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255 reviews for:
Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, Seaworld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish
Howard Chua-Eoan, John Hargrove
4.22 AVERAGE
255 reviews for:
Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, Seaworld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish
Howard Chua-Eoan, John Hargrove
4.22 AVERAGE
I was so anxious and excited to get my hands on this book. I've been a fan of Hargrove since Blackfish; he was one of the trainers who really stuck out to me. How brave, I thought, to leave behind and then defend something you love so much. It would have been so easy for Hargrove to turn a deaf ear to the allegations against Seaworld. What he does is encouraging for the future, and hopefully many more trainers and people in general will see his side of things. The book itself was raw and informational but in a good way. There was emotional pull but it was manipulative and I appreciated that. I think people come into the book already emotional enough and Hargrove doesn't try to sway the reader one way or another. He also does the beautiful whales justice in the story and never undermines them or their power.
The reason why this is a four star and not a five is that it was not written well. The words were fine but it is clear that Hargrove is not a writer. Which is fine, but he should have gone through a more rigorous editing promise. I felt like it might have been rushed so it could hit shelves while the topic was still "hot." This means there are sections that are repeated and Hargrove doesn't trust the reader to remember anything. Again, this is typical of a non-writer and it's not his fault. Still, it distracted me enough that I couldn't fully enjoy the book.
The reason why this is a four star and not a five is that it was not written well. The words were fine but it is clear that Hargrove is not a writer. Which is fine, but he should have gone through a more rigorous editing promise. I felt like it might have been rushed so it could hit shelves while the topic was still "hot." This means there are sections that are repeated and Hargrove doesn't trust the reader to remember anything. Again, this is typical of a non-writer and it's not his fault. Still, it distracted me enough that I couldn't fully enjoy the book.
Finished it in one sitting. Never gave much thought to what it takes to train killer whales. It was such an eye opening. Great learning experience. RIP to all those who lost their lives working with those amazing and unpredictable animals.
This book hit home for me in and worst and best way possible. I, too, like John Hargrove wanted to be a Killer Whale Trainer from the moment I ever set foot in SeaWorld Orlando and ultimately when I saw Tilikum for the first time. I, too, went through years of study and research on these animals and how to work with them on a personal level.
My hopes and dreams for such a career that I thought was amazing for so long were cut short when Dawn Brancheau was killed by Tilikum. I remember watching it on the news is disbelieve that a creature so amazing was capable of killing a human being.
I'm not quite sure at what point between Dawn's death and the release of the film Blackfish, that I decided that becoming a trainer was not what I wanted and that SeaWorld wasn't everything that it had cracked up to be for someone like me who was so young and naive but I do remember the moment that my eyes finally opened and I saw the many errors of SeaWorld and how they have treated the magnificent creatures that are the Orcinus Orca and that changed my life forever.
As John Hargrove describes in this book Takara was the one orca who was very close to him and for me that was Tilikum. I loved him with everything in me and I truly believe that he and I had a connection that was unlike any other. I miss him terribly but I know he is in a better place. I encourage anyone that supports SeaWorld and its "mission" will reconsider and realize that these wonderful creatures deserve so much better than they have been given.
MY RATING: (five stars)
My hopes and dreams for such a career that I thought was amazing for so long were cut short when Dawn Brancheau was killed by Tilikum. I remember watching it on the news is disbelieve that a creature so amazing was capable of killing a human being.
I'm not quite sure at what point between Dawn's death and the release of the film Blackfish, that I decided that becoming a trainer was not what I wanted and that SeaWorld wasn't everything that it had cracked up to be for someone like me who was so young and naive but I do remember the moment that my eyes finally opened and I saw the many errors of SeaWorld and how they have treated the magnificent creatures that are the Orcinus Orca and that changed my life forever.
As John Hargrove describes in this book Takara was the one orca who was very close to him and for me that was Tilikum. I loved him with everything in me and I truly believe that he and I had a connection that was unlike any other. I miss him terribly but I know he is in a better place. I encourage anyone that supports SeaWorld and its "mission" will reconsider and realize that these wonderful creatures deserve so much better than they have been given.
MY RATING: (five stars)
informative
sad
medium-paced
The narrative is sometimes a little jumpy, skipping and returning to time periods or locations mid anecdote, but I think it helps the conversational feel that Hargrove himself voiced the audiobook.
too much going on, tried reading multiple books at once
Heartfelt, informative, and personal. The book feels like a conversation with a passionate expert. You can feel the care Hargrove clearly has for these animals and the book is beautifully self-aware. Hargrove's own personal anecdotes about life both with and without the whales combined with clearly extensive knowledge and over a decade of experience make this an endearing yet powerful call for change.
Ce livre est intéressant il nous en apprend un peu plus sur les orques en captivités (quoi que beaucoup des choses dites vont de soit, sont évidentes (que les orcques soient tristes, qu’elles n’ont pas assez d’espace etc)) et sur les orques dans leur environnement naturel. Cependant j’ai trouvé que l’auteur s’attardait trop sur lui et sa vie et je comprends toujours pas comment il lui a fallut 15 ans pour se rendre compte que les orques étaient mal traités. Un moment il dit qu’aucun du personnel travaillant avec les orques parlent de leur maltraitance faite car sinon ils savent qu’ils ne pourraient plus travailler avec eux, donc en gros ils préfèrent leur bonheur à celui des orques.
Je donnerai 3/5 à ce livre car j’en ai appris pas mal sur les orques mais l’écriture et l’auteur narcissique me ferait lui donner un 2/5.
