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Death at SeaWorld : Shamu and the dark side of killer whales in captivity / David Kirby.

By: Material type: TextTextPublication details: New York : St. Martin's Press, 2012.Edition: 1st edDescription: viii, 469 p. ; 25 cmISBN:
  • 1250002028 (hardcover)
  • 125000831X (ebook)
  • 9781250002020 (hardcover)
  • 9781250008312 (ebook)
Subject(s):
Contents:
pt. 1. Blackfish. Marine biologist ; Trainer ; Capture ; Santa Cruz ; Johnstone Strait ; Hotdogging ; Residents vs. transients ; OrcaLab ; Happy talk ; Mama's boys ; Breakfast at SeaWorld ; Whale for sale ; Dissertation -- pt. 2. Dark side. Arrival ; Humane Society ; Backstage doubts ; Blood in the water ; The case against ; Free Willy ; Protection ; Kiss of death ; Catch and release ; Tilly's Willy ; Better days ; The Salish Sea ; The strange case of Daniel Dukes ; Transatlantic ties ; Abnormal activities ; Ken and Kasatka ; Tenerife ; Death at SeaWorld -- pt. 3. After Dawn. Wake ; Battle stations ; Oversight ; Citation ; Superpod.
Summary: A scientific thriller that exposes the dark side of America's most beloved marine mammal park. It centers on the battle with the multimillion-dollar marine park industry over the controversial and even lethal ramifications of keeping killer whales in captivity. Following the story of marine biologist and animal advocate at the Humane Society of the United States, Naomi Rose, the author tells the story of the two-decade fight against public relations-savvy SeaWorld, which came to a head with the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. The author puts that horrific attack in context: Brancheau's death was only the most publicized among several brutal attacks at marine mammal theme parks. This book introduces real people taking part in this debate, from former trainers turned animal rights activists to the men and women that champion SeaWorld and the captivity of whales. As the story progresses and orca attacks on trainers become increasingly violent, the warnings of scientists fall on deaf ears, only to be realized with the death of Dawn Brancheau. Finally the book covers the media backlash, the eyewitnesses who come forward to challenge SeaWorld's glossy image, and the groundbreaking OSHA case that challenges the very idea of keeping killer whales in captivity.
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Holdings
Item type Home library Collection Call number Materials specified Status Date due Barcode Item holds
Adult Book Adult Book Main Library NonFiction 599.536 K58 Available 33111006991935
Total holds: 0

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

From the New York Times bestselling author of Evidence of Harm and Animal Factory-- a groundbreaking scientific thriller that exposes the dark side of SeaWorld, America's most beloved marine mammal park

Death at SeaWorld centers on the battle with the multimillion-dollar marine park industry over the controversial and even lethal ramifications of keeping killer whales in captivity. Following the story of marine biologist and animal advocate at the Humane Society of the US, Naomi Rose, Kirby tells the gripping story of the two-decade fight against PR-savvy SeaWorld, which came to a head with the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. Kirby puts that horrific animal-on-human attack in context. Brancheau's death was the most publicized among several brutal attacks that have occurred at Sea World and other marine mammal theme parks.

Death at SeaWorld introduces real people taking part in this debate, from former trainers turned animal rights activists to the men and women that champion SeaWorld and the captivity of whales. In section two the orcas act out. And as the story progresses and orca attacks on trainers become increasingly violent, the warnings of Naomi Rose and other scientists fall on deaf ears, only to be realized with the death of Dawn Brancheau. Finally he covers the media backlash, the eyewitnesses who come forward to challenge SeaWorld's glossy image, and the groundbreaking OSHA case that
challenges the very idea of keeping killer whales in captivity and may spell the end of having trainers in the water with the ocean's top predators.

Includes bibliographical references (p. [441]-451) and index.

pt. 1. Blackfish. Marine biologist ; Trainer ; Capture ; Santa Cruz ; Johnstone Strait ; Hotdogging ; Residents vs. transients ; OrcaLab ; Happy talk ; Mama's boys ; Breakfast at SeaWorld ; Whale for sale ; Dissertation -- pt. 2. Dark side. Arrival ; Humane Society ; Backstage doubts ; Blood in the water ; The case against ; Free Willy ; Protection ; Kiss of death ; Catch and release ; Tilly's Willy ; Better days ; The Salish Sea ; The strange case of Daniel Dukes ; Transatlantic ties ; Abnormal activities ; Ken and Kasatka ; Tenerife ; Death at SeaWorld -- pt. 3. After Dawn. Wake ; Battle stations ; Oversight ; Citation ; Superpod.

A scientific thriller that exposes the dark side of America's most beloved marine mammal park. It centers on the battle with the multimillion-dollar marine park industry over the controversial and even lethal ramifications of keeping killer whales in captivity. Following the story of marine biologist and animal advocate at the Humane Society of the United States, Naomi Rose, the author tells the story of the two-decade fight against public relations-savvy SeaWorld, which came to a head with the tragic death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010. The author puts that horrific attack in context: Brancheau's death was only the most publicized among several brutal attacks at marine mammal theme parks. This book introduces real people taking part in this debate, from former trainers turned animal rights activists to the men and women that champion SeaWorld and the captivity of whales. As the story progresses and orca attacks on trainers become increasingly violent, the warnings of scientists fall on deaf ears, only to be realized with the death of Dawn Brancheau. Finally the book covers the media backlash, the eyewitnesses who come forward to challenge SeaWorld's glossy image, and the groundbreaking OSHA case that challenges the very idea of keeping killer whales in captivity.

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