There’s a lot happening at SeaWorld right now. The stocks dropped 14% in one day. They’re down $16m on last years earnings. And ticket sales are at a record low.
By is SeaWorld really so bad?
Here are 7 reasons why people are boycotting SeaWorld:
1. Wild Capture
Unnamed Russian wild captured female. She didn’t survive a month out of the ocean.
In 15 years of capturing orcas in Washington and British Columbia:
- 275 – 307 whales were captured
- 12 – 13 died during capture
- 55 were transfered to aquariums
- Half of these died within months
- Lolita (Miami Seaquarium) is the sole survivor who didn’t die prematurely
2. Training & Tricks
Orcas performing in sync at SeaWorld
Training with positive reinforcement doesn’t work for wild animals, only domesticated ones. This is because our domesticated companions have thousands of years of selective breeding behind them. Making each generation more loyal and submissive.
So how do orca captors persuade these incredibly intelligent animals to perform?
Starvation.
If they don’t perform they don’t get fed. Even worse SeaWorld will train orcas in pairs, and will withhold food from both if they don’t both perform the desired task correctly. This frustration can turn to aggression. So not only will a reluctant orca go unfed, it will also be attacked by others.
3. The Orca’s Health
Nakai’s jaw injury
There are SO many issues associated with captivity, but for orcas it’s particularly bad:
- They get sunburns in the shallow water (zinc oxide is used to cover it).
- Collapsed dorsal fins from constantly being in shallow water, without the water supporting their weight
- Their voices bounce back off the walls at them driving them insane.
- All pods use different ‘languages’. When SeaWorld throws in orcas together from different places they cannot understand each other.
- Cramped spaces make them agressive towards each other.
- With nowhere to run fights often break out.
- Teeth ground down to stubs, exposing nerves. From boredom chewing on the bars and aggressive ‘jaw popping’.
4. Captive Orca’s Life Span
Granny, last spotted in 2014 was born the year before the titanic went down. If she’s still alive today that makes the matriarch 105.
Here’s the maths:
- Wild orcas live 30-50 years.
- Maximum life span is 60-70 for males and 80-100 for females.
- Granny, last spotted in 2014, was born the year before the titanic went down. If she’s still alive today the matriarch is 105.
- Average age of captive orca death is 13.
- Their maximum life span is shortened by 87 years.
5. The Reproduction Programme
Takara and her calf Kohana used as an example of SeaWorld not separating mothers and calves… despite Takara living in Texas and Kohana in Spain.
It’s an awful system:
- Average age to reproduce in the wild is 14.9 years. But SeaWorld orcas are artificially inseminated as young at 8 years.
- They’ll breed regardless of aggressive tendencies. Tilikum has been responsible for three human deaths, yet he’s fathered 21 calves.
- Whales are inbred, this always creates a range of health issues
- They have separated mother and calves before they even finished nursing
- 193 orcas have died in captivity so far, 30 of which were stillborns or miscarriages
– Nalani’s father is also her brother
– Kohana was bred with her uncle, Keto, to create Adan
6. Human Deaths And Injuries
Kasatka attacked Ken Peters, dragging him to the bottom of the tank several times. This is the second time she had attacked him.
There is no record of orcas killing humans in the wild. But the stress of captivity makes them incredibly dangerous.
- 1960s – one attack.
- 1970s – twelve attacks.
- 1980s – fourteen attacks.
- 1990s – two attacks and two fatalities.
- 2000s – eight attacks and one fatality.
- 2010s – one fatality so far.
– Keltie Byrne was killed by Haida II, Nootka IV and Tilikum at Sealand. (Sealand then shutdown and sold it’s whales to SeaWorld).
– Daniel Dukes was found dead draped over Tilikum’s back. He was naked, covered in bite marks and his scrotum was ripped open.
– Alexis Martínez was killed by Keto at Loro Parque
– Dawn Brancheau was killed by Tilikum.
7. The Almost Non-Existent Conservation Effort
Volunteers beach cleaning with SeaWorld tees on
SeaWorld are running a defensive campaign highlighting all their conservation efforts…
- $600 for every $1 million revenue
- (Roughly 5¢ per ticket)
- By comparison, the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation donated $3 million to Oceana for marine conservation
- For SeaWorld to make a contribution that large would require $5 billion revenue first!
- Want to save whales and dolphins? Watch The Wolf of Wall Street! ?
This isn’t every reason people are boycotting. Only the seven that shocked me the most.
If you’re still unsure give Blackfish a watch, or this video.
What’s The Alternative?
Believe it or not, they CAN be freed!
Remember Free Willy? After filming the real life whale, Keiko, was transferred to a huge sea pen in his native waters in 1998. He got healthier, adapted to his new environment, and was taken out on ‘ocean walks’.
Keiko wasn’t even the best candidate for release. We didn’t know enough where exactly around Iceland he came from. So he couldn’t reunite with his wild family. But he was free.
Keiko free from tanks
SeaWorld’s orcas have an ever better chance for freedom! Lolita and Corky, for example, could easily be reunited with their pod. We know exactly where they are, and that they are alive and thriving in the wild.
We also know it’s possible for wild caught whales to re-learn hunting and survival. It might even be possible for them to teach these skills to the captive born whales.
Even the most mentally and physically scarred orcas have a chance for a better future. Even if they’ll always need human care, they can retire to a safe enclosure in a natural cove or bay. Finally free from performances and tiny tanks.
Captive dolphins also have great success rates. Individuals are spotted for months or even years after release!
Will They Be Freed?
People have been fighting for sea sanctuaries since 2011, and SeaWorld have fought it at every step. Maybe fearing that one successful release will open the floodgates for all orcas to be released.
But things are changing. Public awareness is growing. SeaWorld ticket sales and stocks are through the floor. Bit by bit they are shutting down. They’ve been forced to end of their breeding programme and orca shows.
Even if these whales are never released, they will be the last generation of SeaWorld orcas. When they die, orca captivity will die with them, won’t it?
Unfortunately not. There are now 12 marine parks in 8 different countries, holding 56 captive orcas. Orca captivity is bigger than just SeaWorld.
SeaWorld stopped wild capture in the 80’s, but Russia and China are only just beginning.
Photos of unidentified wild caught orcas are being posted on Instagram from Chimelong Ocean.
Not only that, SeaWorld also own Keto, Tekoa, Kohana and Skyla at Loro Parque, Spain (maybe Adan and Morgan too – their ownership hasn’t been verified). And while breeding is ending for the American whales, their Spanish counterparts aren’t so lucky.
Click on the countries below to see the captive orcas around the world:
The world’s captive orcas:
Orca Map
YOU CAN HELP FREE KILLER WHALES
Clearly we’ve got a huge fight on our hands. But it’s absolutely possible.
Blackfish has had a huge impact on ticket sales and shares. SeaWorld is crumbling, now that breeding and performances are ending, they only need the final blow to disappear all together. Hopefully when they go others will follow.
Orca captivity is driven by profit, and profit alone. Cut off the demand and you cut off the supply.
Step 1: Share to raise awareness.
Step 2: Urge SeaWorld to free its killer whales into sea sanctuaries.
Step 3: Demand a refund if you bought a SeaWorld ticket before knowing about all the abuse.
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