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As a fan of wild animals of the land and sea, I’ve always felt a connection to conservation and the individuals, groups and organizations that tirelessly work to help protect endangered species and bring awareness to the general population. As such, I have been a fan of SeaWorld and their rescue and rehabilitation work for decades. I was never more appreciative and connected to the SeaWorld organization than almost twenty years ago when I first heard of and saw my first Manatee. Even though I was here on the West Coast and Manatees were struggling for existence on the East, the SeaWorld organization allowed those not able to work on the front lines of conservation to feel and become part of the cause. I remember first visiting the Manatee exhibit some 20 years ago here in San Diego and marveling at all the information they put forth. There were 4 manatees in the exhibit, all with visible injuries and all being cared for and rehabilitated by SeaWorld. The goal was and hopefully still is, to nurse them back to health and return them to the their natural habitat. While continuing to rescue these gentle and suffering animals, SeaWorld was a wealth of information on the species: their habitat, their needs, their plight. I remember getting a season pass so long ago and feeling proud that my patronage was assisting in helping not only the Manatee, but all the other endangered sea creatures fighting for continued existence.
Cut to modern times and the release of the very popular and widely viewed documentary “Blackfish”. I admit to not having viewed the documentary myself. But I have heard of it and am very aware of its content–that Orca whales should be freed into the wild and not in captivity. And I don’t dispute this theory, because just using common sense alone, of course a wild animal would thrive better in the wild. And of course, I heard (and continue to hear) all the controversy surrounding SeaWorld. Selfishly, my first reaction was a feeling of sadness and feeling torn about loving an organization that, from what I have always known to be true, the biggest fighters of sea life conservation, to now being the most hated entity with wild life advocates. I see endless comments on line spewing disdain for them as they desperately attempt to repair their reputation and clear away the negativity on their Facebook and Twitter feeds. I try to stay away from the propaganda and know that there are always two sides to every argument. Again, I haven’t seen the “Blackfish” documentary, but I know that it’s powerful enough to make advocates of pretty much everyone who has seen it. And I know that it comes from a good place–people who care about these living creatures and don’t want to support an organization that seems to be taking away the freedom of some beautiful creatures in order to profit monetarily.
I remember having a conversation with the husband who is only aware of the “Blackfish” controversy from what I’ve told him, and his response was, “Well, let’s not dismiss all the good they’ve done too”. Yes, I agree. But it still doesn’t excuse the wrong–especially to the poor Orca whales who are still featured in their shows, animals that need the open space of the sea–not the prison of too-small tanks.
So, in traveling to Orlando, Florida, I was so very conflicted on whether or not my family and I would be visiting SeaWorld. I have been to Orlando two times before and have always made a SeaWorld stop–mostly to see the Manatees. The last two times we were there in the span of 15 years, the Manatee exhibit has always brought a smile to my face. Again, the message is always about rescue, rehabilitation and release. After some discussions with the husband, we decided we would go. I wasn’t sure what to expect. Would there be protestors at the gates? No, there weren’t. And at the time that we went, attendance was high.
I was so excited to head on over to the Manatee exhibit because I remember it to be so informative and I wanted to see the new rescues and find out their stories. I was in for a huge disappointment, however. The Manatee exhibit had essentially been pushed aside to make room for a turtle exhibit–and yes, they need attention and are suffering their own endangered issues–but why push aside Manatees? Isn’t the whole purpose of SeaWorld to bring endangered animals to the forefront? There is so much more work to do. Manatees are still fighting to survive–there was even a controversy on them being labelled either “endangered” or “threatened” which is an important distinction because it affects the types of protections they receive. It’s believed that those fighting for the lesser label are groups trying to encroach on their habitat–land developers or what not. So, there’s so much more awareness to be given to this species and yes, other species such as the Turtles as well. I feel that SeaWorld is missing the boat on the most important message–Conservation. Save the animals…save ourselves.
To be fair, they do still rescue and rehabilitate Manatees. On this particular visit, they had an orphan baby manatee separated from its mother and unable to feed itself. SeaWorld handlers give the baby a bottle of milk with a bit of lettuce in order to continue to nourish the baby, but eventually hope that the baby will feed on its own. So, thank you SeaWorld for continuing to do what’s right and important for these gentle creatures.
But what, if any, were my other grievances? Okay, first let me tackle the controversy–the Orca whales and the famous Shamu show. The show itself is not even very good (again my own thoughts, my own opinion). Things have changed. Trainers no longer jump in the water–probably (although I don’t know for sure) because of the possible dangers involved. The whales swim round and round and the finale involves the whales using their fins to fling at a very excited audience ready to be soaked by the animals. If it wasn’t for the large big screens and the dramatic music, the show would be beyond flat–and is halfway there anyway despite all the add-ons. I found myself thinking, maybe SeaWorld should revisit and revise what they offer. If these whales are healthy and are able to return to the wild, why not go ahead and release them and focus on a whole different kind of show. A show focusing on conservation and protecting endangered animals. Yes, they constantly say their research has helped them understand the Orcas, but it still doesn’t explain why they are still kept in captivity. No amount of PR talk can really explain or back that up. And I want to reiterate, I have no desire to bash SeaWorld. I just want them to do better. Do what’s right.
Reports show that the park is struggling with dwindling attendance. So, dear SeaWorld, why not make some changes? I don’t want to give up on you. I want to believe (and some may label me delusion and I don’t know that they’d be wrong) that you have the very best intentions for the animals. It’s what I’ve convinced myself all these many years. You have the power to do good for the animals that need you.
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