*SeaWorld Entertainment Inc announced plans on Monday to phase out the signature “Shamu” killer whale show at its San Diego park next year, after long-running criticism of its treatment of the captive marine mammals.
The move, which follows a vote by the California Coastal Commission last month barring the park from continuing to breed killer whales, or orcas, in captivity, was announced during a webcast company presentation to investors and the media.
In place of its centerpiece orca performances, the park plans to open a new killer whale exhibition in 2017 staged in a “more natural setting” with a more conservation-oriented theme, SeaWorld Chief Executive Officer Joel Manby said during the presentation.*
IMHO, this is a good move but it’s not clear that the lives of the orcas currently living in captivity will be getting any better.
I’m sorry that they had to cave in to misguided public opinion, much of which is based on deliberate distortions (blackfish) and well-intentioned ignorance. This is a victory for nothing other than Yahooism.
Quite frankly when we visited SeaWorld in Florida about 4 years ago it felt like the whole park was getting away from the “watching whales and dolphins do tricks” theme. The Orca show had more dancers and acrobats than Orcas. One whole show was nothing but dancers.
The park also had a regular zoo area with like bears and alligators and had more rides.
They also seem to be pushing more this concept of being a waterpark like Aquatica or Discovery Cove.
So I’d guess a few more years and they will drop all the animal shows.
Anyhow, I would have thought the cage, the isolation from other orcas, and the small size of the habitat would be the complaints, not the actual show. My guess is that the actual show is fun for the orcas, or at least, better than the rest of their day. The text on the orangutan exhibit in Portsmouth (I think) says the animals compete over who gets more “enrichment”, which is pretty much doing tricks with humans. Smart animals in captivity get bored and stir crazy.
Note that ending the shows won’t resolve ANY of the issues mentioned at that site. the problem is holding them captive in tiny (to them) tanks in close quarters with orcas they may not get along with and without access to their normal activities.
My best guess is that the actual shows are a welcome break in the dreariness of life in a tank to the orcas.
Let’s also consider what’s going to happen to the oracs after they’re “retired.” Having been raised in captivity, they probably could not survive on their own in the wild. They’ll most likely end up in a tank somewhere else, receiving substantially less attention & care than they do now.
Similarly, the mayor of New York may pat himself on the back and think he’s helping horses by banning carriage rides in Central Park. But the reality is that most of those horses are going to end up as pet food. Because horses are expensive, and the number of people who can keep one basically as a pet is pretty small.
Agreed. Zoo animals are in cages. Zoos also do a lot of good, and have brought many species back from the brink of extinction. Sea World does a lot of actual good: they’re heavily involved in animal rescue. They’re experts at working with beached animals, and helped develop replacement beaks for mutilated pelicans.
Any argument against Sea World, on the basis of animal captivity, would have to apply to all zoos, and, in fact, all pets. Your doggie in the back yard is also “caged.”
We don’t have the resources to keep animals in 10,000 acre enclosures (although the San Diego Zoo Safari Park gave it a damn good try.) We don’t have the money to build trillion-gallon tanks for Orcas.
Sea World, over the decades, has been on a constant process of improving the habitats. Some day, go and look at the original Shamu tank – it’s still there, in San Diego, now housing a walrus. It’s tiny. They’ve upgraded twice, and wanted to do it again, but the Coastal Commission said no. Who’s the enemy of progress here?
Well, their “normal” activities are different from wild orcas by now.
I was thinking about the same thing - today the animals at least have training and shows to look forward to. Taking that away is also taking that away from them. I am not sure how much “enrichment” they can handle with the trainers, but I suppose they will adapt and find something else to look forward to.
Oops; you’re quite right. I was lazy in how I phrased it.
(On the other hand, “Your home-loan has been approved, so long as you don’t have any more kids” is hard to distinguish from “Your home-loan is not approved.”)
Well as I said Seaworld is moving away from Orcas as their main attraction just like circuses are moving away from animal acts. Note that Ringling Brothers is cancelling its elephants.
That makes me happy. Elephants are huge. The only way you can convince an elephant that you are leader of the pack is by applying pain. Otherwise it’s too dangerous for the elephant handler.
Zoos that showcase elephants are increasingly adopting protected contact methods, where humans care for the beasts behind protective enclosures. They are also increasing their living areas. Don’t get me wrong. I opine that elephants can adapt to what is essentially for them an urban environment (think 10 acres as opposed to 10 square meters). I just think it’s better not to routinely beat the crap out of them.[1]
The interesting thing is that once the human is no longer leader of the pack, elephant pregnancies can occasionally occur. Better treatment has physiological consequences.
[1] Figuratively, mostly. Traditional treatment involves chains, electrical shocks and sharp pokers called bullhooks. I understand bullhooks are used in Asia, where elephants can be work animals. Hey Dumbo has to earn a living too. I just think the Ringling Brothers spectacle isn’t worth it.
Me too. It takes away that many more chances for kids to see real elephants. We’ll still have zoos, I hope, although some of the same band of reformers are trying to take those away from us also.