SeaWorld is struggling to stay afloat.
Revenue and attendance have plummeted — last year, their stock price hit an all-time low. And last week, Moody’s Investors Services released a research note that downgraded SeaWorld’s credit rating due to ongoing “branding challenges.”
These challenges can be traced back to the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which called attention to the company’s disturbing treatment of orcas. The film focused on the stress and confinement of Tilikum, showing how twenty years of captivity led the killer whale to exhibit aggressive behaviors and eventually kill three people.
Since the release of the documentary, massive petitions and protests have shown opposition to SeaWorld’s practices and pushed the park to change. Both Southwest and Virgin America have ended partnerships with the SeaWorld. Musicians ranging from the Barenaked Ladies to Tricia Yearwood have pulled out of concerts they had booked at the park. And it’s clear these actions have had effects. SeaWorld has taken notice and made some changes. For example, they have ended their Shamu show and stopped their breeding program — but they still ignore pleas to free their existing captive killer whales to a seaside sanctuary that would provide adequate space and a more natural environment for the animals.
Pressure to treat animals with dignity and respect is not abating. In 2015, a Gallup Poll found that a strong majority of Americans were concerned about animals in the circus, sporting events, amusement parks or otherwise being used for human entertainment. People are becoming less and less willing to pay to see animals abused for entertainment. And this recent Moody’s downgrade is a part of the decline of SeaWorld and more broadly, of animal abuse for human amusement.
So who be funding the productive animal out reach programs they have bern doing for years?
Those “productive animal outreach programs” are just part and parcel of the P.R. machine. It reminds me of those “Dawn” commercials, about how the Dawn soap helps clean the oil off of wildlife, while back in the laboratories, the manufacturers of Dawn and other products, are torturing other animals by pouring their latest chemical concoctions into the eyes and down the throats of captive victims in stereotaxic devices. And, for the dense who might be wondering if that is necessary, the answer is NO, it is NOT !!
If Sea World really cared, it could still be productive without engaging in cruel exploitation.
http://blog.loroparque.com/orca-calf-dies-under-the-amateurish-handling-by-dr-ingrid-visser/?lang=en
I am very concerned about how this orca calf was handled: http://blog.loroparque.com/orca-calf-dies-under-the-amateurish-handling-by-dr-ingrid-visser/?lang=en
Would like to know what action anyone is taking for the animals in zoos in Venezuela.
This is what can happen when truth comes out. I’m glad the “Blackfish” made it onto mainstream media. Unfortunately, most truth about most things does not. At least so far.
ALL PLACES INCLUDING SIDE ROAD SHOWS THAT USE ANIMALS FOR PROFITS AND ANY TYPE OF ENTERTAINMENT HAS TO BE SHUT DOWN CLOSED NOW 4EVER! NO JOKE, SERIOUSLY, ALL AND ANY ANIMALS INVOLVED IN THOSE INDUSTRIS WILL BE ARE ABUSED TORTURED SLAUGHTERED MURDERED MOST LIKELY IN THAT ORDER. NO HUMANS ON THIS PLANET HAVE ANY RIGHTS TO MURDER ANY SOULS BE IT ANIMAL OR HUMAN SOULS! THAT’S THE LAWS OF THIS PLANET EARTH, AND ITS DEFINITELY THE LAW OF GOD!
God does answer our prayers!! If everyone continues to be educated on how terrible places like sea world are to animals profits and attendance will continue to decline, and like ringling Brother Circus they will be forced to shut down and close their doors for good. All these animals will will then be sent to a beautiful sanctuary to live out the rest of their lives.
wE HOPE THAT IS WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO THE ANIMALS LEFT AFTER A CLOSURE, BUT I WOULD NOT BE SURE ABOUT THAT !!!
This is just wrong on so many levels! I thank all the people singers and such for cancelling their appearencs because of their treatment of animals shut this place down! Before more animals are hurt or dead
Sea world is a hell-hole. It promotes cruelty and as such MUST be shut down! PL.EASE do not ever visit!
WHAT WILL HAPPEN TO THE ORCAS, DOLPHINES & SEALS IN SEA WORLD IF IT CLOSES, WILL THEY STILL BE TAKEN CARE OF OR RELEAST BACK INTO THE OCEAN IF THEY CAN SERVIVE BEING RELEASTED, SEA WORLD CANT JUST ABANDON THEM, PLEASE MAKE SURE THAT THESE ANIMALS ARE TAKEN CARE.
Oooh, SeaWorld is being hurt by a lack of attendance. HOORAY! I will be elated when all SeaWorld and Dolphinaris locations close down for good. Please, do not exclaim…..”But the employees need their jobs”. Too bad, they decided to be connected to companies malicious toward animals.
Remember, if seaworld closes its doors it will no longer be able to do the search , rescue and rehab it currently does. All the animals will be the losers. Check this information and you will see it’s correct.
That so-called info is coming from no-other than SeaWorld’s thirty second commercials/website, and Faux News. Do not let their emotional mind picking get the best of you. I had an aunt, who was a vet, and got a job at Orlando’s SeaWorld, thinking she was their to help treat creatures in their “care”. She quit working there, after only a few months, due to the conditions the animals were forced to endure, especially the extremely small enclosures.
If people stay away and stop supporting the abuse and exploitation of these animals, sea world will have no choice but to leave all these beautiful mammals where they belong. In their natural habitats.
I guess the investors are taking note hopefully! If not keep up pressure on all companies WORLD WIDE TO END THIS INJUSICE TO THE NATURAL FLOW OF NATURE.