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Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond...
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Most helpful positive review
111 of 124 people found the following review helpful
5CORPORATE GREED AT IT'S BEST- & the world no longer wants to be part of it
Bymelissawazon March 24, 2015
Full disclosure: I am against animals in captivity. I demonstrate at the entrance to Seaworld as often as my work schedule will permit, educating visitors and passer-by's alike--I am NOT A PETA MEMBER.
For me, it's not about loving animals; but rather about loathing injustice.
With that said, John Hargrove did not get an automatic free pass from me with the release of this book. I am too well aware that preaching to the choir has often done more harm than good in this "movement." Not the case with "Beneath The Surface." From beginning to end, This book revealed things to (even) me about whales, and Seaworld, etc. that I was ignorant about. I used to love Seaworld when I was a kid, and, although I have always been uncomfortable with the confinement of animals, I didn't absolutely refuse to go until my parents gave me a "choice." One vivid memory I have while sittting in Shamu Stadium is watching the whales and dolphins wade in their small, concrete enclosures; waiting to be called out to the "bigger pool" to do their tricks. I always thought those smaller pools were merely "holding areas" before/during "show time." Little did I know that THOSE WERE IT! There were no huge swimming areas "behind the scenes" etc.
It's hard for me to imagine anyone reading "Beneath The Surface" and still buying tickets. Absolutely mind-blowing. And after reading John talk about the (too well known) aggression in captive whales, I don't wonder why Tilikum kills his trainers, I wonder why he doesn't kill ALL of them. (Except for the fact that he can no longer interact with people...and he doesn't even understand why!)
I watched Blackfish a dozen times and cried every single time. I was mesmerized, traumatized, heartbroken, stunned. I learned a world of valuable information about Orcas that I never knew before. Seaworld surely isn't teaching it- and they put the CON in conservation. I think "Beneath The Surface" goes even deeper than Blackfish, because we are reminded about a little boy who's whole dream of life was to understand and work with the whales he loved so much. And how this same boy (at heart) left the animals he loved so much so he could create a platform and speak for them, shedding truth on corporate psychobabble. (Another main thing I got out of the book was that Seaworld cares little more for their trainers than they do the animals that they "employ.")
EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS PLANET SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO READ THIS BOOK... (including age-appropriate children -- especially -- age-appropriate children.) I still hold resentment to those who misled me when I was a child. Who lied to me? Who taught me that it was ok to kidnap, enslave and even kill whales and dolphins, as long as it makes big corporate bucks? Was it only my parents? My school; IE: fieldtrips? My church? HOW ABOUT TEACHING TRUTH AND COMPASSION NOW...? AND NOT WAIT UNTIL OUR KIDS GROW UP before they learn that this disgraceful treatment of animals is not standard operating procedure. Why wait another day?
Every human who has ever used these breathtaking, awesome, highly familial and intelligent creatures to make money should all serve prison terms: confined for 25-40 years in a concrete bathtub.... inside a prison cell. They can get out of it for a half hour 'show' every afternoon walking on their hands in the prison yard- maybe.
Bravo, John Hargrove & Palgrave Macmillan. Change is coming. Thank you for opening our eyes and hearts and for giving us the determination to fight even harder---until every tank is empty.
For me, it's not about loving animals; but rather about loathing injustice.
With that said, John Hargrove did not get an automatic free pass from me with the release of this book. I am too well aware that preaching to the choir has often done more harm than good in this "movement." Not the case with "Beneath The Surface." From beginning to end, This book revealed things to (even) me about whales, and Seaworld, etc. that I was ignorant about. I used to love Seaworld when I was a kid, and, although I have always been uncomfortable with the confinement of animals, I didn't absolutely refuse to go until my parents gave me a "choice." One vivid memory I have while sittting in Shamu Stadium is watching the whales and dolphins wade in their small, concrete enclosures; waiting to be called out to the "bigger pool" to do their tricks. I always thought those smaller pools were merely "holding areas" before/during "show time." Little did I know that THOSE WERE IT! There were no huge swimming areas "behind the scenes" etc.
It's hard for me to imagine anyone reading "Beneath The Surface" and still buying tickets. Absolutely mind-blowing. And after reading John talk about the (too well known) aggression in captive whales, I don't wonder why Tilikum kills his trainers, I wonder why he doesn't kill ALL of them. (Except for the fact that he can no longer interact with people...and he doesn't even understand why!)
I watched Blackfish a dozen times and cried every single time. I was mesmerized, traumatized, heartbroken, stunned. I learned a world of valuable information about Orcas that I never knew before. Seaworld surely isn't teaching it- and they put the CON in conservation. I think "Beneath The Surface" goes even deeper than Blackfish, because we are reminded about a little boy who's whole dream of life was to understand and work with the whales he loved so much. And how this same boy (at heart) left the animals he loved so much so he could create a platform and speak for them, shedding truth on corporate psychobabble. (Another main thing I got out of the book was that Seaworld cares little more for their trainers than they do the animals that they "employ.")
EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS PLANET SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO READ THIS BOOK... (including age-appropriate children -- especially -- age-appropriate children.) I still hold resentment to those who misled me when I was a child. Who lied to me? Who taught me that it was ok to kidnap, enslave and even kill whales and dolphins, as long as it makes big corporate bucks? Was it only my parents? My school; IE: fieldtrips? My church? HOW ABOUT TEACHING TRUTH AND COMPASSION NOW...? AND NOT WAIT UNTIL OUR KIDS GROW UP before they learn that this disgraceful treatment of animals is not standard operating procedure. Why wait another day?
Every human who has ever used these breathtaking, awesome, highly familial and intelligent creatures to make money should all serve prison terms: confined for 25-40 years in a concrete bathtub.... inside a prison cell. They can get out of it for a half hour 'show' every afternoon walking on their hands in the prison yard- maybe.
Bravo, John Hargrove & Palgrave Macmillan. Change is coming. Thank you for opening our eyes and hearts and for giving us the determination to fight even harder---until every tank is empty.