Les orques ont une société matriarcale, les mâles n’ont pas de status sans leur mère ou une femelle équivalente, quand la mère meurt ils rejoigne la famille d’une de leur tante ou sœur. Certains mâles orphelins créés des groupes mais ils ne durent jamais très longtemps. À Seaworld beaucoup de mâles se retrouvent sans mère et sont donc rejetés.
La manière dont les orques vont se comporter va changer en fonction de leurs origines.
Pour communiquer les orques utilisent la vocalisation mais en fonction de où ils viennent ils ne vont pas « parler » pareil.
À Seaworld quand les orques n’ont pas la même vocalisation ils vont souvent de battre (dans la nature ils peuvent s’échapper, et de plus il y aurait peu de chance qu’ils se croisent ils car habitent éloignés les uns des autres)
Les orcques peuvent être violent jeune mais la socialisation fait qu’avec le temps cela s’arrête mais à SeaWorld leurs parents/ou les plus âgés ont aussi connu que la captivité de ce fait ils n’ont pas étaient « éduqué » et ne peuvent pas apprendre au plus jeune d’arrêter d’être violent.
Les orques ne dorment jamais vraiment, on appelle plutôt ça se reposer car ils ne sont pas vraiment réveillées mais pas inertes non plus.
Elles dorment entre 20min et 2h, c’est généralement la matriarche qui décide pour tout le monde quand il est temps de redevenir conscient.
Un membre est désigné comme veilleur.
« The younger males will experiment sexually—among themselves or, startlingly, with the “grannies.” Orca researchers have never seen sex between fertile male and females of the same family. But young adolescent males will have sex with post-reproductive females of the same family. Those females—since they can’t get pregnant anymore—don’t seem to mind that the young males are sexually awkward. It seems to be part of the learning process. Orcas and dolphins (and human beings) are among the rare species that appear to enjoy sex. »
Ils sont strictes à propos de leurs partenaires sexuel. Il n’y a rien contre des « rendez vous » homosexuels.
Les femelles font parties des rares mammifères qui ont la ménopause.
Les femelles vivent environ 50 ans et les mâles 30. Mais à Seaworld c’est plus au alentours de 10 ans (7 ans en prenant en compte les fausses couches).
Seaworld a réussi à féconder des orques, cela leur a fait gagner beaucoup d’argent mais ils ne l’ont pas réinvesti quand pour le bien être des orques (comme agrandir leur espace). De plus ils ont commencé à féconder des jeune orques (qui ne seraient pas tomber enceinte en étant en liberté car elles seraient encore trop jeune)
Je donnerai 3/5 à ce livre car j’en ai appris pas mal sur les orques mais l’écriture et l’auteur narcissique me ferait lui donner un 2/5.
Les orques ont une société matriarcale, les mâles n’ont pas de status sans leur mère ou une femelle équivalente, quand la mère meurt ils rejoigne la famille d’une de leur tante ou sœur. Certains mâles orphelins créés des groupes mais ils ne durent jamais très longtemps. À Seaworld beaucoup de mâles se retrouvent sans mère et sont donc rejetés.
La manière dont les orques vont se comporter va changer en fonction de leurs origines.
Pour communiquer les orques utilisent la vocalisation mais en fonction de où ils viennent ils ne vont pas « parler » pareil.
À Seaworld quand les orques n’ont pas la même vocalisation ils vont souvent de battre (dans la nature ils peuvent s’échapper, et de plus il y aurait peu de chance qu’ils se croisent ils car habitent éloignés les uns des autres)
Les orcques peuvent être violent jeune mais la socialisation fait qu’avec le temps cela s’arrête mais à SeaWorld leurs parents/ou les plus âgés ont aussi connu que la captivité de ce fait ils n’ont pas étaient « éduqué » et ne peuvent pas apprendre au plus jeune d’arrêter d’être violent.
Les orques ne dorment jamais vraiment, on appelle plutôt ça se reposer car ils ne sont pas vraiment réveillées mais pas inertes non plus.
Elles dorment entre 20min et 2h, c’est généralement la matriarche qui décide pour tout le monde quand il est temps de redevenir conscient.
Un membre est désigné comme veilleur.
« The younger males will experiment sexually—among themselves or, startlingly, with the “grannies.” Orca researchers have never seen sex between fertile male and females of the same family. But young adolescent males will have sex with post-reproductive females of the same family. Those females—since they can’t get pregnant anymore—don’t seem to mind that the young males are sexually awkward. It seems to be part of the learning process. Orcas and dolphins (and human beings) are among the rare species that appear to enjoy sex. »
Ils sont strictes à propos de leurs partenaires sexuel. Il n’y a rien contre des « rendez vous » homosexuels.
Les femelles font parties des rares mammifères qui ont la ménopause.
Les femelles vivent environ 50 ans et les mâles 30. Mais à Seaworld c’est plus au alentours de 10 ans (7 ans en prenant en compte les fausses couches).
Seaworld a réussi à féconder des orques, cela leur a fait gagner beaucoup d’argent mais ils ne l’ont pas réinvesti quand pour le bien être des orques (comme agrandir leur espace). De plus ils ont commencé à féconder des jeune orques (qui ne seraient pas tomber enceinte en étant en liberté car elles seraient encore trop jeune)
Hargrove goes into great detail regarding his relationship with these animals, their personalities, behaviors, and even the social dynamics that exist between whales in Sea World's artificial pods. Going into this, I already knew that orcas are smart and emotional creatures, but I was still blown away by the level of orca intelligence conveyed in Hargrove's anecdotes. He also adds context to some of the incidents documented in Blackfish, which make an even stronger case against captivity.
informative
sad
medium-paced