Op-Ed: Oh SeaWorld…
The societal shift away from captivity
Brandt Jager / Op-Ed Contributor / The USD Vista
When people think of SeaWorld, a lot of different thoughts and opinions come about regarding the keeping of intelligent animals in captivity — animals such as orcas and dolphins. Putting this debate aside for a moment, a recently published ABC 10News San Diego article detailed that “Seaworld officials announced Monday that the Mako dive coaster will open at the San Diego park in 2020 … the tallest, fastest, and longest dive coaster in California, as well as the only floorless dive coaster in the state.” This publicity also follows a trend, as SeaWorld announced new rides coming in 2020 for Orlando as well. It demonstrates a shift in focus, away from Shamu and toward a more traditional amusement park aesthetic. In addition, NBC San Diego reported that SeaWorld “will end its killer whale breeding programs and take a ‘new direction’ amid changing social attitudes.”
This clearly shows proactive steps toward adapting for a new American audience, an audience that is no longer okay with placing entertainment above animal rights. The important question lies in what those changing social attitudes are and what they mean for our society. This brings us back to the debate of whether we, as a society, should be putting these intelligent animals in captivity or not, and whether we should be able to profit off of them as a result of that captivity.
The idea of which animals are acceptable for captivity is shifting, and this is reflected prominently in SeaWorld’s declining attendance. This was partially catalyzed by the 2013 film “Blackfish,” which detailed the more negative aspects and implications of keeping orcas in captivity, citing trainer deaths, poor animal health standards, and problems with breeding programs. According to CNN, “SeaWorld said that it lost about $200 million in fiscal year 2017,” in addition to losing $215 million the year before. Clearly, aquatic captivity is going out of style.
The main reason for the decline of SeaWorld has to do with the plethora of new studies being published, surrounding how intelligent orcas and dolphins actually are, and why captivity is so harmful for them. National Geographic explains in a recent article that orcas have evolved to swim up to 40 miles a day, and are “highly intelligent, social mammals,” not intended for solitary confinement or captivity. In addition, dolphins are known to engage in extremely complex social behavior. A collaborative study conducted by Stanford University in 2017 discovered that dolphins work together, teach each other, have regional dialects and complex vocalizations, play, and more. Dolphins are so smart, in fact, that the Global Animal Foundation explains they should be treated as “non-human persons.”
As people become more aware of the intelligence of these animals, I believe they realize the ethical wrong that using these animals for shows presents. Dolphins and orcas aren’t mindless fish to be used as a cash grab by corporations. It is clear they should not be in captivity, as it goes against their very nature, and I would venture to say that profiting off of them is akin to profiting off of a sort of slavery, which I will explain further. Trying to ignore the evidence that these creatures are fundamentally not designed for captivity is ignoring our ethical responsibility to care for this earth. Even if they were only as intelligent as the average 4-year-old, imagine forcing a bunch of 4-year-olds into solitary cages and making them perform tricks, throwing them scraps of old food as a reward, and then profiting off of it. Imagine people walking up and down the paths, gawking at these scared, confused little children who just want to play, relax, and run. That being said, a heightened level of awareness and knowledge regarding these animals is extremely beneficial to society.
The end of orca breeding programs and the shift of focus away from captive orcas and dolphins is a positive. It represents growth, that society is still able to analyze its own practices and recognize when there is an area that needs changing. In a political-environmental climate where America pulled out of the Paris Climate Accords and Brazil continues to increase the authorization of slash-and-burn farmlands in the Amazon, it is easy to think that governments don’t care about the environment. It can be easy to get lost and think that changes can’t be made, but SeaWorld is an example of how change can be made. People found disgust with the almost “American tradition” of Shamu and other dolphin captivity, and forced the company to fundamentally change its ideals. If enough people get together for a cause, companies and governments will bow to that influence. While it isn’t as big as ending the environmental crisis, SeaWorld changing its practices to focus away from captive sea mammals represents a societal shift toward being more conscious members of how we affect our environment and the living beings within it.