smudge. Over time whenever Smudge would get excited she would immeadiately lie down instead of biting. Over time I could trust her enough to lie down beside her. That simple focus away on what will happen once I get bit, to how I can I make time without getting bit changed my entire way of thinking.
Now unfortunately to know what you want to avoid you have to get bit.
But instead of worrying about planning your scorn. Spend time on looking at all the things that are the opposite. All the things that preceed the biting. All the times of the happiness.
And before you know it getting bit just makes you happier!
So be shy, get bit and than Be Orca and Be Brave!
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55 years ago we harpooned our first orca for the love of them.Thanks Fisheries for using a better harpoon with the knowledge gained in our learning from Moby Doll.
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Brad Cunningham - Conversations Thru the Eye of an Orca #FollowThePod
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HOW DO YOU TEST AN ORCA?
The better question I learned training them, is how does an orca test you. The video above is one of my favorite. As for me shows the complexity and the community aspect of the orcas.
Here a lone orca sees a source of prey on the ice floe. And while swimming around the floe, he observes that the seal moves on the ice as his waves move the ice. And then looks like he swims off in failure. But each failure in a test provides a better diagnosis on how to pass the test.
Now imagine if that was a human there, found a bag of money on the treetop. He shakes the tree and notices it is close but just cannot get it. Now first of all I believe it would be hard for any human to leave that tree, as he would be fearful that another would come along and find the tree. So man develops a way to mark the tree for his own. Marking it , he departs as the Orca does.
I would expect that human would come back with a cherry picker and after ensuring his claim was clear, go about to recover his find. At this time with many onlookers watching , observing if he would be successful or not. Some of them perhaps have claim with the man, some perhaps hoping he would fail so they could get their cherry picker in line.
But what did the ORCA do. He swam away to find some more Orcas to help him. No claim was made, instead a sharing of knowledge of finding a source that could help whichever whale was in need of it. Obviously the message was quickly passed and the entire line of Orcas pledged to help the physics of this test for the simple reason to analyze the results. All in. Nobody watching. Nobody claiming. Every one of them testing the diagonosis of one.
There are a few places in the world that I have found that have that same kind of community culture of testing as Orcas. I am blessed to have many experiences of community. Blessed to live a life of Purpose of Discovery. All ways being open to listen to any one of the pod and give it my all to test their diagnosis.
Thanks to the Orcas for testing me so much! LIFE IS A FUN TEST!
Chris Porter , Cast of Blackfish the Movie
Whale Lover Wild Healer
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ORCA WOW !
The origin of WOW is from the Scots. A wail of an exclamation of admiration, courage or success. A term that allows one to feel the empowerment of admiration through respect. Not because it was expected or needed to be exalted, simply that it was shared and felt and appreciated by the ex claimer.
We are now down to 76 Southern Resident Killer Whales in British Columbia. The awe and wonder of the wow of seeing them is now a wail of solitude and hopefulness. Some have no hope at all for the future of these magnificent animals. An animal I have had the honor to work so closely with.
I have seen many people exclaim WOW around Orcas. Whether it was simply them opening their mouth to devour a 21 lb Salmon or Haida doing a back flip in the tiny marina of Oak Bay where the whole crowd would hold their breath watching this mighty fish over 25 feet long leap out of a 30 foot pool and flip completely around to strike a dangling buoy suspend 33 feet above the pool for her to swipe with her mighty fin. Now that always got a WOW!
It is time now for us humans to WOW the Orcas. I am privledged to be supported by an amazing partner in the expansion of Follow the Pod. A simple idea to share the whales to the public in their everyday life by providing whalesize pieces that integrate into our daily lives. It started with a playground in the heart of the City of Victoria. And now embarks on a glorious opportunity of expansion to highlight a prime example on how as a community we can come together to share a common wild vision.
In the following weeks stay tuned for updates on partnering with one man’s vision of creating a home that serves humanity and the environment above his own..I look forward to sharing a vision of his to create a showcase of Southern Resident Killer Whales in a long lasting tribute to the Kings of the Sea.
WOW !
Each day of your life, take time to have a WOW moement. Do not allow wow to be one of impediment. It should be one of growth and opportunity. A term meant to empower. When our daily lives turn to WOW from what coms from our phones, it is now time to be a WOW for the ORCAS.
