California: To expand tanks, SeaWorld must stop breeding killer whales

[jcgoble3]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-seaworld-california-tank-expansion-blue-world-20151008-story.html

 

"We are disappointed with the conditions that the California Coastal Commission placed on their approval of the Blue World Project, and will carefully review and consider our options," SeaWorld spokesman David Koontz said in an email. "Breeding is a natural, fundamental and important part of an animal's life and depriving a social animal of the right to reproduce is inhumane."

[shark6495]

So they can't transfer the whales out either? What if they just close that park then can they transfer the whales?

I'm not a big fan of a govt telling a business what it can and can't do with its property. Does California put the same demands on zoos or circuses that come through?

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[Browntggrr]

These PETA movements occasionally make me cringe.  This is one of them.  SeaWorld's intentions are actually great for the animals, but are being portrayed as exploiting the animals.

 

Businesses like Sea World have done more for sea life, orcas specifically, than probably every other sea life business combined.

 

Imagine what we would not know if it wasn't for Sea World.  While they are in the business to make money, the education provided to the World is second to none.

 

A prime example:

http://seaworldparks.com/en/seaworld-sandiego/animals/animal-rescue/

[shark6495]

But facts are not emotional. It almost feels that the brand is too far damaged at this point. For every good PR the park does it comes off as shallow or just done to take blame off of other areas. The emotional impact of the other side is just too big at this point.

You look at a Killer Whale and go yeah that thing shouldn't be in a "big swimming pool". It's all emotion. It feels good to say "these guys live longer in the wild, and they don't rake each other." Heck Free Willy the movie is based on that emotion.

I'm surprised zoos are able to even stay open at this point in time because of the emotions people have.

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[The Interpreter]

See elephants.

Ringling Brothers Barnum & Bailey Circus.

While you still can.

[vortexfan]

I'm surprised zoos are able to even stay open at this point in time because of the emotions people have.

 

I felt that way about Hershey's ZooAmerica. The size of some of the animal enclosures was... appalling. 

[The Interpreter]

ZooAmerica was appalling.

[Tr0y]

Cedar Fair had similar issues with California's agency's with its problematic WindSeeker. Cedar Fair ultimately removed WindSeeker from Knott's and moved it to Worlds of Fun. I wonder if Seaworld will do the same.

[RailRider]

Say what you will about the ruling in California, but the Sea World response is a joke.

 

 

SeaWorld spokesman David Koontz said in an email. "Breeding is a natural, fundamental and important part of an animal's life and depriving a social animal of the right to reproduce is inhumane."

 

There is nothing natural about the Orca breeding program that SeaWorld runs when it is solely based on artificial insemination and is quite the money making operation for the company.  

[RollerNut]

Whale would you rather them go out in the ocean and trap orcas like other Marine parks did(or another company did for said parks)?

According to my research only one of the whales not born in a marine park may have be trapped and not came from another park.

I am pretty sure the NCZoo uses artificial insemination and it is one of if not the largest zoo of its kind.

[The Interpreter]

I learned right from wrong many years ago--as a small lad.

It's cases like here---where there is no clear right--and no clear wrong, but only gray--where choosing is difficult.

Then there's the whole issue of who gets to choose.

The California Coastal Commission.

This.

Really?

[Diamondback96]

Cedar Fair had similar issues with California's agency's with its problematic WindSeeker. Cedar Fair ultimately removed WindSeeker from Knott's and moved it to Worlds of Fun. I wonder if Seaworld will do the same.

Cedar Fair tends to avoid animals as attractions in their parks, so I doubt it.

 

One exception is the petting zoo at KI.

[The Interpreter]

...which is provided, I believe, by an outside vendor.

See what just happened at a Maine fair. A little boy is no longer with us. E coli. Can be very nasty. See animal poop. Look. Don't touch.

http://www.natureworldreport.com/2015/10/state-tests-for-e-coli-strain-after-2-kids-got-infected/

http://www.foodsafetynews.com/2015/10/maine-boy-succumbs-to-e-coli-complication-another-battles-on/

[Oldiesmann]

So the company wants to expand their tanks, but the state won't let them do something that will help keep the company in business and bringing in tax dollars for the state? Really?

[The Interpreter]

It's California.

Perhaps the second most regulatory state in such matters, behind only New Jersey.

[homestar92]

Cedar Fair had similar issues with California's agency's with its problematic WindSeeker. Cedar Fair ultimately removed WindSeeker from Knott's and moved it to Worlds of Fun. I wonder if Seaworld will do the same.

I can conjecture with a reasonably high degree of certainty that SeaWorld will not be moving any of their attractions to Worlds of Fun

[The Interpreter]

Not even Oceans of Fun?

Terp---who loves a good question.

[Oldiesmann]

California is almost like its own country with the ridiculous number of laws they have regulating things.

[Tanna]

As late as the early sixties, killer whales were shot as a nuisance.

At least with Seaworld, people got attached to them before they got too thinned out.