SEAWORLD TO PHASE OUT KILLER WHALE BREEDING
Embattled amusement-park operator SeaWorld Entertainment said Thursday that the killer whales currently living at its facilities will be its last because it will stop breeding them immediately and phase out theatrical orca shows.
The move comes nearly three years after SeaWorld came under pressure for its treatment of killer whales and their trainers in the documentary “Blackfish.”
The company had already announced plans to end killer-whale shows at its San Diego park following regulatory scrutiny in California.
SeaWorld will turn its attention to “new, inspiring, natural orca encounters” while its killer whales are alive, the company said in a statement. The shows will end at its San Diego park in 2017 “followed by San Antonio and then Orlando in 2019,” SeaWorld said.
The company has been under heavy pressure from animal-rights activists, including People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other watchdog groups, to end shows and breeding. PETA has called for SeaWorld to move its orcas to sanctuaries.
“SeaWorld has introduced more than 400 million guests to orcas, and we are proud of our part in contributing to the human understanding of these animals,” SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby said in a statement. “As society’s understanding of orcas continues to change, SeaWorld is changing with it. By making this the last generation of orcas in our care and reimagining how guests will encounter these beautiful animals, we are fulfilling our mission of providing visitors to our parks with experiences that matter.”
The company, which said it has not collected any orcas from the wild in more than 40 years, said its orcas will live out their lives at SeaWorld. That includes one pregnant orca named Takara.
“They will continue to receive the highest-quality care based on the latest advances in marine veterinary medicine, science, and zoological best practices,” SeaWorld said. “Guests will be able to observe these orcas through the new educational encounters and in viewing areas within the existing habitats.”
SeaWorld also announced a new partnership with the Humane Society of the United States to create educational programs and advocate for the health and welfare of marine life. The company said it would spend $50 million over five years to rescue animals and fight commercial fishing of whales and seals and fight the shark-finning.
“SeaWorld’s commitment to end breeding of orcas is a long-held goal of many animal advocacy organizations, and we commend the company for making this game-changing commitment,“ Humane Society of the United States CEO Wayne Pacelle said in a statement.
SeaWorld has been struggling with an image problem and corresponding attendance issues in the wake of the “Blackfish” documentary. The company has turned to discounts to juice attendance and a marketing campaign to restore its image, which has suffered heavy setbacks — particularly in California.
The move marks the latest significant shakeup at SeaWorld since Manby’s appointment about a year ago.
Manby recently overhauled his management team, replacing the company’s chief parks operations officer, chief zoological officer and San Antonio park director.
The company also last month admitted that some of its employees had posed as animal-rights activists and that it had ended the practice — an acknowledgment that came after PETA last year accused a San Diego park worker spying on its anti-SeaWorld protests.
( source )
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