Thanks for all that support their own wild vision for the Southern Resident Killer Whales.
Chris Porter, Sea-E-O WildVision Edutainment Inc.
Cast of Blackfish the Movie
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THE STRAIGHT TRUTH...
Ignorance can all ways be contained if acceptance it simply is a state of lack of knowledge. Continuance in ignorance by not expanding the capacity of understanding is simply not good use of potential.
Everywhere I go I share the story of Tilikum. His spirit will always reside in me. His story is needed to be told to show the importance of conserving the last remaining 78 Southern Resident Killer Whales of the Salish Sea.
I was ignorant for many years on the plight of the killer whales that an industry I purported allowed to be created. In an ever ending need to satisfy human curiosity of the WILD within confines that could captivate their fears in a safe manner. A report by National Marine Fisheries in 2015 summarizes the state of the Killer Whales (click HERE to see report).
Based on my past exposure to the economical value of captive animals I was shocked to see in the report in the last 10 years less than 15 million US dollars was spent on research and conservation in the Oceans. 1.5 millions dollars a year or in relative captivity terms, 7 wild caught dolphins. Shocking how one industry developed to further conservation has more economical viability than the wild one dedicated to protect it.
The world market price for a captive wild caught killer whale is over 5 million dollars and would need to be sent to a pool worth over 300 million dollars to meet International Standards and public opinion. So basically the cost for one aquarium with three killer whales has a proven business plan to repay the investment of over 300 million dollars in less than 5 years while the wild population of Southern Resident Killer Whales fights for 1.5 million a year for habitat rejuvenation with more fish.
How can a model where a whale that jumps for a fish makes more money that one where we put a fish back to the sea. This dichotomy confused this Sea Cowoby for many years. It no longer confuses me. I realize that the issue is in fact the lack of vision within the system of incorporation. They are so busy focussing on how to pay back the huge operating costs of the aquariums to even imagine creating a new model that would be far more economical beneficial for the wild.
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Is it that surprising from an industry that is the only one allowed on the planet to physical deform a natural animal based on inadequate housing capabilities. Capacity of understanding is vital to ensure a better future for the SRKW (Southern Killer Whale Residents) of the Salish Sea.
One of the most common questions i have gotten through years of working with whales is “Why does their dorsal fin curve?”
In fact I find most people assume that it is a droopy sign of unhappiness. And that if placed back in the wild it would right up straight and go back to being WILD.
In fact no matter how wild a captive killer whale ever became their dorsal fin would always be curved. As a permanent scar from society accepting that the confines of a pool were enough to protect and preserve the wild killer whales it came from.
It is time we all do better. It is time we all find the real truth of economical development that includes a profit column for the whales. It is no good to simply study wild killer whales. It is time to invest into the wild as much as we would for three killer whales for a half a billion dollar pool in the middle of the desert.
KEEP WILD, KEEP IT STRAIGHT!
Chris Porter
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A WILD BC! Can it get WILDER..... I just finished a 3000 km School Tour through BC and Alberta. Covering an expanse of wilderness that anyone who dreams of Canada envisions. Ironically many that live here I noticed are caught up in their own captivity of the confinements in the village they define in the small pockets of civilization interspersed around the vastness wildness.
Even in the real life SIM City of Calgary, where a sea of neighborhoods and shopping centers sprout like Victoria’s daffodils this week, only minutes away you can escape into the wild of the Rockies.
Each person and student I talked to, I was enlightened with the purpose of our innate connection to the ocean and the wildlife in it. Sharing intimately the stories of the Kings of the Seas with people that have never smelt the unique salt taste the waves bring to the shores on any beach.
Life is for being granted purpose and joy in seeking and finding that purpose. In your busy day of the village life, take time to see the wild around you. See how close it all really is. See how close the change to make it better it can be.
A few years back, I had thoughts to give up trying to fix the wild. This trip reminded me the wild has never really left. For sure there is a lot of work to do to get the salmon flowing back through our rivers of our BEAUTIFUL BRITISH COLUMBIA in order for us to feed the Kings of the Sea their due share.
YET our potential can be measured in the amazing work we as people did to even connect our communities through all this wilderness. Tiny tunnels carved by pickaxes to bring people through the Rockies, underpasses to allow wildlife to cross our path to home. What an amazing world we can have if we become a little MORE WILD!