Most helpful critical review
17 of 19 people found the following review helpful
3Blackfish: One man's perspective
ByM. Palasikon April 14, 2015
There is a lot of controversy behind this book as well as the documentary that sparked it - Blackfish. Controversy not only about the author, John Hargrove, and his experiences with SeaWorld, but also about the treatment of orcas and large captive animals in general.
Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes. Do I feel I learned some things from this book? Yes. Was this book necessary for the overall message of Blackfish? Maybe. Is John Hargrove capitalizing on the fact that not only was he part of the documentary, but then put the name Blackfish as the subtitle of his book? Yes. Did John Hargrove need to write this book to feel like he got his message and side of the story out there? Probably.
This book is not an extension of Blackfish; it is John's personal story. I see this book as a memoir+ - it's a memoir in that it's told from John's perspective and it centers around a theme and the + is some of the history of orcas and captivity.
I felt like this book was repetitive at times - the chapters of the book were more thematic than chronological, so sometimes the author would recap a situation or feeling multiple times throughout the book for the sake of the theme of the chapter. I think this technique is fine for non-fiction books that are intended to be read in pieces. However, I can't think of any reason why someone would pick up this book with the intention of only reading a chapter or two or reading it out of order.
I also got confused, more than a few times, with some of the terminology John used to describe the parts of the whale and the technical names of the tricks/stunts he did with the whales. I felt like a glossary of terms would have been very useful.
I appreciate John's description not only of his job as a trainer and how he worked his way up there, but also about his feelings toward the orcas and the job he was paid to do. John, and I'm sure many trainers in the past, present, and future, end up in a delicate situation; you've dreamed about this job your entire life and when you finally make it to the top, it's not as glamorous as you thought it would be but you've established relationships with creatures who won't/can't understand if you break that bond. So they stay in the job, that they realize has many serious flaws, for the good of the orcas, telling themselves that they will do what they have to do to care for the orcas. I cannot imagine the heartache that John went through when he left.
This book was good - not amazing, but good. I learned a lot and feel like I can critically think about animals in captivity more intelligently now - not only orcas, but other large and intelligent animals - dolphins, elephants, primates, large cats, etc.
Did I enjoy reading this book? Yes. Do I feel I learned some things from this book? Yes. Was this book necessary for the overall message of Blackfish? Maybe. Is John Hargrove capitalizing on the fact that not only was he part of the documentary, but then put the name Blackfish as the subtitle of his book? Yes. Did John Hargrove need to write this book to feel like he got his message and side of the story out there? Probably.
This book is not an extension of Blackfish; it is John's personal story. I see this book as a memoir+ - it's a memoir in that it's told from John's perspective and it centers around a theme and the + is some of the history of orcas and captivity.
I felt like this book was repetitive at times - the chapters of the book were more thematic than chronological, so sometimes the author would recap a situation or feeling multiple times throughout the book for the sake of the theme of the chapter. I think this technique is fine for non-fiction books that are intended to be read in pieces. However, I can't think of any reason why someone would pick up this book with the intention of only reading a chapter or two or reading it out of order.
I also got confused, more than a few times, with some of the terminology John used to describe the parts of the whale and the technical names of the tricks/stunts he did with the whales. I felt like a glossary of terms would have been very useful.
I appreciate John's description not only of his job as a trainer and how he worked his way up there, but also about his feelings toward the orcas and the job he was paid to do. John, and I'm sure many trainers in the past, present, and future, end up in a delicate situation; you've dreamed about this job your entire life and when you finally make it to the top, it's not as glamorous as you thought it would be but you've established relationships with creatures who won't/can't understand if you break that bond. So they stay in the job, that they realize has many serious flaws, for the good of the orcas, telling themselves that they will do what they have to do to care for the orcas. I cannot imagine the heartache that John went through when he left.
This book was good - not amazing, but good. I learned a lot and feel like I can critically think about animals in captivity more intelligently now - not only orcas, but other large and intelligent animals - dolphins, elephants, primates, large cats, etc.
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111 of 124 people found the following review helpful
Bymelissawazon March 24, 2015
Full disclosure: I am against animals in captivity. I demonstrate at the entrance to Seaworld as often as my work schedule will permit, educating visitors and passer-by's alike--I am NOT A PETA MEMBER.
For me, it's not about loving animals; but rather about loathing injustice.
With that said, John Hargrove did not get an automatic free pass from me with the release of this book. I am too well aware that preaching to the choir has often done more harm than good in this "movement." Not the case with "Beneath The Surface." From beginning to end, This book revealed things to (even) me about whales, and Seaworld, etc. that I was ignorant about. I used to love Seaworld when I was a kid, and, although I have always been uncomfortable with the confinement of animals, I didn't absolutely refuse to go until my parents gave me a "choice." One vivid memory I have while sittting in Shamu Stadium is watching the whales and dolphins wade in their small, concrete enclosures; waiting to be called out to the "bigger pool" to do their tricks. I always thought those smaller pools were merely "holding areas" before/during "show time." Little did I know that THOSE WERE IT! There were no huge swimming areas "behind the scenes" etc.
It's hard for me to imagine anyone reading "Beneath The Surface" and still buying tickets. Absolutely mind-blowing. And after reading John talk about the (too well known) aggression in captive whales, I don't wonder why Tilikum kills his trainers, I wonder why he doesn't kill ALL of them. (Except for the fact that he can no longer interact with people...and he doesn't even understand why!)
I watched Blackfish a dozen times and cried every single time. I was mesmerized, traumatized, heartbroken, stunned. I learned a world of valuable information about Orcas that I never knew before. Seaworld surely isn't teaching it- and they put the CON in conservation. I think "Beneath The Surface" goes even deeper than Blackfish, because we are reminded about a little boy who's whole dream of life was to understand and work with the whales he loved so much. And how this same boy (at heart) left the animals he loved so much so he could create a platform and speak for them, shedding truth on corporate psychobabble. (Another main thing I got out of the book was that Seaworld cares little more for their trainers than they do the animals that they "employ.")
EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS PLANET SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO READ THIS BOOK... (including age-appropriate children -- especially -- age-appropriate children.) I still hold resentment to those who misled me when I was a child. Who lied to me? Who taught me that it was ok to kidnap, enslave and even kill whales and dolphins, as long as it makes big corporate bucks? Was it only my parents? My school; IE: fieldtrips? My church? HOW ABOUT TEACHING TRUTH AND COMPASSION NOW...? AND NOT WAIT UNTIL OUR KIDS GROW UP before they learn that this disgraceful treatment of animals is not standard operating procedure. Why wait another day?
Every human who has ever used these breathtaking, awesome, highly familial and intelligent creatures to make money should all serve prison terms: confined for 25-40 years in a concrete bathtub.... inside a prison cell. They can get out of it for a half hour 'show' every afternoon walking on their hands in the prison yard- maybe.
Bravo, John Hargrove & Palgrave Macmillan. Change is coming. Thank you for opening our eyes and hearts and for giving us the determination to fight even harder---until every tank is empty.
For me, it's not about loving animals; but rather about loathing injustice.
With that said, John Hargrove did not get an automatic free pass from me with the release of this book. I am too well aware that preaching to the choir has often done more harm than good in this "movement." Not the case with "Beneath The Surface." From beginning to end, This book revealed things to (even) me about whales, and Seaworld, etc. that I was ignorant about. I used to love Seaworld when I was a kid, and, although I have always been uncomfortable with the confinement of animals, I didn't absolutely refuse to go until my parents gave me a "choice." One vivid memory I have while sittting in Shamu Stadium is watching the whales and dolphins wade in their small, concrete enclosures; waiting to be called out to the "bigger pool" to do their tricks. I always thought those smaller pools were merely "holding areas" before/during "show time." Little did I know that THOSE WERE IT! There were no huge swimming areas "behind the scenes" etc.
It's hard for me to imagine anyone reading "Beneath The Surface" and still buying tickets. Absolutely mind-blowing. And after reading John talk about the (too well known) aggression in captive whales, I don't wonder why Tilikum kills his trainers, I wonder why he doesn't kill ALL of them. (Except for the fact that he can no longer interact with people...and he doesn't even understand why!)
I watched Blackfish a dozen times and cried every single time. I was mesmerized, traumatized, heartbroken, stunned. I learned a world of valuable information about Orcas that I never knew before. Seaworld surely isn't teaching it- and they put the CON in conservation. I think "Beneath The Surface" goes even deeper than Blackfish, because we are reminded about a little boy who's whole dream of life was to understand and work with the whales he loved so much. And how this same boy (at heart) left the animals he loved so much so he could create a platform and speak for them, shedding truth on corporate psychobabble. (Another main thing I got out of the book was that Seaworld cares little more for their trainers than they do the animals that they "employ.")
EVERY SINGLE PERSON ON THIS PLANET SHOULD BE REQUIRED TO READ THIS BOOK... (including age-appropriate children -- especially -- age-appropriate children.) I still hold resentment to those who misled me when I was a child. Who lied to me? Who taught me that it was ok to kidnap, enslave and even kill whales and dolphins, as long as it makes big corporate bucks? Was it only my parents? My school; IE: fieldtrips? My church? HOW ABOUT TEACHING TRUTH AND COMPASSION NOW...? AND NOT WAIT UNTIL OUR KIDS GROW UP before they learn that this disgraceful treatment of animals is not standard operating procedure. Why wait another day?
Every human who has ever used these breathtaking, awesome, highly familial and intelligent creatures to make money should all serve prison terms: confined for 25-40 years in a concrete bathtub.... inside a prison cell. They can get out of it for a half hour 'show' every afternoon walking on their hands in the prison yard- maybe.
Bravo, John Hargrove & Palgrave Macmillan. Change is coming. Thank you for opening our eyes and hearts and for giving us the determination to fight even harder---until every tank is empty.
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118 of 133 people found the following review helpful
Killer whales are actually giant dolphins. It has been said that any caged dolphin is insane, and having read John Hargrove's deeply personal account, my belief in that fact is only further reinforced. Mr. Hargrove loves killer whales, and spent years relating intimately with them. Only a handful of people in the world can work closely with these massive, powerful, unpredictable, wonderful, intelligent predators. Captive orca are always in a precarious state of health, their dorsal fins are sunburned, chlorinated water damages their eyes, and they chew their concrete enclosures out of boredom and frustration. So SeaWorld has vets on standby, yes, they stand safely behind a wall several feet away and call instructions for trainers like Hargrove to implement. So not only was Hargrove a trainer and handler, but also nursemaid, and for that he received anywhere from twelve to about thirty bucks an hour, and had constant salary battles with management, proving how little they value even the most elite employees, to say nothing of the whales.
'Beneath the Surface' has a particular strength, empathy. Even the world's foremost orca researchers have not spent any significant time in the water with these animals, whereas Mr. Hargrove effectively became a member of a pod. He describes whale thinking, an intense social hierarchy, evolution, and sex, all in a well-paced wealth of detail.
Hargrove is one of the key interviews for the recent documentary 'Blackfish' which graphically shows some of the abuse trainers have taken. John Hargrove has had something like six major surgeries as a result of injuries sustained while performing intricate tricks. He even consulted a prominent NFL doctor who told him his injuries were similar to a multi-year player- which they are, if you can equate a 300 lb tackle to an 8000 lb orca. That being said, the majority of Hargrove's injuries were accidental and the whale displayed tender concern for him, conveying him poolside on a pectoral, or inundating him with sonar to assess his physical state, as an orca has perceptions beyond those of humans and senses your heartbeat and emotional state.
