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Urge Magicians to Disappear From SeaWorld!
In a desperate attempt to right its financially sinking ship, SeaWorld San Diego is trying to trick the public into visiting the abusement park by hosting a series of magic acts.
Following the release of Blackfish, which exposed SeaWorld's animal abuse to the public, the company laid off more than 300 employees, its stock dropped 50 percent, and its attendance fell by 1 million visitors in 2014. Since then, seven high-ranking executives, including its CEO, have resigned and it has admitted to corporate espionage. Three more whales died in 2015, and Tilikum—the orca who was the subject of Blackfish—is reportedly dying.
Please urge magicians David Thomas, Rick Thomas, and Michael Turco to showcase their best disappearing acts by vanishing from SeaWorld's lineup—then share this alert with your friends and family! Click to help!
Tell Musicians Not to Perform at SeaWorld’s Viva la Música!
In a desperate attempt to right its financially sinking ship, SeaWorld Orlando is targeting Latinos by putting on a Latin music festival called Viva la Música, even though celebrities such as Kate del Castillo, Carla Morrison, and Alfonso Herrera have spoken out against the sea circus.
Although major performers such as Willie Nelson, Cheap Trick, and 38 Special have joined dozens of other musicians in canceling performances at SeaWorld, Jerry Rivera and Víctor Manuelle are set to perform at the abusement park, attracting unwitting fans who will be supporting a company that forces highly intelligent orcas to perform cruel circus-style tricks and live in concrete tanks that are, to them, the size of bathtubs.
Musicians listen to their fans, so we need your help to let Rivera and Manuelle know that it's wrong to support a company that deprives complex, emotional, and social orcas of everything that's natural and important to them!
Moment an Orca Decided to Casually Crash Kayaking Trip Proves They Should be Free
Orcas (also known as killer whales) are truly incredible creatures. They possess brains four times larger than our own, and MRI scans have revealed that the lobes that deal with the processing of complex emotions are also larger in an orca’s brain than our own. In the wild, they swim up to 100 miles per day, and typically live in tight-knit matriarchal pods, spending their entire lives close to their family members. The compassionate bonds that these animals share run deep: earlier this year, a series of heartwarming pictures emerged, which showed a group of orcas looking after their disabled brother who was unable to fend for himself as well as they could.
The average life expectancy for wild orcas is 46 years for females and 38 years for males. However, their lifespans can extend considerably longer than that. When Granny – the head matriarch of J-Pod – was spotted off the coast of Canada in 2014, she was believed to be 103 years old!
When orcas are held captive, however, a very different fate awaits them. The typical orca tank comprises only 0.001 percent of the territory these animals would experience in the wild. Lolita, a long-time resident of Miami Seaquarium, has had to endure forty-five years of her life in the tiniest orca tank in the world. Last year, a photograph that revealed the size of the orcas’ enclosure at SeaWorld San Diego, relative to the park’s gargantuan parking lot, went viral and provoked outrage among animal lovers all over the world. Dorsal fin collapse is almost unheard of amongst wild whales, but the condition afflicts nearly every male orca who is held in captivity.
Last October, it was revealed that one of SeaWorld’s mother orcas was in such a deep state of depression, she was unable to feed her calf. Depression, self-harm, and abnormal, repetitive behaviors are also rife among captive populations. SeaWorld has had to resort to medicating their orcas with psychoactive drugs in an effort to keep these problems at bay. Captive orcas are also prone to bouts of unpredictable aggression, as evidenced by the story of the famous SeaWorld orca Tilikum, who has been involved in the death of three humans since his capture off the coast of Iceland in 1983. Sadly, he is now suffering from a serious lung infection and is widely believed to be dying from the condition.
A spontaneous, up-close encounter with a wild orca – who has chosen to approach humans in their own way and on their own terms – is always going to be far more thrilling than watching one float listlessly in a small tank.
An incredible picture taken by Ruana Singh, a naturalist with Steveston Seabreeze Adventures (SSA), makes this very clear.
