Another Orca Dies at SeaWorld; PETA Says Scatter Her Ashes in the Ocean and Release the Remaining Animals to Sanctuaries
For Immediate Release:
June 20, 2025
Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382
Following the announcement that a young orca named Kamea recently died of an undisclosed illness at SeaWorld San Antonio, PETA today sent an urgent letter to United Parks & Resorts (SeaWorld’s parent company) CEO Marc Swanson calling on him to show respect to the deceased animal by scattering her ashes in the ocean—her rightful home.
11-year-old Kamea—the 45th orca to die on SeaWorld’s watch—was born at SeaWorld and spent the entirety of her short life in a tiny concrete tank where she had nothing to do but swim in endless circles. PETA is also calling for Swanson to release the 17 orcas still languishing at SeaWorld locations to seaside sanctuaries, where they could swim fast, dive deep, feel the ocean currents, and have some semblance of a natural life.
“In nature, Kamea could have lived to 80 years old, surrounded by her friends and family in the vast, open ocean, but SeaWorld condemned her to a miserable life and early death in a concrete prison cell,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on SeaWorld to acknowledge that it deprived Kamea of the freedom she deserved by scattering her ashes in the ocean, and to release the remaining orcas to seaside sanctuaries—before it’s too late.”
PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment”—points out that Every Animal Is Someone and offers free Empathy Kits for people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, please visit PETA.org or follow PETA on X, Facebook, or Instagram.
PETA’s letter to Mark Swanson follows.
June 20, 2025
Marc Swanson, CEO
United Parks & Resorts
Dear Mr. Swanson:
I’m writing on behalf of PETA and our millions of members and supporters worldwide following the death of 11-year-old orca Kamea at SeaWorld San Antonio. Kamea should never have been forced to live her short life in a tiny, concrete tank, but SeaWorld can begin to do what’s right by transferring the remaining orcas to seaside sanctuaries before it’s too late. We ask that you also show some respect and recognition of her years of deprivation at your hands by releasing her ashes into the ocean—her rightful home.
Kamea’s life was marked by suffering from the very beginning, when her mother, Takara, was forcibly impregnated. After her birth, instead of diving deep and swimming freely in the ocean like all orcas should, Kamea was forced to spend her days with nothing to do but swim in endless circles and float listlessly at the top of her barren tank. She could have lived to be 80 years old in nature, but her life was cut short in this prison.
It’s not too late for the remaining 17 orcas still languishing in their concrete prison cells at SeaWorld parks to finally be granted a measure of the life they’ve been denied. As you well know, day after day, they’re deprived of everything that’s meaningful to them and are forced to perform demeaning tricks in exchange for dead fish. This is not entertainment—it’s cruelty. You can give them some semblance of a natural life in seaside sanctuaries, before they endure the same fate and die surrounded by concrete as did Kamea.
Please release Kamea’s ashes to the ocean so she can finally be free, and create a firm and rapid plan to release the remaining orcas to seaside sanctuaries. I look forward to hearing from you.
Very truly yours,
Ingrid E. Newkirk
President