SeaWorld comes off as a vile corporate entity, treating both animals and humans as no more than butts in seats and revenue generators. They routinely use emotional blackmail on their employees, breed whales and sell their offspring down the river, pen large animals in tiny enclosures, and blame both fatalities and accidents on the trainers and not the degrading and inadequate jail facilities that they provide as a sick entertainment.
'Beneath the Surface' has a particular strength, empathy. Even the world's foremost orca researchers have not spent any significant time in the water with these animals, whereas Mr. Hargrove effectively became a member of a pod. He describes whale thinking, an intense social hierarchy, evolution, and sex, all in a well-paced wealth of detail.
Hargrove is one of the key interviews for the recent documentary 'Blackfish' which graphically shows some of the abuse trainers have taken. John Hargrove has had something like six major surgeries as a result of injuries sustained while performing intricate tricks. He even consulted a prominent NFL doctor who told him his injuries were similar to a multi-year player- which they are, if you can equate a 300 lb tackle to an 8000 lb orca. That being said, the majority of Hargrove's injuries were accidental and the whale displayed tender concern for him, conveying him poolside on a pectoral, or inundating him with sonar to assess his physical state, as an orca has perceptions beyond those of humans and senses your heartbeat and emotional state.
SeaWorld comes off as a vile corporate entity, treating both animals and humans as no more than butts in seats and revenue generators. They routinely use emotional blackmail on their employees, breed whales and sell their offspring down the river, pen large animals in tiny enclosures, and blame both fatalities and accidents on the trainers and not the degrading and inadequate jail facilities that they provide as a sick entertainment.
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83 of 98 people found the following review helpful
This narrative is part memoir of John Hargrove's years at SeaWorld, and part biology lesson on the orca, which in turn both helped him leave the SeaWorld corporation to develop his own documentary. Parts are very disturbing, and any lover of the killer whale will never want to go to another SeaWorld exhibit again.
Hargrove admits, though, that this wasn't always the case. He had had a fascination with SeaWorld since he was six years old, and his one life ambition was to work for SeaWorld at the Shamu park. He started out as a bucket cleaner and slowly rose through the ranks as senior trainer, picking up orca behavior and learning each animal's personality. The longer he worked for SeaWorld, though, the more he saw the abuse going on. It's heart-wrenching to read: orcas blinded over time by the chlorinated water, orcas damaging their dorsal fins from sun burn, orcas chewing paint off the tank walls out of boredom, bored orcas fighting out of boredom. Orcas are fed below the required minimum food so that they stay hungry and work for it. Captured orcas spend the rest of their lives harboring in shallow tanks and are only let out to perform. All this is done for the big SeaWorld corporation.
Hargrove learned most of his knowledge from orcas by working with them for 14 years. He imparts his knowledge of the animal in a fast-pace, and an interested reader will gain quite a bit of compassion for, and learn quite a bit about the animal.
Reading how orcas live each day at SeaWorld makes one better understand why some of the orcas misbehaved and killed a few trainers over the years. These animals are bored and are emotionally dying with nothing to do but do tricks for humans. SeaWorld sees the animals as mere revenue providers; the animals' needs are not considered. When a new orca enters the tank for instance, there are often fights for pod hierarchy, and any aggression is often shown toward the trainer. Orcas are matriarchal, mothers stay close to their children for life, but a new orca from a different part of the world emits different sounds than an orca from the same pod. These animals can and do feel grieve and pain.
The more Hargrove tells his story of his time at SeaWorld and the orcas, the more one realizes that he is defending the orca; these animals are too big for captivity and are becoming more aggressive toward trainers because they are bored. The history of Tilikum, the orca that had killed two trainers in its life, was kept from the public only until after the second trainer was killed. It turns out that SeaWorld had hidden other training incidents from the public, which brought Hargrove to leave his dream job and get involve with a documentary that showed the truth about how whales are treated by SeaWorld. His childhood dream of working for SeaWorld turned him into an advocate for orcas and threatened the livelihood of the enterprise.
Hargrove is careful not to name any people from SeaWorld in this book. And he is smart for doing this. SeaWorld is a corporation that became a big business because of these orcas, making $2.5 billion dollars a year. Has coming out about SeaWorld's treatment been detrimental to the business? Apparently not by much, as people are still coming to shows. But perhaps this book will let readers be more aware of what truly goes on in those large tanks when the lights go off after the last show of the day.
Hargrove admits, though, that this wasn't always the case. He had had a fascination with SeaWorld since he was six years old, and his one life ambition was to work for SeaWorld at the Shamu park. He started out as a bucket cleaner and slowly rose through the ranks as senior trainer, picking up orca behavior and learning each animal's personality. The longer he worked for SeaWorld, though, the more he saw the abuse going on. It's heart-wrenching to read: orcas blinded over time by the chlorinated water, orcas damaging their dorsal fins from sun burn, orcas chewing paint off the tank walls out of boredom, bored orcas fighting out of boredom. Orcas are fed below the required minimum food so that they stay hungry and work for it. Captured orcas spend the rest of their lives harboring in shallow tanks and are only let out to perform. All this is done for the big SeaWorld corporation.
Hargrove learned most of his knowledge from orcas by working with them for 14 years. He imparts his knowledge of the animal in a fast-pace, and an interested reader will gain quite a bit of compassion for, and learn quite a bit about the animal.
Reading how orcas live each day at SeaWorld makes one better understand why some of the orcas misbehaved and killed a few trainers over the years. These animals are bored and are emotionally dying with nothing to do but do tricks for humans. SeaWorld sees the animals as mere revenue providers; the animals' needs are not considered. When a new orca enters the tank for instance, there are often fights for pod hierarchy, and any aggression is often shown toward the trainer. Orcas are matriarchal, mothers stay close to their children for life, but a new orca from a different part of the world emits different sounds than an orca from the same pod. These animals can and do feel grieve and pain.
