PETA Statement: SeaWorld Cited for Endangering Employees

For Immediate Release:
March 24, 2025

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

SeaWorld Orlando has just been hit with a “serious citation” from the Occupational Safety & Health Administration (OSHA) for allowing employees to work in close contact with orcas following a September 2024 incident in which an employee was injured during a “training exercise” with one of the captive marine mammals—who have been known to attack due to the intense stress caused by their constant confinement. The agency has proposed a fine of $16,550. Below, please find a statement from PETA Executive Vice President Tracy Reiman:

“SeaWorld’s lengthy rap sheet of trainer injuries continues to grow, as dangers abound when complex wild animals are denied everything natural to them and forced to live in tiny concrete tanks with nothing to do but swim in endless circles and lash out in frustration. The only way SeaWorld can ensure the safety of its employees and the marine mammals it imprisons is to release the orcas to seaside sanctuaries, and in the meantime, PETA urges everyone to stay away from this miserable abusement park.”

PETA points out that while orcas in nature are rarely aggressive toward humans, SeaWorld’s own corporate incident log contains reports of more than 100 instances of orca aggression at its parks. According to another recent report from OSHA, in June of 2023, a trainer attempting to use a spray bottle to dislodge paint chips from the orca Malia’s mouth was injured when Malia bit down on their arm and wrist, leading to multiple fractures and requiring surgery.

PETA—whose motto reads, in part, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment or abuse in any other way”—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.