SeaWorld remains under fire
Company will end breeding of captive orcas, but groups want more changes
Theme park agreed to end breeding program for orcas, yet activists say this is just beginning of discussions.
SeaWorld Entertainment won the praises of animal rights activists in March when it made a surprising policy reversal and agreed to end the breeding program for its captive killer whales.
But don’t think that the change of heart sparked warm relations between the Orlando, Fla.-based theme park operator and animal rights advocates.
Animal rights groups have instead continued to press for even bigger changes at the company’s parks, including the release of SeaWorld’s 29 orcas to seaside sanctuaries and the end of breeding programs for all other captive animals.
The Humane Society of the United States met behind closed doors with SeaWorld executives to negotiate the end the breeding program.
“This is the beginning of discussions with SeaWorld, not the end,” said Wayne Pacelle, chief executive of the Humane Society, who wants to end the breeding of dolphins and other captive animals.
SeaWorld remains under fire, experts say, because of a shift in public opinion, especially among millennials, about the display of animals for entertainment.
“PETA and other groups are not going to stop,” said Janet Davis, a history professor at the University of Texas at Austin, referring to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. “They see this as an opening to call for more dramatic changes.”
Now SeaWorld must figure out how to promote its animal rescue efforts and educational programs while offering entertainment that will draw in older fans of the traditional Shamu whale shows.
SeaWorld Entertainment Chief Executive Joel Manby said he never expected his decision to end the breeding program would win the endorsement of all animal rights groups.
But he was optimistic that it would allow the company to move beyond the divisive debate.
“Some people love SeaWorld, and some people will never like us,” he said. “We are focused on the mass middle of society.”
He said he realized the change in attitude about animals was widespread after speaking to representatives for Ringling Bros. and other companies under fire by activists prior to his decision to end the orca breeding program.
After 144 years of displaying elephants, the parent company of Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced plans last year to end elephant performances and retire the animals to a sanctuary.
The most ardent activists want SeaWorld to free its whales, dolphins and walruses and replace them with 3-D, virtual reality versions that visitors can watch in giant theater screens. But theme park experts say SeaWorld cannot survive as a modified aquarium or a virtual reality whale exhibit.
“It doesn’t make sense,” said Dennis Speigel, president of International Theme Park Services in Cincinnati, who noted that tourists can already see virtual reality attractions at theme parks like Disneyland.
The troubles for SeaWorld began in 2013 with the documentary “Blackfish,” which accused the company of neglecting and abusing its killer whales.
SeaWorld tried to repair its tarnished image by announcing plans to replace its theatrical orca shows with exhibits that highlight the whales’ natural behaviors. The company also introduced a $100 million plan to expand the habitat for the orcas in San Diego and hired Manby, a reformminded former head of a theme park.
But the changes did little to appease animal rights advocates. The California Coastal Commission approved the plans for a larger habitat in the San Diego park but only on the condition that the park stop breeding orcas.
After meeting with the Humane Society, Manby in Marcha nnounced an end to the orca breeding program, saying the current whales will be the last generation in captivity. SeaWorld also canceled its $100 million expansion plan.
The controversy has led to a sharp decline in SeaWorld’s attendance and stock price. And so far the move by SeaWorld to end its orca breeding program hasn’t convinced Wall Street that a rebound is around the corner.
Michael Erstad, an analyst with ITG Investment, said in a memo to investors that he is waiting to see if the decision improves the company’s performance.
PETA has called on SeaWorld to use the $100 million it set aside for the expansion project to build seaside sanctuaries that can house the orcas.
And once SeaWorld has released all of its killer whales to the ocean pens, the animal rights group says it wants SeaWorld to do the same for its captive dolphins, beluga whales and walruses.
“There is no doubt that all marine mammals bred in SeaWorld for entertainment are suffering,” said Heather Rally, a wildlife veterinarian with PETA.
Marine mammal experts disagree on whether such enclosures are safe for killer whales that are accustomed to human care.
Manby said SeaWorld won’t release any animal to the wild if such a move threatens the health of the animal. He noted that sea pens could costs millions of dollars to build and staff — money that he said could be better spent to help protect endangered animals in the wild.
“I don’t understand the lack of perspective on these issues,” he said.
John Hargrove, a former orca trainer at SeaWorld who has advocated for the end of the killer whale breeding program, said animal rights groups need to recognize how much progress they have made.
“If nothing else happens from this point forward, we won, meaning the whales won,” Hargrove said.