On day four of SeaWorld’s appeal, Shana Groves, a SeaWorld senior trainer who was bitten on the thigh by an orca during a performance five years ago, testified that she had completed an incident report as required by the marine park and was surprised to learn that the attack was one of the many episodes left out … Read more »
On day two of SeaWorld’s appeal of the penalty leveled by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), senior trainer Lynne Schaber testified that trainers who work with orcas receive special instruction on Tilikum and a “Tilly Talk,” in which they’re informed of Tilikum’s involvement with two previous deaths and that if they enter the … Read more »
“Be Kind to Animals” Week is winding down, but you can keep on helping animals! If you are hitting the road this summer, please drive right on by zoos, roadside animal displays, and marine theme parks. Places like SeaWorld count on vacationers to keep money flowing in, but buying a ticket means supporting the lifelong confinement of orcas, … Read more »
A new attraction at the Georgia Aquarium in Atlanta is being touted as a Broadway-style show, complete with costumed actors, animation projected on a huge screen, music recorded by a 61-piece orchestra, and, oh yeah, dolphins imprisoned for life in a chlorinated tank. Fun for the whole family—unless the family has a conscience. The aquarium … Read more »
Washington State’s Point Defiance Zoo & Aquarium is poised to join 14 other U.S. zoos that have closed or are phasing out their elephant exhibits. The zoo is in the middle of discussions about the future of 48-year-old Hanako and 47-year-old Suki, the two female Asian elephants kept in the zoo. tanya_little/cc by 2.0 … Read more »
Patrons of a California pet-store chain were appalled when they saw black-tipped reef sharks displayed in small tanks. As is the case with most captive sharks, these animals were swimming into the tanks’ glass walls, resulting in chronic injuries. After PETA was alerted to the sharks’ plight last summer, we convinced the chain to … Read more »
On Super Bowl Sunday, a wave of 50 protestors crashed onto SeaWorld San Diego’s main entrance shouting, “Shame on you—free Shamu!” Then four “orcas” made their way into the intersection Beatles-style and lay “beached” for half an hour until they were dragged away by police and arrested. Orca Road All we are saying is give whales … Read more »
Two former trainers at SeaWorld have released a report that includes firsthand information about the stress that killer whales endure in captivity—stress that the ex-trainers feel led to the deaths of at least two SeaWorld employees. Jeff Ventre (now a doctor) and John Jett (now a biology professor) worked at SeaWorld Orlando and knew trainer … Read more »
PETA asked for your help in picking the naughtiest person of 2010, and boy, did you guys come through—to the tune of more than 2.7 million lumps of coal! And the “winner” is … Ronald McDonald. The cruel clown got a run for his (blood) money from the CEO of SeaWorld, but in the end, … Read more »
As if Tommy Lee’s original letter to SeaWorld about the park’s disturbing orca-breeding practices weren’t high-five-worthy enough, it gets even better! A SeaWorld rep responded, “The process of collecting semen for [artificial insemination] doesn’t differ in any meaningful way from the techniques employed in managing livestock or other species for zoological display. … [O]ur trainers … Read more »
Caring folks continue to plead for basic compassion at SeaWorld and call on officials to enforce anti-cruelty laws. But Tilikum, the orca who has killed three people, is still confined to a cramped, claustrophobic tank that’s barely bigger than the size of his body to prevent him from having any physical contact with the trainers—except when they … Read more »
Another day, another death at SeaWorld. The latest casualty is a 25-year-old orca named Kalina who died yesterday at the theme park’s Orlando location, far short of most orcas’ expected 50- to 60-year life span. As usual, SeaWorld will likely try to keep this death on the down low. Kalina spent two and a half … Read more »
The death toll continues to rise at SeaWorld with the passing of a 12-year-old orca named Sumar at the theme-park chain’s San Diego location. Sumar died far short of the expected 50-to-60 year lifespan of orcas who roam the vast oceans, his rightful home. Whatever caused Sumar’s death (and let’s hope that there will be … Read more »
Ten-year-old Bobby Connell has spent the last six months plagued by nightmares after witnessing Tilikum the killer whale batter SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau to death right in front of his eyes. Bobby’s father, in a suit filed against SeaWorld, said his son “saw the look of horror and desperation on Dawn’s face as she … Read more »
An investigation by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) into the “death by orca” of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando has resulted in three citations against the marine park for safety violations, including willfully exposing employees to life-threatening hazards when interacting with orcas. OSHA assessed SeaWorld with the maximum penalty—a $75,000 fine. … Read more »
