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"Beneath the Surface" by John Hargrove

book review by Riley Burnham 6/28/2023

really good book(!)

lots of great info about orcas here: obviously there is the looming issue of using animals like these for entertainment via captivity, which really is the theme of the book -- what happens to the trainers & the trainees in such an environment

we hear about orca behaviors in the wild & how they differ, such as dorsal fin collapse [brought on it seems by being so near the surface & exposed to elements differently], as well as how sensitive [& how smart] they are

aggressive behaviors kick up, where orcas attack, pin, or otherwise hurt the trainers [a few notable fatalities of course]

by the end, the spate of deaths prompts OSHA to kibosh trainers in the water w/ the animals, & eventually legislature passes that prohibits orca captivity practices like these altogether

super good stuff, as the author gets pretty beat up throughout his career [many near catastrophes], & plainly loves & cares for the animals & his coworkers -- thus he assisted in the film "Blackfish" which death-knelled Sea World in many ways

i'll save the elaborations of orca behaviors for the book itself, which is enlightening & fascinating

👍