Sea World To End Orca Breeding Program

regdog

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After the scathing documentary Blackfish, declining revenue, protests, social media backlash, Sea World announced it is ending its breeding program of orcas and will be phasing out the live orca shows. Sea World hasn't purchased wild caught orcas for decades so when the whales currently imprisoned, enslaved living at the parks die, it will be the end of live orcas at Sea World.

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This is so long overdue. Their primary breeding male Tillikum had killed a person before Sea World acquired him and yet they bred him and had him in physical contact with humans. Tllikum has been repeatedly bred to his own female relations, through artificial insemination. First two rules of animal husbandry, do not breed aggressive animals, do not inbreed. Sea World failed at both and all for profit.

They are refusing to retrain and release the captive whales, insisting they cannot survive in the wild, and cite Keiko's death as proof that releasing is a failure. This despite the fact Keiko lived successfully in the wild, hunting and interacting with other wild orcas until his death from pneumonia.
 

LittlePinto

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I'm not surprised. SeaWorld's attendance, public image, and stock have all been suffering. On top of that, the California Coastal Commission made it's agreement to an expansion of the San Diego tanks contingent on no-breeding, which was going to result in a lawsuit, and Tilikum, SeaWorld's most successful sire, is dying.

I don't think, however, that SeaWorld is changing as much as they appear to be. Cetacean capture and breeding still occurs outside of the US. If SeaWorld wanted new stock, all they would have to do is find a struggling park overseas and "rescue" its stock. There might be some push-back when it came time to get permits, but they're in a stronger PR position if the narrative is "the animal will die unless we transfer it to SeaWorld." The little park is the one condemned for taking wild caught animals or breeding and SeaWorld can paint itself as the animal's savior, while adding to its collection. (Since SeaWorld doesn't believe that wild-caught animals can be rehabilitated and released, they would have a perfect excuse not to try with any wild-caught acquisitions.) They can also rescue stranded animals, such as Morgan. All they have to do is declare the animal unfit for release and they have another animal.

Anyhow, I hope I'm wrong and I am glad that something is changing.
 

cornflake

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Yippee.

They've been abusing animals for profit for decades, and refuse to release the ones they've got. Note it doesn't say anything about dolphins or anything else they also enslave. I'd be perfectly fine with them all being eaten.
 

regdog

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I hadn't thought about the "rescuing" whales from other parks. I hope they don't start that crap.

I think they will still have the dolphin shows :( but at least they won't force those poor creatures to ride on top of their number one predator.
 

bombergirl69

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Fanfuckingtastic. Way past overdue.

Sorry for Tillicum and the others who deserve so much better than this.
 

heza

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Bolding mine.

Yippee.

They've been abusing animals for profit for decades, and refuse to release the ones they've got. Note it doesn't say anything about dolphins or anything else they also enslave. I'd be perfectly fine with them all being eaten.

Confusing antecedent! I read that all wrong the first time. Lol.

But yes, this is a big deal. I'm happy for the first step in what will hopefully be an end to exploitation of animals for entertainment.
 

LittlePinto

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I hadn't thought about the "rescuing" whales from other parks. I hope they don't start that crap.

I think they will still have the dolphin shows :( but at least they won't force those poor creatures to ride on top of their number one predator.

Me too. I hope that what they're really trying to do is phase out the old business model over the next decade or so and replace it with something more responsible. I just don't see pouring tens of millions of dollars into upgrading the tanks and developing new programs only to let it all sit when the last animal dies. I can think of possible future uses, but those aren't terribly compatible with public display.

It will be interesting to see if they try to hold onto their other animal shows or if they change those as well over the next few years.
 

Roxxsmom

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Yippee.

They've been abusing animals for profit for decades, and refuse to release the ones they've got. Note it doesn't say anything about dolphins or anything else they also enslave.

I heard something on the radio this morning (when I was half awake) that they're also considering ending their dolphin shows.

I'd be perfectly fine with them all being eaten.

I hope you're referring to the Sea World executives, not the animals :greenie

I remember the way they changed the elephant shows at the Wild Animal Park in San Diego since I was a kid (the elephants are part of an actual conservation/captive breeding program that's primarily trying to preserve an endangered species). They went from using crooks to coerce the elephants and to impose negative reinforcement and positive punishment to using clicker-based reward training where the elephants weren't coerced. The trainer didn't even go into the enclosure with the elephants, and if an elephant chose not to do a particular behavior, it wasn't forced to. The show just moved on.

Not ideal, but much more humane. And there was more emphasis on talking about elephant behavior and conservation in the wild too. The thing is, Sea World is a private, for profit corporation that has never been primarily about conservation of these animals or re-releasing them into the wild (in fact, the SD Wild Animal Park has been involved in the re-introduction of some animals). I don't think there's a way to provide dolphins or Orcas with anything like a reasonably enriched captive environment, unless (perhaps) you use an entire lagoon or bay or something.

I'm not against zoos or captive breeding, but some animals are very poor candidates for this, and whales and dolphins are particularly so. I loathe PETA and the HSUS, though, because imo, they're extremely disingenuous about their true goals.
 
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TerzaRima

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I heard something on the radio this morning (when I was half awake) that they're also considering ending their dolphin shows.

Good. Along with greyhound and horse racing, this crap needs to go the way of the dodo.
 

vsrenard

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As a greyhound owner and having been to several tracks to see how the dogs are treated, I have mixed opinions on GH racing. Some tracks treat their dogs very well, and work with adoption groups to place all of their adoptable dogs, as well as with groups to get medical care for dogs with broken hocks, who can no longer race. When you see these dogs race, either at the track, or in a group informally, it's amazing to see how much joy they get from it. There are about a dozen big GH get togethers nationally where the dogs have monitored, safe fun races, and it's beautiful to see how they get into it. We have a weekly playdate nearby where GHs in the area run around together. They really do seem to be breed snobs, playing only with dogs (usually hounds) who can race fast. My first dog came from this type of track.

My second dog came from a track who'd rather put a viable pet down at the end of its career because it's easier. Local adoption groups have worked for over a decade to get the track to give over their dogs for placement in the right homes. The facilities are adequate but not fantastic, the food similarly so. Things have improved in the last 5-10 years, but not to a point where I'd support keeping that track open.

And we won't talk about the track in Tijuana, which I have also visited, and which has the saddest caged bear, tiger, and lion I have ever seen as added "attractions." This track should be shut down asap.

To me, it seems like GHs have much better placements than dogs who end up in shelters. Adoption officials interview you, come to your home, and profile their dogs to avoid returns. Also, it would be a real shame to lose the beauty that is the racing greyhound (AKCs are quite a bit different).
 

cornflake

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I meant I'm fine with SeaWorld executives, workers and visitors being eaten by the captive wildlife (or, you know, whatever)!

I am not ok with eating the wildlife!

*antecedent shame*
 

Albedo

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Can we put the SeaWorld executives in a tank and make them do tricks for fish? I'd take a trip to see that.

ETA: iPhone autocorrects SeaWorld to put the capital W in there. Like, it won't recognise 'hypoparathyroidism' as a word, but it ensures I spell trademarks correctly? Thanks, Steve Jobs.
 

cornflake

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Oooh, I would see that too. There's an idea - free the wildlife, put the executives and workers in the tanks and I'll fork over $20 to chuck chum.