Seaworld: Three Other Things the Park Will Stop Doing Now That it’s Ending its Marine-Cruelty Program

Have you heard the glorious news? SeaWorld has finally decided to end its orca breeding program.

Right before St. Patrick’s Day, the marine theme park announced that its current generation of orcas will be its last. In a recent LA Times OpEd, Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, said the change was made because the park wants to help contribute “to the evolving understanding of one of the world’s largest marine mammals [the orca].”

In addition to ending its orca breeding program, SeaWorld will also cease to produce and put on its “theatrical orca whale shows.”

This announcement is great–and long overdue. So overdue that we feel comfortable poking a little fun at the park’s announcement by listing 3 other things–albeit fictional things–that the park will also stop doing now that it’s ending its marine-cruelty program.

Lower Ticket Prices

There is not a single theme park in the United States that doesn’t expect a ridiculous amount of money to ride attractions that are over in three minutes, or to look at animals that you typically don’t see every day. Well, now that SeaWorld has decided to stop breeding orcas and training them to put on ridiculous stunts for the masses, the park’s entry price will inevitably drop. After all, everyone knows that orca imprisonment is really expensive.

Stop Giving Out Free Marine Pets to Park Guests

It seems only natural that a park that keeps large, magnificent creatures hostage would also be thoughtless enough to give away smaller, but equally wonderful creatures to anyone who enters the park. So, in a groundbreaking move, SeaWorld also will stop giving away precious crabs, fish, and other small types of sea life to the park’s guests. So compassionate…

SeaWorld, as a Whole, is Going to Stop Functioning as a Park and Will Become a Marine Sanctuary

Yes, sea sanctuaries can exist and help marine life in need. SeaWorld has finally seen the light, listened to its most adamant critics, and decided to stop profiting off the backs of sea creatures. One of the park’s biggest critics is John Hargrove, author of “Beneath the Surface: Killer Whales, SeaWorld, and the Truth Beyond Blackfish” and former senior trainer. A year or so ago, he said the following about the brilliance of sea pens and ocean sanctuaries:

“I’ve spoken with some brilliant-minded people, and I believe sea sanctuaries are a viable solution. They [SeaWorld] should follow the example of the Ringling Brothers, who recently acknowledged that their customers had shifted in their thinking about having elephants in captivity. So by 2018, all of Ringling Brothers’ elephants are going to be retired to elephant sanctuaries. SeaWorld wants to make it sound like it’s impossible. But we’ve been doing sea pens or sea sanctuaries since the seventies. The U.S. Navy had an open-ocean killer whale in a sea pen years ago…”

While we’re obviously trying to have a little fun with this list, we do think it would be great if SeaWorld did begin to use sea pens. Because if the park really did care about marine life, it would do all it could to make all marine creatures’ lives better.

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Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, Has Admitted That His Employees Were Ordered to Infiltrate Animal Rights Protests

The chief executive of SeaWorld has admitted his employees were ordered to infiltrate animal rights protests against the company’s alleged mistreatment of killer whales and dolphins in its controversial aquatic theme parks.

Joel Manby, SeaWorld’s CEO, acknowledged on Thursday that the company was wrong to ask human resources employee Paul McComb to pose as an animal rights activist and join Peta protests against the company since at least July 2014.

“This activity was undertaken in connection with efforts to maintain the safety and security of employees, customers and animals in the face of credible threats,” Manby said of the tactics used by McComb, who was exposed as an undercover SeaWorld employee by Peta protesters last summer.

Manby said on Thursday that SeaWorld directors had ordered “management to end the practice in which certain employees posed as animal rights activists”.

Manby’s statement came during a conference call with investors following the release of another year of disappointing earnings. More than $160m (£115m) was wiped off SeaWorld’s market value on Thursday as the company’s shares – which were worth as much as $39 in 2013 – fell 11% to $17.60.

McComb, who posed as an animal rights activist named Thomas Jones, is still employed by SeaWorld. “Mr. McComb remains an employee of SeaWorld, has returned to work at SeaWorld in a different department and is no longer on administrative leave,” the company said in a statement. A spokeswoman for SeaWorld refused to answer any questions about McComb.

Whilst undercover, McComb had urged other protesters to “burn it [SeaWorld] to the ground” and used Facebook and Twitter to incite other activists to “get a little aggressive” and “drain the new tanks at #SeaWorld”.

In the run-up to a July 2014 protest, Jones urged other activists: “Grab your pitchforks and torches. Time to take down SeaWorld.”

Tracy Reiman, Peta’s executive vice-president, said: “SeaWorld’s latest report confirms not only that the company has employed more than one spy to infiltrate and agitate at Peta but also that it values its spies more highly than the executives ... as at least one of the spies is still working at the company.

“SeaWorld’s finances continue to flop as animals continue to be found dead in its tiny tanks, with one death every single month since November. If SeaWorld had business savvy or common sense, it would modernize its business with coastal sanctuaries and virtual reality displays instead of building more roller coasters and dolphin prisons. The tawdry orca sideshows and despicable spying tactics are sinking SeaWorld’s ship.”

SeaWorld on Thursday said its 2015 earnings fell 2% to $361m as sales dropped by $6.8m to $1.37bn.

The company, which has been under intense public pressure since the 2013 release of Blackfish, a documentary cataloguing the alleged mistreatment of whales, dolphins and their trainers, said attendance increased by 0.3% to 72,000 but this was only possible due to “increased promotional offerings”.

Facing consumer backlash fanned by celebrities including Harry Styles, Cher and Mötley Crüe’s Tommy Lee, SeaWorld has said it will put an end to “theatrical killer whale experience” – but only at its park in San Diego, California, where the drop in attendance has been most acute.

Manby said the company will replace its Californian Shamu show – in which whales dive, jump and splash guests to the demands of their trainers – with “an all new orca experience focused on the natural environment [of the whales]” by 2017.

“We are listening to our guests, evolving as a company, we are always changing,” Manby said as he unveiled a new corporate strategy in November. “ 2016 will be the last year of our theatrical killer whale experience in San Diego.”

He said the decision to end the orca shows in California was in direct response to customers, who he said had made it clear that they want less of a theatrical experience and would rather see the whales in a more natural setting. Attendance at the San Diego park is falling fast. Visitor numbers dropped 17% in 2013 to 3.8 million, according to city authorities.

As part of its strategy to move away from circus-style performances, SeaWorld last week replaced two top executives in charge of animal safety and theme park operations. “The leadership changes we announced last week are another important step on our roadmap to stabilization and growth,” Manby said on Thursday.

Paul McComb posed as ‘Thomas Jones’ and infiltrated Peta at least as early as July 2014. Photograph: Facebook/Peta.

Tweets by activist Thomas Jones, who is allegedly Paul McComb, a SeaWorld employee. Photograph: Twitter

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