SeaWorld PR attempts to save-face but rescue and conservation efforts fall short
SeaWorld claims to be pro-active in marine mammal rescues
SeaWorld is seeking to clean up its image now that things are not going their way in the case against the OSHA which charges they were negligent in the “Willful” death of veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau.
On Friday, the multi-billion dollar entertainment facility issued a press release, hoping to capitalize on the just released film “Dolphin Tale”, which tells the story of a bottle-nose dolphin named Winter who was rehabilitated at athe Clearwater Marine Aquarium. They were also undoubtedly eager to offset the negative publicity surrounding the court hearing against the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) which was scheduled to conclude on that day. However, the hearing will reconvene in November.
From the SeaWorld press-release:
“The SeaWorld Rescue Team – which also helped with the initial rescue transport of Winter… uses their expertise and creativity every day to devise new ways to rescue, treat and return to nature these extraordinary animals.”
While this may be true of some marine animals (turtles, sea lions, seals, etc) – killer whales and dolphins do not fall into their realm of rescue, unless of course there is a potential for public display and profit. This was evident in SeaWorld’s lax response to a mass stranding of pilot whales in the Florida Keys in early May, 2011. Volunteers and non-profit organizations were on the scene immediately and heroically helped the survivors with every available resource around-the-clock. SeaWorld eventually showed up, and now two of the pilot whales are being cared for at SeaWorld. Their future is uncertain but they will likely be used for breeding purposes to continue the captive population.
The press release continued with this excerpt:
“This commitment extends to animals around the world: The company has contributed more than $50 million to conservation, wildlife rescue and environmental stewardship initiatives and has supported efforts on every continent, as well as operating its own well-respected wildlife rescue program.”
What they don’t state is that SeaWorld operates its rescue program through a non-profit organization called the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute. This organization relies on public and federal funding which competes with truly non-profit organizations that have orca and dolphin rescues, research and education at the core of their missions. Despite the claim of contributing $50 million to conservation and rescue (over their lifetime) these grants take away money from earnest non-profits such as the Orca Network and many others which run circles around SeaWorld when it comes to true research and education. SeaWorld reportedly had $1.4 Billion in revenue in 2010 yet receives these grants to perform their rescue programs.
In the past 10 years alone, the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), the U.S. government oversight agency which provides oversight and guidance on the conservation of marine mammals and endangered species has awarded SeaWorld (and Hubbs-SeaWorld) almost $2 Million dollars in grants. The for-profit SeaWorld continues to take in billions off the backs of killer whales and dolphins in captivity and contributes little to their protection in the wild.
At the same time, SeaWorld is trying to acquire Morgan, a female killer whale rescued in coastal Dutch waters, despite a comprehensive and achievable plan to reintroduce her to the wild. However, the addition of her into the gene pool in the SeaWorld collection, and potential profits, apparently outweigh their claims of “rescue, treat, and release”.
We appreciate all that SeaWorld has done in the past to contribute to the research, education and conservation efforts for the highly complex, intelligent and social mammals such as dolphins and killer whales… but the time has come to evolve from keeping these amazing creatures in captivity for the exploitative entertainment industry.
For more information, please visit this informative article by Cetacean Inspiration: “Seaworld and Conservation”.
Yeah the truth!!
Do the school projects and camp like summer sessions for school children count as educational projects?
How can this be considered “educational” when the “education” taught is the worthiness of incarcerating orcas to perform like circus animals?
Why would a huge corporation that takes in billions BALK at paying a measley 75,000 dollars in the horrific death of a valued and brilliant experienced trainer?
Please educate the public as much as possible on this. I am atonished on the research performed by former SeaWorld trainers on the evidence of capitivity. I will do what I can to help. Sue
And exactly how many rescue and conservation efforts does “The Orca Project” have done??….
How many have “you” done then?
I have assisted in two strandings in my home country and both times, we refloated the animals perfectly. No need to take them to a park or to heal them…
We comforted them and helped them back into the water, and let me tell you…
That was by far one of the most rewarding experiences ever. Far more than the times I watched Shamu do doggy tricks.
You obviously have completely missed the point, Shamu. I would personally consider the educational content of The Orca Project (and contributors) to be expertly provided. The information is invaluable. It may not be what you consider to be conservation and rescue, however conservation and rescue can take place in many forms. In the case of The Orca Project, their conservation and rescue efforts are substantial in their willingness and their accuracy when reporting the truth. Perhaps due to their education, many cetaceans will be conserved and rescued – not just saving them from injuries, pollution, illness, etc. but saving them from a life of chronic stress and forced labor. People will understand that these animals do not exist upon this planet to entertain and amuse the human race. They are their own societies and they deserve their WILD space and our respect.
How do you know about rescue and rehabilitation Shamu? That’s just silly, get down from there. You’re just a caricature of an orca that lives on a 2D plane, not a marine biologist. You know nothing more than to give a cheesy grin, be mischievous and give us daily Twitter posts!
Thank you Orca Project. Your ongoing reporting is top notch. Here are three days worth of video coverage on the SeaWorld v OSHA hearings by Anderson Cooper 360.
http://ac360.blogs.cnn.com/2011/09/19/video-death-at-sea-world/
http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2011/09/22/ac-kirby-sea-world-death.cnn?iref=videosearch
http://cnn.com/video/data/2.0/video/topvideos/2011/09/22/ac-david-kirby-sea-world-death.cnn.html
This media attention is probably not enough to make the change that is desired to release these beauties, but a huge start I am guessing. What can others do to help?? Do some of the PAC s support your Orca project? Do any larger organizations support this? There seems to be so many groups such as the campaign Earth Island Institute saving the dolphins, which is totally awesome but is there a unity of similar organizations?
Sea World takes advantage of whale and dolphin stranding and under the guise of a ‘good samaritan’, get a ‘Golden Whale’ to earn them big bucks. The management does not really worry or think about how lonely Orcas or dolphins are in their tanks, while they go home to their wives or husbands and children. They are depriving and forcibly denying the same to the Cetaceans who are used to close knit social groups. If they truly care, as they keep proclaiming to the public, let them prove it. Let them create an ocean sanctuary, with all the money the Cetaceans have earned for them, instead of a small rehabilitation center and start retiring their oldest performer. Otherwise Sea World can be considered nothing but a ‘Glorified Circus’ , keeping animals captive and making money off the Cetaceans performing inane tricks, that is so alien to their nature, for gullible public, who believe SW’s rhetoric that it is ‘educational’
Please sign this petition to make Sea World retire their Cetacean performers to Ocean Sanctuary – http://www.change.org/petitions/ask-sea-world-to-release-their-orcas-and-dolphins-to-ocean-sanctuaries