The more Hargrove tells his story of his time at SeaWorld and the orcas, the more one realizes that he is defending the orca; these animals are too big for captivity and are becoming more aggressive toward trainers because they are bored. The history of Tilikum, the orca that had killed two trainers in its life, was kept from the public only until after the second trainer was killed. It turns out that SeaWorld had hidden other training incidents from the public, which brought Hargrove to leave his dream job and get involve with a documentary that showed the truth about how whales are treated by SeaWorld. His childhood dream of working for SeaWorld turned him into an advocate for orcas and threatened the livelihood of the enterprise.
Hargrove is careful not to name any people from SeaWorld in this book. And he is smart for doing this. SeaWorld is a corporation that became a big business because of these orcas, making $2.5 billion dollars a year. Has coming out about SeaWorld's treatment been detrimental to the business? Apparently not by much, as people are still coming to shows. But perhaps this book will let readers be more aware of what truly goes on in those large tanks when the lights go off after the last show of the day.
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33 of 37 people found the following review helpful
Byjd103on January 10, 2015
This very interesting book combines information about SeaWorld's use of captive orcas for profit with the story of a man who achieved his boyhood dream job until physical injuries and emotional and intellectual changes ended that career.
I used to be a docent in a zoo and saw many people go through the stages he describes in the book--the initial overwhelming joy of being near and working with the animals, then beginning to recognize problems but thinking they can be fixed, the eventual disillusionment with the organization and questioning the idea of keeping animals captive, and finally the need to leave despite still loving the connection with animals.
So I was aware of the general theme and had also seen Blackfish for more about the specific SeaWorld situation. The book added some details about behind the scenes events at the company, and a lot of information about the actual experience of training the orcas. I think what struck me the most was how close to the edge of danger and attack these people apparently were at all times.
The phrase "the dark side" is used often (a little too often, I thought) in writing about orcas' sudden behavioral changes, as well as the company's treatment of both trainers and orcas. The chapter on artificial insemination is certainly horrific, especially since this was done strictly to make a profit, not with any goal of saving a species as scientists often do.
Changes and improvements have begun to happen--may the tide continue to turn.
I used to be a docent in a zoo and saw many people go through the stages he describes in the book--the initial overwhelming joy of being near and working with the animals, then beginning to recognize problems but thinking they can be fixed, the eventual disillusionment with the organization and questioning the idea of keeping animals captive, and finally the need to leave despite still loving the connection with animals.
So I was aware of the general theme and had also seen Blackfish for more about the specific SeaWorld situation. The book added some details about behind the scenes events at the company, and a lot of information about the actual experience of training the orcas. I think what struck me the most was how close to the edge of danger and attack these people apparently were at all times.
The phrase "the dark side" is used often (a little too often, I thought) in writing about orcas' sudden behavioral changes, as well as the company's treatment of both trainers and orcas. The chapter on artificial insemination is certainly horrific, especially since this was done strictly to make a profit, not with any goal of saving a species as scientists often do.
Changes and improvements have begun to happen--may the tide continue to turn.
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27 of 30 people found the following review helpful
ByAmy L. wazon March 25, 2015
Forget Blackfish, forget SeaWorld's desperate multi-MILLION dollar ad campaign to silence this book...let's just get down to the basics. COMMON SENSE. 12,000 pound orca whales do NOT belong in concrete, 25-30 feet deep prison cells! How selfish does one need to be to be so headstrong to see a whale or dolphin--- that they are willing to compromise their very freedom.
There are myriad of ways to show our children how these magnificent beings live FREE in the vast oceans. Go on a whale-watching trip off the coast of Seattle or on the coast of Vancouver. The very thing we teach children by bringing them to gawk at and contribute to their suffering by visiting marine prisons is the exact opposite of what they learn in school.
When people say, "But SeaWorld is so educational for children, they learn so much," the truth is, "The only thing kids learn at SeaWorld is that orcas are black and white, dolphins have a narrow snout and penguins waddle when they walk. PERIOD!" There is NO education taking place except the cruel education that teaches kids it is okay to dominate and enslave animals and put them on display for amusement, entertainment and follies.
WAKE UP! We can do better than this America!
With that said, John Hargrove did not write this book to make a quick buck. It took YEARS to convince himself to leave the animals behind in order to speak out on their behalf and to let the world know what really goes on 'Beneath The Surface."
Naysayers and SeaWorld employees who have been encouraged to post negative reviews on this site should not surprise anyone. They are down to their last bag of tricks.
Please don't buy another ticket to support this cruelty.
There are myriad of ways to show our children how these magnificent beings live FREE in the vast oceans. Go on a whale-watching trip off the coast of Seattle or on the coast of Vancouver. The very thing we teach children by bringing them to gawk at and contribute to their suffering by visiting marine prisons is the exact opposite of what they learn in school.
When people say, "But SeaWorld is so educational for children, they learn so much," the truth is, "The only thing kids learn at SeaWorld is that orcas are black and white, dolphins have a narrow snout and penguins waddle when they walk. PERIOD!" There is NO education taking place except the cruel education that teaches kids it is okay to dominate and enslave animals and put them on display for amusement, entertainment and follies.
WAKE UP! We can do better than this America!
With that said, John Hargrove did not write this book to make a quick buck. It took YEARS to convince himself to leave the animals behind in order to speak out on their behalf and to let the world know what really goes on 'Beneath The Surface."
Naysayers and SeaWorld employees who have been encouraged to post negative reviews on this site should not surprise anyone. They are down to their last bag of tricks.
Please don't buy another ticket to support this cruelty.
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38 of 44 people found the following review helpful
I was very moved by this book, and appreciated the chance to learn about these beautiful creatures: their history as performing animals, their fascinating ways of communicating, their differing brain structure, their long attachment to their mothers, the delicate balance between friendship with humans and aggression, and their very understandable frustration at having their most basic needs denied them in captivity. I also enjoyed reading John Hargrove's story: his lifelong desire to work with orcas, his training and success, his gradual change of heart, and eventually, his courage in taking action to help the orcas. All of this is communicated in simple, readable language and
expands on what was covered in the movie, "Blackfish."
