California Governor Jerry Brown signed an anti-Orca breeding and captivity bill into law on Tuesday. Democrats had been pushing for the law since at least 2013, and its passage follows within a year of Sea World San Diego succumbing to pressure from left-wing animal rights activists by agreeing to end future orca shows.
CNN re-aired the 2013 documentary Blackfish on Saturday night — just two days after SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby announced that the theme park will surrender to the environmentalists that have aggressively attacked SeaWorld’s orca captivity program, and end both orca shows and captive breeding.
SeaWorld Orlando killer whale Tilikum is receiving the highest level of medical care possible as he faces a deteriorating health condition.
SeaWorld announced significant changes in orca shows at its San Diego Park on Monday.
SeaWorld will pursue legal action against the California Coastal Commission’s left-wing-influenced attempt to eliminate the presence of killer whales at the San Diego park.
SeaWorld continues to face depressed second quarter earnings released Thursday with net income 84% lower than the same period in 2014.
Relentless animal rights activists attempted to make waves at San Diego airport’s baggage claim with two orca-suited protesters on Thursday, but few passers-by seemed to notice their antics as law enforcement officers pulled them off the conveyer.
SAN DIEGO — New metrics indicate that SeaWorld may be turning the corner on the way back to recovery. The organization had faced massive criticism, and serious public and financial backlash, over accusations in the 2013 movie Blackfish and charges from animal activist groupPeople for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) relating to the well-being of orcas (killer whales) in captivity at SeaWorld parks.
The Orlando Sentinel reports SeaWorld critic and former trainer John Hargrove is coming under scrutiny for repeatedly using the N-word while possibly intoxicated in a video SeaWorld reportedly released Tuesday.
Fallout from the Blackfish documentary, and continued activist criticism, may be to blame for SeaWorld’s disappointing 2014 earnings report, which still shows a downward decline. Park attendance was down only a small amount–22.4 million in 2014, versus 23.4 million in 2013. Earnings, however, suffered more.
SeaWorld presented project details for expanding the park’s orca habitat at a public meeting Tuesday with San Diego’s park and recreation board, drawing media and attention from animal rights protesters.