Thanks for all those that stand strong in bringing the whales voice to the public. Tilikum’s voice is strong yet because of all of your support in my WILD VISION of making the wild OrcaSafe!
Thanks for Being OrcaSafe!
Chris Porter
Thanks to Eagle Wing Tours for this great honor of being recognized for awesomeness in contributing towards Marine Conservation. I appreciate the honor for Tilikum!
https://www.eaglewingtours.com/awesome-marine-conservationists/
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Some say Tilikum is free now that he is dead. Freedom is a hard word to decide. How does one choose what is free and what is worth dying for. A hard question for anybody to answer. An easier question is what makes you feel free.
Pierre Latour featured in the above video encapsulates the essence of the freedom of orcas. Living in a world of darkness that they bring their magical light into. Allowing natural underwater encounters to occur between species in the abyss of the cold seas.
Both animal and human seeking that connection that can only be understood eye to eye. Take time to look further into someone eye’s to find the depth of connection they are capable of. Only a few have been fortunate to look into the eye of a wild orca.... but once they have you can see the orca within them.
Freedom is found where you choose it to be. Thanks for being OrcaSafe and thanks to Pierre Latour and Tony Meyer encapsulating this message so clearly in this video.
Chris Porter
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Ever once in awhile old writings you have done resurface. I always remembering watching a brilliant movie filmed in 1980 documenting the same issues facing wild orcas as they today. The difference is their decline is far worse. Proving that our years of time, money and resources educating the public has not been an effective conservation tool. Time we remember what we believe is possible and continuously work to making that voice be heard.
.... January 21st, 2013
Judgement on my intentions to release animals continues to detract from my main message, whereas the management of our existing oceans to be our priority NOT OUR aquariums. I hope this story clarifies on how I see us achieving that in regards to captive whales and dolphins.
My stance is... Captivity should only continue if the animals have a chance to choose a life of human care or a life on its own accord. The reasoning is simple. Some animals enjoy being completely looked after. Being looked after for most of us is simply defined as food, shelter and social. As long as those factors are given to us in adequate amounts we consider ourselves looked after. Yet some of us are not satisfied with those standards being achieved. Some of us seek out even more joys and thrills that sometimes come to a great cost of the basic food, shelter and social principles.
Above is a photo of my dog, he sits majestically. He is one year old in this photo and sits majestically on a hilltop. A hill top he has visited for many years of his 5 year life so far (per 2017).
Olly, has been brought up from a puppy to be off leash. He is not fixed and despite his size, a true lion. He wants to roam yet sticks to one side of the road. Comes when called for and in general worst habit is ring around the leg rosy and following bitches in heat.
One day Olly and I were heading to the mountain where we are working on a social community development project. I stopped at the side of the road for a rest stop. I turned back to call Olly to the car and he was nowhere to be found. I strolled 45 mins in heavy brush calling him. I climbed three rock crags to scan the horizon and still no sign or sound of him.
Then I realized that this was my “freedom choice day” for Olly. He is out roaming since he is not fixed and the moon is changing. He wants to roam and that is his choice. Then I thought of all the chances we could give captive whales and dolphins. Imagine our coasts having the biggest tourist attractions of whales visiting us from the wild ocean. No longer could people have to “build homes” for dolphins in our polluted lands. No longer would animals have to “be ambassadors” for their species.
Each animal would live in relation to mas as it wishes. Some would choose to stay. We would have to be prepared to look after some for long term. But their care would be in our oceans. They would still have the chance to choose to live on their own. Yet our harbours in our cities would become cleaner in order to enusre our safe home for our whale allies. What City would turn down an annual return of a pod of wild voyaging killer whales. How much a better life Tilikum would of had.
That is what we need to do in our Oceans. Together we can make that happen. But first we must let the judgement of our intentions only be judged by the amount of DIRECT change that occurs. Do not hinder that change.
P.S. I write this blog with Olly Porter sleeping on my lap. It is a good feeling to let something free... but you must be prepared that they may indeed choose to be captive in your care. Let that choice be in their natural environment.
FTA Chris Porter
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WILD CAPTIVATION - A Solution for Captivity!
I created this video six years ago. Leaving decades working in the captive aquarium industry, I was shocked to find the discussions about captivity ended up in a series of tribe wars on whose approach was right. With very little focus directed at the individual animals at risk throughout all this energy use.
