SeaWorld’s decisions to end its orca captive breeding program and to eliminate theatrical shows by 2019 are significant steps forward. But the public ethic for captive whales and dolphins has moved well beyond these decisions and will continue to demand that SeaWorld bring an end altogether to the suffering of these animals by moving them to seaside sanctuaries where they can live in more natural and safer environments rather than in concrete tanks.
In its national advertising campaign, SeaWorld has issued information that creates the misleading impression that there are only two options for captive orcas: concrete tanks or the open ocean. But many marine mammal scientists, marine engineers and experts on the maintenance of animals in captivity agree that the best solution to the stress and illnesses suffered by marine mammals at SeaWorld facilities is seaside sanctuaries.
Indeed, plans for the first such sanctuary in North America are already under consideration by the nonprofit sector. SeaWorld has chosen to label such sanctuaries “sea cages” when they would be, in fact, quite the opposite: the only situation where orcas can thrive in the enrichment and diversity of the sea, while still receiving care, feeding, and veterinary support.
By perpetuating an outdated model of captivity, SeaWorld is missing the opportunity to present to theme park visitors an altogether more expansive vision of our relationship to the world of marine mammals. Now is the time for the company to embark on a future of interactive entertainment and education that enables children and adults who visit its parks to connect with and learn about orcas and other marine mammals at seaside sanctuaries and to discover how they naturally communicate, hunt, socialize, and deal with conflicts and environmental challenges around them.
Critter cams are already among the most popular websites on the Internet. Seaside sanctuaries can expand this technology, enabling orcas and their caregivers to connect with SeaWorld visitors, as well as with schools and even people at home. In this way, SeaWorld would be offering a truly memorable educational experience of how whales live in the wild, rather than simply how they can be trained to entertain.
SeaWorld also incorrectly labels the Keiko project a failure. Keiko made a remarkable recovery from being a sick orca confined to a cramped, artificially salinated tank in Mexico City, to regaining his health and vitality during his rehabilitation in natural seawater at the Oregon Coast Aquarium, and finally to living in the natural environment after returning to his native habitat in Iceland and Norway. Keiko lived five years in the ocean, where he demonstrated that he was in strong physical and mental health: alert, active and engaged, while always supported by his caregivers.
In summary, for many decades the psychological deprivation and physical stress of life in tanks have been shown to cause serious suffering and illness. Seaside sanctuaries can provide a spacious, enriching, dynamic environment to promote the health and well-being of orcas and other captive whales and dolphins.
SeaWorld has made important progress in recent months. We appreciate that progress and we call on them to take the next logical step and embrace seaside sanctuaries for their whales and dolphins so that we can all work together to provide a true quality of life for these magnificent animals.