It is hard to read this book without becoming more and more sad and disturbed at the tragic deaths of trainers and the conditions that caused the orcas to lash out. Reading about the course of events since orcas became show animals, I was struck by how much energy the trainers put into avoiding incidents of aggression every day. Very thought provoking, not to mention heartrending.
Highly recommended.
expands on what was covered in the movie, "Blackfish."
It is hard to read this book without becoming more and more sad and disturbed at the tragic deaths of trainers and the conditions that caused the orcas to lash out. Reading about the course of events since orcas became show animals, I was struck by how much energy the trainers put into avoiding incidents of aggression every day. Very thought provoking, not to mention heartrending.
Highly recommended.
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37 of 43 people found the following review helpful
ByAdriana Saucedaon March 25, 2015
This book is an authentic, exciting account of a former trainers conflict that he has between his love for orcas and the company *SeaWorld* he works for that doesn't. John Hargrove makes it clear that the reason he "stayed so long" was simply because of the animals, who became his friends; and more importantly, of which he was trying to protect. (IE: approaching management several time suggesting improvements, etc.- only to be told the money isn't there (most often.)
How dare SeaWorld moles come on this rating page to negatively and UN-authenticly rate and degrade the book, as (another) desperate marketing tactic.
This goes to show exactly what Hargrove was telling all along in the book. SeaWorld cares about money. Period.
How dare SeaWorld moles come on this rating page to negatively and UN-authenticly rate and degrade the book, as (another) desperate marketing tactic.
This goes to show exactly what Hargrove was telling all along in the book. SeaWorld cares about money. Period.
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54 of 65 people found the following review helpful
5Very well written and enlightening; part memoir, part advocacy for the orcas and their trainers at SeaWorld
I've seen the Blackfish documentary film. This well written book contains details not found in the film, and the details pertain not just to the plight of the orcas but also their trainers' at SeaWorld.
Mr. Hargrove's SeaWorld journey began with enchantment but ended in disenchantment. At the age of six, when he went with his family on his first trip to SeaWorld Orlando, he became captivated with the orcas after witnessing them perform magnificently with their trainers. Vowing to become an orca trainer in the shortest possible time, he made annual trips with his parents to a SeaWorld park and after each show at the Shamu Stadium, peppered the trainers with queries on how to become one. He read up on orcas, took swimming lessons, got scuba diving certification, volunteered at animal welfare organizations, and when he went to college, majored in psychology. In 1993, at the age of 20, he got his first break when he won an apprentice job at SeaWorld San Antonio. After only two years, he was promoted to an associate trainer position and moved to SeaWorld San Diego. When he left SeaWorld for good in August 2012, he had been a senior level trainer for many years, and had trained and performed with about 20 orcas.
Mr. Hargrove's experiences at the SeaWorld can be described as ranging from the exhilarating and heartwarming, to the heartbreaking and soul-destroying.
Before someone is permitted to work in the water with an orca, who despite weighing several thousand pounds can nevertheless swim very fast, he or she must first pass several mental, physical, and emotional tests, and be deemed qualified and ready by SeaWorld's special committee of experts for such decision making. The intelligent orcas are also constantly sizing up and testing the trainers working with them for potential weaknesses, so one must always be vigilant for signs of misbehaviors, whether playful or aggressive.
A trainer works very long hours, sometimes up to 14 hours a day. On any given day, the physical demands of the work could include carrying buckets of fish scores of pounds heavy across flights of stairs and / or long distances, cleaning debris in those buckets as well as the orcas' swimming pools that could infect the orcas, and of course, the athletic feats that are part of the several-a-day shows which, among other things, include swimming and diving in chlorinated pools much colder and deeper than ordinary recreational pools. The orcas are trained not only to perform, but also to tolerate invasive procedures that would allow them to be weighed, their teeth drilled and treated for protection against infection, sperm extraction from male orcas and artificial insemination of female orcas, etc. In all these procedures, the orcas could act out and pose a danger to the trainers, so even off shows, the trainers are still exposed to all sorts of danger.
Injuries are a given because the performances don't always go as planned. But the long-term ill effects of the stress and working conditions they have to put up with (e.g., the constant deep diving into highly chlorinated and very cold temperatures) can potentially be just as debilitating as some of the physical injuries. Yet, despite these hazards to life and health, their specialized skills and talents (there are * NOT * that many orca trainers in the whole world!), the billions of dollars they help bring in, and their obvious value to the company, SeaWorld trainers are actually not highly paid.
So SeaWorld trainers are not attracted to the job because of the pay. According to Mr. Hargrove, the biggest reason he stayed at SeaWorld for as long as he did was because he thought he could make a difference in the orcas' lives. It might have been enchantment that initially drew him towards the orcas, but over time, having worked with them up close, he came to know their personalities and quirks, and developed special bonds with many of them. He respected their intelligence and ability to move fast with precision. Recalling how an orca tried to pull him into the water by targeting the only place in his wet suit that had a slack, he wondered admiringly how the orca was able to figure out the exact spot. Then there were the two times when different orcas did something completely unexpected that saved his life.
Being able to perform complex feats with the orcas in an errorless, synchronized fashion was always exhilarating to him. Watching the length a mother orca would go to keep her new calf born in captivity alive, before the latter had time to acquire unnatural but required behaviors to survive in a captive environment, was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Isolating the orcas in small, darkened spaces where they can't move freely as orcas in the wild can and have nothing to do for eight or more hours everyday, however, was heartbreaking. So were hearing a mother orca wail when forcibly separated from her calf, or watching the orcas bloody themselves from trying to peel the paint off the swimming pools' walls from boredom, or watching them acquire diseases they are not known to acquire in the wild.
