Seaworld is attempting to change the conversation after news their stock plummeted to record lows in light the little doc that could, Blackfish. Seaworld’s news?
Battered by controversy over its treatment of killer whales, SeaWorld San Diego announced Friday that it plans to double the size of its orca environment, contribute an additional $10 million to research on the species and establish an independent advisory committee of scientists to oversee its orca program.
Yeah, no. That’s like hiring the tobacco companies to appoint an oversight committee on tobacco companies. No self-respecting scientist should sell themselves out to help Sea World keep getting richer off the backs of orcas. The breeding program must come to an end. Whales in captivity must be given rehabilitation facilities that help them matriculate back into the oceans and SeaWorld must help to lead the world in ending this cruel, inhumane and way past its sell-by date “entertainment.”
All of this because someone made a powerful documentary that shed light on something we’ve turned a blind eye to for too many years. In typical Academy fashion, the film did not receive an Oscar nomination – what did it matter anyway. While The Cove’s outing of the barbarism in Japan’s dolphin slaughter could not change that culture’s tradition, here in America the almighty dollar rules all, meaning, publicity is everything.
The fight is nowhere near over. Blackfish continues to play on Netflix. Soon, everyone will have seen it. They can’t watch that movie and pay money to go to SeaWorld or any park that keeps orcas and dolphins in captivity.
SeaWorld should admit defeat and do what they can to salvage their reputation.
