Compare and Contrast the Life of a Dolphin in the Wild and at the Seaworld

GAC008 Assessment Event4: Academic Research Essay

Compare and contrast the life of a        dolphin in the wild and at the SeaWorld

Sudent’s Name: Tessa Liang

Student ID #: BHFL45651

Teacher: Diana Allen

Due Date: 11 January 2019

Word Count: 623

Question: Compare and contrast the life of a dolphin in the wild and at the SeaWorld

Dolphins are one of the smartest mammals in the world, and they are always called the friends of humans. Some of them are lucky and are able to live in the wild, though some of them are captured by humans for entertainments. These two different living ways actually cause differences, and since they are same kind of animals, they also share similarities. However, their differences are more obvious on the points of feeding, longevity, and rights.

First of all, the wild dolphins and the dolphins at the SeaWorld use different ways and techniques to feed themselves. The wild dolphins manage the skill of teamwork during the hunting, there are a lot of ways for the dolphins to hunt. For instance, the dolphin groups will press a school of fish into a denser form by encircling the fish, then they will swim through the fish and feed themselves (Brain Power n.d.). The dolphins at the SeaWorld are often fed by the trainers, which means they do not need to hunt their food by themselves. The dolphins are also awarded by fish and other foods due to their performance. The types of food for the wild dolphins and the dolphins at the SeaWorld are also different. Dolphins often eat fishes, squids, and crustaceans (Longevity& Causes of Death 2018). Even though the SeaWorld is trying to make it similar to the wild, the captured dolphins are not able to hunt, therefor, they are not able to choose what to eat. In summary, these two dolphins feed themselves differently.

Furthermore, different factors cause the different life expectancy of the wild dolphins and the dolphins at the SeaWorld. The causes of death for the wild dolphins are basically the predators, disease, and human impact. Predators of the wild dolphins are basically sharks, but it is very rare for the dolphins to be preyed. The virus, bacteria, and fungi are fatal to the dolphins, those might cause serious symptoms. The dolphins, especially the ones near the coast line, are easy to be affected by human activities like boat traffic and pollution (Longevity& Causes of Death 2018). In contrast, the dolphins at the SeaWorld do not suffer from these aspects. There are no predators and it is not easy for them to die from minor diseases since there are veterinarians for them. However, these dolphins still need to bear form the transfer, captivity and isolation. The dolphins’ body is not able to withstand their weight due to the land gravity. Carrying them out from the water can damage their bones and organs. The dolphins are intellectual animals and they would suffer from mental problems by being captured (Wild Dolphins 2017). In conclusion, they live different length of life.