Realizing that the orcas endure all that they endure and exist mainly to make billions of dollars for SeaWorld but hardly much of that money is trickling down to improve their living conditions spurred Mr. Hargrove to complain to management and ask them to do better. According to him, management repeatedly told him the money was not there and did not really make any serious effort to find it, even though management knew that the orcas' poor living conditions could trigger aggressive behaviors towards trainers and fellow orcas. When two trainers died in late 2009 and early 2010, and SeaWorld initially attempted to pin the blame on errors made by the dead trainers (who, as Mr. Hargrove pointed out, couldn't defend themselves) without mentioning the aggression exhibited by the orcas as witnesses had alleged, Mr. Hargrove was deeply shakened by those turns of events.
After resigning from SeaWorld in August 2012, Mr. Hargrove decided to raise public awareness about SeaWorld's trainers' and captive orcas' plight. He agreed to be interviewed by the people behind the Blackfish documentary, joining other former SeaWorld trainers who were also approached. The documentary did not put SeaWorld in a good light, but SeaWorld decided not to participate to give its side of the story.
Some of the good things that have happened since the showing of that documentary are mentioned in this book. Some of the other good things that Mr. Hargrove would like to see happen, as well as "good" and "bad" moves that SeaWorld (which was founded in 1959 and became a publicly traded company in April 2013) could make in the near and longer term are also outlined and articulated very well in this book. Whether you are just interested in learning more about orcas in general, or have a desire to know more about the specific plights of SeaWorld's trainers and captive orcas, and how to support them, this book would be an excellent choice to start with.
Mr. Hargrove's SeaWorld journey began with enchantment but ended in disenchantment. At the age of six, when he went with his family on his first trip to SeaWorld Orlando, he became captivated with the orcas after witnessing them perform magnificently with their trainers. Vowing to become an orca trainer in the shortest possible time, he made annual trips with his parents to a SeaWorld park and after each show at the Shamu Stadium, peppered the trainers with queries on how to become one. He read up on orcas, took swimming lessons, got scuba diving certification, volunteered at animal welfare organizations, and when he went to college, majored in psychology. In 1993, at the age of 20, he got his first break when he won an apprentice job at SeaWorld San Antonio. After only two years, he was promoted to an associate trainer position and moved to SeaWorld San Diego. When he left SeaWorld for good in August 2012, he had been a senior level trainer for many years, and had trained and performed with about 20 orcas.
Mr. Hargrove's experiences at the SeaWorld can be described as ranging from the exhilarating and heartwarming, to the heartbreaking and soul-destroying.
Before someone is permitted to work in the water with an orca, who despite weighing several thousand pounds can nevertheless swim very fast, he or she must first pass several mental, physical, and emotional tests, and be deemed qualified and ready by SeaWorld's special committee of experts for such decision making. The intelligent orcas are also constantly sizing up and testing the trainers working with them for potential weaknesses, so one must always be vigilant for signs of misbehaviors, whether playful or aggressive.
A trainer works very long hours, sometimes up to 14 hours a day. On any given day, the physical demands of the work could include carrying buckets of fish scores of pounds heavy across flights of stairs and / or long distances, cleaning debris in those buckets as well as the orcas' swimming pools that could infect the orcas, and of course, the athletic feats that are part of the several-a-day shows which, among other things, include swimming and diving in chlorinated pools much colder and deeper than ordinary recreational pools. The orcas are trained not only to perform, but also to tolerate invasive procedures that would allow them to be weighed, their teeth drilled and treated for protection against infection, sperm extraction from male orcas and artificial insemination of female orcas, etc. In all these procedures, the orcas could act out and pose a danger to the trainers, so even off shows, the trainers are still exposed to all sorts of danger.
Injuries are a given because the performances don't always go as planned. But the long-term ill effects of the stress and working conditions they have to put up with (e.g., the constant deep diving into highly chlorinated and very cold temperatures) can potentially be just as debilitating as some of the physical injuries. Yet, despite these hazards to life and health, their specialized skills and talents (there are * NOT * that many orca trainers in the whole world!), the billions of dollars they help bring in, and their obvious value to the company, SeaWorld trainers are actually not highly paid.
So SeaWorld trainers are not attracted to the job because of the pay. According to Mr. Hargrove, the biggest reason he stayed at SeaWorld for as long as he did was because he thought he could make a difference in the orcas' lives. It might have been enchantment that initially drew him towards the orcas, but over time, having worked with them up close, he came to know their personalities and quirks, and developed special bonds with many of them. He respected their intelligence and ability to move fast with precision. Recalling how an orca tried to pull him into the water by targeting the only place in his wet suit that had a slack, he wondered admiringly how the orca was able to figure out the exact spot. Then there were the two times when different orcas did something completely unexpected that saved his life.
Being able to perform complex feats with the orcas in an errorless, synchronized fashion was always exhilarating to him. Watching the length a mother orca would go to keep her new calf born in captivity alive, before the latter had time to acquire unnatural but required behaviors to survive in a captive environment, was heartwarming and heartbreaking at the same time. Isolating the orcas in small, darkened spaces where they can't move freely as orcas in the wild can and have nothing to do for eight or more hours everyday, however, was heartbreaking. So were hearing a mother orca wail when forcibly separated from her calf, or watching the orcas bloody themselves from trying to peel the paint off the swimming pools' walls from boredom, or watching them acquire diseases they are not known to acquire in the wild.
Realizing that the orcas endure all that they endure and exist mainly to make billions of dollars for SeaWorld but hardly much of that money is trickling down to improve their living conditions spurred Mr. Hargrove to complain to management and ask them to do better. According to him, management repeatedly told him the money was not there and did not really make any serious effort to find it, even though management knew that the orcas' poor living conditions could trigger aggressive behaviors towards trainers and fellow orcas. When two trainers died in late 2009 and early 2010, and SeaWorld initially attempted to pin the blame on errors made by the dead trainers (who, as Mr. Hargrove pointed out, couldn't defend themselves) without mentioning the aggression exhibited by the orcas as witnesses had alleged, Mr. Hargrove was deeply shakened by those turns of events.