I have learned in the last six years on how to harness that type of aggressive energy. I used a lot in my past. Capturing and displaying animals in the righteous view I was right ... doing what was right for the individual animals in my care. Whether that care be placed on the demand of spectators waiting for a show or a dolphin collected from a tribal hunt in the South Pacific. Each of them with a story as complicated and complex as ours. But theirs with the largest tragedy of all, grief. Grief of loss. Grief of lack of freedom. Grief of lack of choice.
I have worked with a lot of animals around the world. I have found the fundamental best possible thing you can do for them is give them the space of choice. Only in that pause of the now will you be able to truly understand what the animal chooses to do completely in the acceptance of the opportunity to choose. I get asked a lot if I believe that captive orcas can be released. Of course they can. How impossible it seemed decades ago when we set out to capture the first one. Now able to move them even to the middle of the sand deserts of oil. Knowing in only a few years we would be able to mortgage a billion dollar investment in the construction costs of a public aquarium.
It is time now to spend our time and energy and money into the Ocean. Yes people need to be entertained. We are now in the possibility realm of EDUTAINING THEM. To show them the wonder of the Ocean without harm to an individual animal. All of us focusing on the animals in the wild for the wild. Time now to give captive animals the choice of sea pens so that we can reconstruct our model of public education.
Never spend time fighting those who oppose you. Spend time joining those that are working with you. I will be announcing my next WILD VISION that was also visualized 6 years ago. A public exhibit that will travel across North America telling the life of the Wild Killer Whales through the eyes of Tilikum. I ask those that want to expand the message of change through direct action to contact me and let us all work FOR THE ANIMALS.
Chris Porter , SEA-E-O - WildVision Edutainment “Captivating People, Keeping the Wild Free!”
Text: 250 588 ORCA
THANKS FOR BEING ORCA SAFE!
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A lost post for Tilikum. May be all ways work to bend the wrong we created in his fin. May we for ever work to scratch the dorsal of all captive orcas remembering Tilikum for who he is...
Words written departing Orlando after visiting Tilikum during Hurricane Matthew...
It is said that a whale on display will allow our society to learn more about them.
It is said that the risk to all those involved in the capture, display and preservation of these animals in captivity will perpetuate this learning for future generations.
It is said that our society needs to be educated about the marine environment because society has failed to conserve it.
I ask myself what exactly are we educating if our success cannot be measured in progress while our failures are measured in deaths and loss of environments.
Three years ago I spoke to a Blackfish audience on why I thought we no longer needed to educate our children through captivity. I embarked on a journey, a WILD VISION to create a new way to publicly display the wild. To make the public aware of the ocean and the need to protect it. I held audiences with Dragon’s Den, venture capitalists, entrepreneurial organizations and countless individuals. Sharing my regret from my past and sharing my hope for the future through a new way to learn. In the end OceanWalls was born.
This week I visited Tilikum. I wanted to learn how he was doing. I always felt that the most important part of captivity was learning about the individual animals. Above and beyond the species. More important than the genus of their nature, more their natural genius. As a trainer you feel the need, desire and personal responsibility to establish as close of a relationship as you could have. As with people, as life changes and adapts so do the one on one relationships you develop.
Despite working with Tilikum for a few years two decades ago, I still hold onto the memories of the lessons and perspectives shared between us. I will always hold onto them. Much like an old love or an old friend that you have. You remember the experiences you share, the good ones, the bad ones. Time apart never displacing or changing the importance and effect of those memorable experiences. I went to see Tilikum to seek closure. To seek an understanding of whether or not his life in captivity truly was worth the educational value it proposed over 30 years ago when he was captured.
He has thrilled, wowed and awoken millions of peoples as his time as an ambassador of the species. Giving us everything out of his wild life, to be replaced with a life to teach the wild. Who knew that to teach us the wild, he had to be wilder than the wild. In a society that needs to be entertained through hyperboles and drama, he answered us in the same fashion we promoted him.
This week Hurricane Matthew descended upon Florida the day after I saw Tilikum. Bringing with it fear, trepidation and worry to the entire state and beyond. Families pressured, feared of WHAT COULD HAPPEN not what was happening. In the end the Hurricane stayed off shore never bringing it the devastation that was forecasted. Some felt relief that it was not as bad as it was hyped up to be. Some were angry that they were evacuated to find out the storm did not cause the damage forecasted. Some had parties, some got extra work and some did not care at all.
