Hey, SeaWorld, how much clearer can it get? That’s the question million of American are asking the aquatic theme park under fire for its mistreatment of captive orcas. Now, with support from Assemblyman Richard Bloom (D-Santa Monica), California may soon make it illegal to keep orcas in captivity for use as entertainment. This. Is. Huge. Not just for the the whales (but mostly), but also for other captive animals including dolphins and circus animals. Once the treatment of orcas comes correct, it’s only a matter of time before it happens for other animals forced into the entertainment business.

According to a statement released by Bloom’s office, the Orca Welfare and Safety Act (AB 2140) would eliminate the use of orcas in performance-based entertainment, and it would also do away with captive breeding programs—the goal being to phase out all orca captivity in California.

“There is no justification for the continued captive display of orcas for entertainment purposes,” Bloom said in the release. “These beautiful creatures are much too large and far too intelligent to be confined in small, concrete tanks for their entire lives. It is time to end the practice of keeping orcas captive for human amusement.”

Bloom added, “In their natural habitat orcas are family-oriented, highly adaptable, socially-complex with cultural traditions and trail only humans as the most intelligent creatures on this planet. However, in captivity, they have shorter lifespans, show increased health problems, live in swimming pool sized habitat that are approximately one ten-thousandth the required size and demonstrate aggressive behavior towards one another and towards humans that has never been documented in the wild. They simply do not belong in captivity.”

SeaWorld once again rebuffed the accusations that it mistreats its animals, criticizing Bloom for associating with “extreme animal rights activists, many of whom regularly campaign against SeaWorld and other accredited marine mammal parks and institutions.” Gabriela Cowperthwaite, Director of “Blackfish” joined Bloom at his office for the press conference. SeaWorld called out PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) for a “meritless claim that animals in human care should be considered slaves under the 13th amendment of the US Constitution.”

But people aren’t buying it; SeaWorld’s reputation may only recover with a complete makeover. Jared Goodman, Director of Animal Law at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals said the only humane solution for the theme park was to fund coastal sanctuaries–a move that could happen if the theme park’s stock continue to drop.

“We engage in business practices that are responsible, sustainable and reflective of the balanced values all Americans share,” SeaWorld spokesman David Koontz said about the theme park.

The news comes on the heels of leaked documents that allege SeaWorld drugs its orcas with benzodiazepines—drugs found in Valium and Xanax— to keep the intelligent, emotional animals complacent in captivity.

[Editor’s note: Sacramento Fox News 40 reports that on April 8, Committee members voted that AB 2140 will be tabled until at least next year.]

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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SeaWorld has been in hot water ever since the documentary “Blackfish” came out last summer. And now, the marine park is being accused of drugging its killer whales.

An affidavit filed in Ontario Superior Court of Justice, and leaked to BuzzFeed, claims that SeaWorld routinely gives benzodiazepines—drugs found in Valium and Xanax—to orcas suffering from mental health issues as a direct result of being in captivity.

Jared Goodman, Director of Animal Law at the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), told BuzzFeed that the veterinary records show that “orcas at SeaWorld are given psychotropic drugs to stop them from acting aggressively towards each other in the stressful, frustrating conditions in which they’re confined instead of funding the development of coastal sanctuaries – the only humane solution. ”

According to BuzzFeed, SeaWorld spokesperson Fred Jacobs defended the medication in an emailed statement: “Benzodiazepines are sometimes used in veterinary medicine for the care and treatment of animals, both domestic and in a zoological setting,” Jacobs said. “These medications can be used for sedation for medical procedures, premedication prior to general anesthesia, and for the control of seizures. The use of benzodiazepines is regulated, and these medications are only prescribed to animals by a veterinarian. Their use for cetacean healthcare, including killer whales, is limited, infrequent, and only as clinically indicated based on the assessment of the attending veterinarian. There is no higher priority for SeaWorld than the health and well-being of the animals in its care.”

But critics of SeaWorld say the drugs are only necessary because the highly intelligent animals aren’t able to deal with spending years—decades in some cases—in captivity. It’s the reason Tilikum, the orca at the center of the “Blackfish” documentary, has killed humans, his former trainers state in the film. Tilikum has spent more than 30 years in captivity and been linked to the deaths of three humans.

Orca Research Trust founder, Ingrid Visser, told BuzzFeed the drugs are likely treating a condition “caused by captivity,” and that their violence stems directly from stress as opposed to an inherent animal trait. “They do not cope with being kept in these tanks. They survive to some degree, but they don’t thrive to any degree,” Visser said. “They show stereotypical behaviors that are abnormal, repetitive behaviors like head bobbing, chewing on concrete, and self mutilation by banging the side of their heads on the side of the tank, and there isn’t a single orca living in captivity where you cannot see one of these behaviors, and in many of them you see multiple examples of these behaviors.”

Activists and animal rights groups are calling on supporters to use the hashtag #EndSeaWorld on Twitter and Instagram to help bring awareness to the plight of captive marine mammals.

Find Jill on Twitter @jillettinger

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#EndSeaWorld

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In 2009, off the coast of South Korea, a dolphin was accidentally caught in a fishing net. But rather than being freed and released (as required by law), she was illegally sold into captivity to the Pacific Land aquarium.

Named Sampal, the 10-year-old dolphin was forced to perform in the aquarium’s shows. Along with two other dolphins, she lived in captivity in a small pool and was kept hungry, forced to perform tricks every day to earn her food.

Over the course of four years, Sampal’s plight garnered attention. Activists, biologists and the mayor of Seoul all called for the dolphin’s release from captivity, citing the injustice of her confinement.

A year ago, facing mounting pressure, the Korean High Court finally ordered that Sampal and her two companions be set free. Rehabilitation specialists began to prepare the animals for release, but feared the dolphins had lost their survival skills, and would therefore need training before returning to the wild.

Several organizations, including the Korean Animal Welfare Association, Ewha University and the Cetacean Research Center teamed up to help with the rehabilitation process.

Ric O’Barry, director of Earth Island Institute’s Dolphin Project, even visited the cetaceans to assess their condition. He was pleased with their progress, though at the time he noted, “They need to be un-trained what they learned at Pacific Land and retaught how to live in the ocean.”

This is where the story gets really good.

According to Treehugger, Sampal and the others were placed in a netted sea pen as part of her preparation. But months before the planned release, which was scheduled for later this summer, Sampal took matters into her own fins.

On June 22, the netting in the pen tore, and she managed to escape by squeezing through the small hole, an amazing feat considering that dolphins generally avoid swimming in tight spaces. At first she hovered outside the pen, but as handlers arrived to investigate the situation, she swam into the open water and did not return.

Concerned about her welfare and whether she still knew how to survive in the wild, the rehab crew worked to locate Sampal. Luckily, it didn’t take long for their fears to be put to rest. Researchers from the Cetacean Research Center located Sampal 60 miles away from where she had been held. Not only that, but she was swimming with 50 other dolphins, who are believed to be members of her original pod. After all those years, she was finally home.

O’Barry believes Sampal’s aquarium companions will also fare well. “I think the others will do fine once they are released too,” he said. “They know exactly what to do; they just need the opportunity to do it.”

There’s a powerful lesson here. Although Sampal’s thoughts and decisions remain her own, it seems that Sampal disliked prison as much as anyone would, and craved her freedom and her family, who welcomed her return. Maybe one day, cetacean shows will be a thing of the past, allowing all sea mammals to live freely with their pods, without threats from humans. – China DeSpain

This article appears courtesy of Ecorazzi

Ecorazzi covers news and gossip on celebrities and notables in support of the environment and humanitarian causes. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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