This is a huge announcement for the marine conservationists community. Just this week, SeaWorld announced that the company would be ending the orca breeding program. However, this does not apply to the 24 orcas currently living at the California, Texas and Florida theme parks. Those animals will remain under the care of SeaWorld for the rest of their lives.
A statement released on Sea world’s website proclaims,”The new vision for SeaWorld reflects changes in society and SeaWorld’s evolution with those changes, including ending killer whale breeding, new inspiring natural orca encounters, and new partnerships to protect oceans and marine animals. While these decisions represent a shift in our business, they do not change our core values and purpose: to protect animals in the wild and inspire our guests to join us in this critical mission.”
No doubt SeaWorld felt the pressure from the public’s and animal rights groups’ backlash. And the 2013 film, Blackfish, did not cast a positive spin on the park, or its dealings with Tilikum, a killer whale held in captivity for decades.
This seems to be a positive step in the right direction. How do you feel about this change in SeaWorld’s policies? Comment below!