I was amazed at how much a storm could cause everyone to change. How all of a sudden the fragility of life was realized in the now because tomorrow it could be worse. But… is it not every day that life can change? Tilikum has shown us how quickly lives around him can change. Yet we put the blame on him. We put the focus on people who hold him in his pool. We put the focus on the society that learns by getting thrilled. In the end the storm was an escalation of potential death. Teaching us nothing that we have not already learned. Sometimes in life you need a reminder to remember why you are walking on the road you are called to follow.
Some choose to create their own paths, some choose to zig zag through a bunch of paths, some just ride the bus. In the end Tilikum’s path was chosen by him, guided by undefeatable pressure of purpose created by a society that accepts his work in Orlando as incredibly important to the wild.
After my visit to Tilikum, I am convinced that he is teaching us nothing about the wild. He is simply teaching us at what ends we will go to in our society to show how uneducated we truly are. During the Hurricane countless reports of looting, price gouging and fear mongering blanketed the airways. Weather men warning families their kids could die if the storm hit the land. Wow what if, what could happen, might if want. All habits of living past the now.
It is time now to remember that Tilikum is with us every day making a sacrifice that we choose for him. A set of experiences that has covered three decades of his life. Thirty years of service in most corporations once got you a priceless gift. Is it not ironic that as our society stops to reward hard work, that we have forgotten the work and reason Tilikum was placed in captivity?
My trip to Orlando was trying. I thank the University of Central Florida Animal Rights club for hosting my first public series called Conversations Thru the Eye of an Orca. A sharing of stories of perspectives and lessons through my experiences with Tilikum. I thank the trainer at Sea World answering honestly that Tilikum’s health changed daily. Some good days and some bad days.
For certain his days in the pool, showed me he had no significant value to add to the conservation of the wild. Spending his entire day floating with 20 square feet of water. Not moving, not being displayed, not being brought out to the same society he was brought in to educate.
Through the next few weeks I will announcing more Conversations Thru the Eye of An Orca. Sharing with everyone my WILD VISION of creating ORCA Rangers. A whale of an army designed to simply learn more about the wild by being in the WILD. Educating the public through what we have done, not what we should be scared will happen.
I am no longer scared our oceans will fail. Because our model of display has proven to me to be a failure. How can we say we do the best for Tilikum when his spirit and behavior shows he is not his best. It is time we demand more from all parties that share in the hope that our oceans and its whales can be protected.
Let us not wait for another Hurricane Tilikum to remind us of how little we have yet learned what he truly expects or needs.
Chris Porter
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WHY I LIVE LOVING TILIKUM!
As I sit here looking over the old site of Sealand I remember why I love Tilikum.
The haters and detractors think I love him because of the fame of Blackfish. But I am infamous already so need no fame.
Some think it is because I recogonize the end of the aquarium industry, yet while the Arab world plans the biggest Sea World yet... that end seems too long for me to be in.
The truth is I love Tilikum because of the trust and the sharing he gave me in many a time that he was locked a lone in the module. You see there is one spot of a killer whale that never gets scratched. In fact only captive orcas have this problem. It is the inside of the curved fin. Their skin like our own is always renewing and so gets itchy.
Over time I learned to find Tilikum’s favorite spots. It was a combination of trust, perserverance and respectful intelligence. I have travelled the world and been in many percarious situations. One fact remains, if you always respect the energy in front of you as potential lethal, they will always return the same to you. Once that is understood it is forgotten.
And so starting tongue to tail fluke notch, (ps they get tickly there) I learned to find where Tilikum would want to be scratched. I always remind people. Remember Tilikum changed the world in only 10 mins of his actions. I will never forget the hours he gave me staring at me , clicking his blowhole away getting scratched where he could not itch.
On a bent fin that we all collectively as a society accept in our modern education model for our future preservation. Time for a change. Time to create new opportunities for all the remaining off spring of Tilikum.
Tilikum, he was wild, he was a child, never be mild remembering what he DID!
Thank you Tilikum Love You Tilikum Please Forgive Me Tilikum I am Sorry
Chris Porter
www.fb.com/OceanWalls - Captivating People, Keeping the Wild Free! Dedeicated to Tilikum. Long Live the King!.... Elvis ain’t got nothing on this Orca !
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