After resigning from SeaWorld in August 2012, Mr. Hargrove decided to raise public awareness about SeaWorld's trainers' and captive orcas' plight. He agreed to be interviewed by the people behind the Blackfish documentary, joining other former SeaWorld trainers who were also approached. The documentary did not put SeaWorld in a good light, but SeaWorld decided not to participate to give its side of the story.
Some of the good things that have happened since the showing of that documentary are mentioned in this book. Some of the other good things that Mr. Hargrove would like to see happen, as well as "good" and "bad" moves that SeaWorld (which was founded in 1959 and became a publicly traded company in April 2013) could make in the near and longer term are also outlined and articulated very well in this book. Whether you are just interested in learning more about orcas in general, or have a desire to know more about the specific plights of SeaWorld's trainers and captive orcas, and how to support them, this book would be an excellent choice to start with.
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38 of 45 people found the following review helpful
When you read a book by a "Whistleblower" you aren't sure if you are going to get an informational read or maybe just some angry diatribe by the individual about how the "Corporate World" treated them poorly. So, when I asked for this book to review I was a bit worried about what I would find. I didn't want the angry diatribe.
I was pleased that the book did not just come off as a way for John Hargrove to paint SeaWorld as a terrible monster. Now, with that said it did not let SeaWorld off the hook, it did do a number on their reputation by the disagreements that Hargrove pointed out from his experience.
But the book gives a good history of the work with Orca Whales and how that came about. It also gives a good view of how you become a "trainer" with the whales and the amount of work needed to get to the level of being an "in water" trainer (although OSHA has removed that privilege since 2010). Hargrove gives us a glimpse of his childhood and his dream of becoming a trainer. It gives good insight into the mind set of an individual who wants to work with an 8,000 pound killer whale.
The book describes the training of the trainer as well as the training of the whales. It gives you a glimpse into the personalities of the whales and how they act and re-act to certain situations. It also paints a good picture of how the whales can be unpredictable. It gives several harrowing stories of the tragedy that can happen when a bored whale decides "to play" with a trainer and almost kill that trainer.
There are also the discussions of the perils of a whale in captivity. They become bored. They become lethargic. They become susceptible to infections and disease that can cause their early death. It gives you the true response of a "trainer" who loves his whales when he realizes the trauma to the whales of the captivity. Let's be honest, any human knows that an animal in a zoo or water park is not in their natural environment and that can never be perfect.
Hargrove also gives a good description of the intelligence of these whales. How they watch the trainers, watch other whales and absorb the information around them. They make intelligent decisions, they sometimes make decisions that show they are having a tantrum or are bored and looking for a way to "have fun" in their environment, and that sometimes is at the trainers expense.
I enjoyed the book and thought it did a good job of describing the situation. I wasn't put off by the way Hargrove gave out information that was detrimental to SeaWorld, frankly what he said is just common sense if the average person were to stop and contemplate the problems of keeping a killer whale in captivity.
One thing is clear, these whales are highly intelligent, they are highly social, they have their own cultural hierarchy that keeps them in line and they enjoy interaction with humans (to an extent) and don't inherently desire to hurt humans, and in no way is it their desire to eat a human or kill one because of an inbred animal nature towards that event. These whales are aggressive in the wild, not towards humans but towards their natural prey.
Enjoy the read!
I was pleased that the book did not just come off as a way for John Hargrove to paint SeaWorld as a terrible monster. Now, with that said it did not let SeaWorld off the hook, it did do a number on their reputation by the disagreements that Hargrove pointed out from his experience.
But the book gives a good history of the work with Orca Whales and how that came about. It also gives a good view of how you become a "trainer" with the whales and the amount of work needed to get to the level of being an "in water" trainer (although OSHA has removed that privilege since 2010). Hargrove gives us a glimpse of his childhood and his dream of becoming a trainer. It gives good insight into the mind set of an individual who wants to work with an 8,000 pound killer whale.
The book describes the training of the trainer as well as the training of the whales. It gives you a glimpse into the personalities of the whales and how they act and re-act to certain situations. It also paints a good picture of how the whales can be unpredictable. It gives several harrowing stories of the tragedy that can happen when a bored whale decides "to play" with a trainer and almost kill that trainer.
There are also the discussions of the perils of a whale in captivity. They become bored. They become lethargic. They become susceptible to infections and disease that can cause their early death. It gives you the true response of a "trainer" who loves his whales when he realizes the trauma to the whales of the captivity. Let's be honest, any human knows that an animal in a zoo or water park is not in their natural environment and that can never be perfect.
Hargrove also gives a good description of the intelligence of these whales. How they watch the trainers, watch other whales and absorb the information around them. They make intelligent decisions, they sometimes make decisions that show they are having a tantrum or are bored and looking for a way to "have fun" in their environment, and that sometimes is at the trainers expense.
I enjoyed the book and thought it did a good job of describing the situation. I wasn't put off by the way Hargrove gave out information that was detrimental to SeaWorld, frankly what he said is just common sense if the average person were to stop and contemplate the problems of keeping a killer whale in captivity.
One thing is clear, these whales are highly intelligent, they are highly social, they have their own cultural hierarchy that keeps them in line and they enjoy interaction with humans (to an extent) and don't inherently desire to hurt humans, and in no way is it their desire to eat a human or kill one because of an inbred animal nature towards that event. These whales are aggressive in the wild, not towards humans but towards their natural prey.
Enjoy the read!
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35 of 41 people found the following review helpful
BySpirit Seekeron March 24, 2015
If enough people read this book, and boycott all Sea Worlds and similar in the US and elsewhere, the people who imprison and abuse these animals will close the business, like Barnum and Bailey is doing with their performing elephants, all to be retired by 2018.
Barnum&B; is reacting to their PUBLIC audiences, not to PETA. They're getting hit in their corporate wallet.
Boycott Sea World !!!
Barnum&B; is reacting to their PUBLIC audiences, not to PETA. They're getting hit in their corporate wallet.
Boycott Sea World !!!
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