Sea World changed the dialogue and as a consequence lost it's fans. Sea World fought back against THEIR CUSTOMERS that came to understand how captivity is bad for marine mammals.
This isn't about good care or bad care or humane treatment, this is about the whales and dolphins and their native instinct that survive captivity. Sea World has refused to be moral and change it's venues to be an educational park while returning the marine mammals to sea sanctuaries where they will be safe.
Sea World uses native instinct in these marine mammals to train them for performance. Due to that the mammals bond with their trainers, however, that does not mean the mammals are happy. The opposition to the captivity of the mammals at Sea World continually stated, "These are wild animals/creatures."
Because Sea World didn't listen and tried to change the dialogue into something legally and politically correct they lost their support among the public. The marine mammals at Sea World are in misery. They are healthy and active, but, their lives are miserable to their instincts in the wild.
No different than elephants they are trainable and mostly controllable, but, they are in misery for their need to be free. These marine mammals need large areas to be free to hunt, mate and exist. These marine mammals are very gregarious. They are incredibly intelligent and HAVE NEEDS. The one need Sea World cannot or will not accommodate is their need for vast territories to live. That need is counter productive to profits. "Flipper" didn't live in a pool, it lived in the ocean and responded to calls from humans. THAT may or may not be the actual reality, but, it is the way marine mammals thrive while interacting with humans. Pools are no different than cages which offer limited freedom of movement.Add to that Tilikum, in particular is a huge male Orca. He has needs beyond the tanks and pools. The opposition to Sea World's PRACTICES doesn't end with Tilikum.
A prime example of Sea World's irreverent policies is the ownership of Beluga Whales. Belugas are an arctic species. They thrive and realize their most active capacities in arctic waters (cold water). At Sea World they are in Florida and then trainers sometime wonder why the Beluga is so sluggish sometimes. The idea a Beluga is kept in Florida or Texas as a trained attraction for profit is about the most cruel reality a marine mammal can have. Even Ohio is not north enough for these whales.
Sea World 'takes care of their animals,' but they don't respect the innate nature of the mammal. These animals are fascinating to humans because of their size, agility and the fact they live in pods and seem to show affection for each other.
Belugas and Orcas and Dolphins have feelings, but, they are not the exact same as humans. Their feelings are gregarious and far ranging without being paired up. They are instincts and strategies for survival in an ocean where there are no police or military. Pods can be family units, but, they exist to protect the mammals, especially that of females since they care for their young. They bond with each other and form what appears to be family units. There is a real reason they are in pods. There is no substitution for a marine mammal's pods.
I would encourage all those that want these marine mammals free in a sanctuary to continue to write not only Sea World, but, also political leaders that know the sanctuaries. The political leaders realize the importance of the sanctuaries dedicated to the protection of species that can realize a change in status to endangered in one season of harpoons.
The struggle to free Sea World's marine mammals is not over.
December 11, 2014
By Lori Weisberg
SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. (click here) announced Thursday that its CEO is stepping down, a move that follows sharp attendance and revenue declines fueled by persistent criticism of the marine parks from animal rights activists.
Jim Atchison, who served as CEO since 2009 and will leave his post Jan. 15, will receive a $2.4 million payout, according to a regulatory filing. Also announced Thursday was the prospect of an unspecified number of job cuts that will be part of a restructuring program affecting its entire 11-park system
The plan will, among other things, "result in the loss of some positions, and the company will offer severance benefits to those impacted," SeaWorld said in a news release. In all, the parks, including SeaWorld San Diego, employ as many as 25,800 workers, many of them seasonal and part-time. In San Diego, the park's workforce ranges from roughly 2,000 in the low season to a little more than 4,000 during the peak summer season....