According to SSA, the kayakers initially failed to notice the orca, as they were “all looking the wrong way!” Once they noticed what was going on, however, they were delighted. It must have been an honor to receive a visit from one of the most awe-inspiring animals of the sea!
This beautiful, spontaneous moment shows us that all orcas should be given the chance to live in this way: free to explore the open sea, travel wherever they choose and only get close to humans if they feel inclined to do so. Luckily, documentaries such as “Blackfish” have helped to change the public’s perception of cetacean captivity, while the work of committed activists and organizations has ensured that the entire captivity model is starting to fall apart. Following intense public pressure, SeaWorld recently announced its intention to end captive breeding across all of its parks and has also decided to end their elaborate shows in San Diego.
However, the fight to empty the tanks and ensure that all captive orcas are given the opportunity to be retired to a sizeable sea pen, where they could enjoy their lives without unnecessary human interference, continues. As we celebrate recent victories that may help bring about the end of cetacean captivity, let’s never forget those who still languish in tiny tanks. Image Source: Steveston Seabreeze Adventures/Facebook
Two weeks ago, there were only 85 wild orcas left from an extremely rare
population that live in the waters of the Pacific Northwest.
Then, an orca was discovered floating dead off the coast of British Columbia … cause of death unknown. The population now stands at a precarious 84 whales.
These whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act -- but now the Obama Administration is considering whether or not to strip them of the vital protections they need to survive.
Removing protections now could push the orcas over the brink. We need your help to make sure that doesn't happen.
Please urge the Obama Administration to keep these iconic killer whales on the endangered species list where they belong.
The administration is inviting public comments on their review until April 25. That means we have just 10 days to mobilize the massive public support we need to compel the administration to make the right decision and save orcas.
These orcas, also known as Southern Resident killer whales, are known for their playful nature and charismatic intelligence. Much beloved in the region, they even hold cultural and spiritual significance for Pacific Northwest tribes.
The threat couldn't come at a worse time. The orcas are jeopardized by toxic pollution, underwater shipping noise and -- most importantly -- the near-disappearance of the Chinook salmon that make up almost 80% of their diet.
In May 2015, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) identified Southern Resident killer whales as one of eight species most likely to go extinct in the near future unless immediate action is taken. We must push the administration to do just that.
Adding insult to injury, the vast majority of the whales' home is not permanently protected, causing further strain on the region's salmon population and leaving the whales vulnerable to a host of industrial threats as they migrate down the Pacific Coast during the winter months. And without healthier salmon runs, the orcas will simply starve to death.
Tell the Obama Administration to do everything it can to permanently protect the orcas' coastal home and save these majestic whales from extinction.
There is hope. Since the beginning of 2015, 10 orca calves have been born -- the most in nearly 50 years. Tragically, two of them have already died.
The thought of giving up on them now is too cruel to even consider. Orcas will rebound if we give them a fighting chance -- but we must act now.
Then, an orca was discovered floating dead off the coast of British Columbia … cause of death unknown. The population now stands at a precarious 84 whales.
These whales are protected under the Endangered Species Act -- but now the Obama Administration is considering whether or not to strip them of the vital protections they need to survive.
Removing protections now could push the orcas over the brink. We need your help to make sure that doesn't happen.
Please urge the Obama Administration to keep these iconic killer whales on the endangered species list where they belong.
The administration is inviting public comments on their review until April 25. That means we have just 10 days to mobilize the massive public support we need to compel the administration to make the right decision and save orcas.
These orcas, also known as Southern Resident killer whales, are known for their playful nature and charismatic intelligence. Much beloved in the region, they even hold cultural and spiritual significance for Pacific Northwest tribes.
The threat couldn't come at a worse time. The orcas are jeopardized by toxic pollution, underwater shipping noise and -- most importantly -- the near-disappearance of the Chinook salmon that make up almost 80% of their diet.
In May 2015, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) identified Southern Resident killer whales as one of eight species most likely to go extinct in the near future unless immediate action is taken. We must push the administration to do just that.
Adding insult to injury, the vast majority of the whales' home is not permanently protected, causing further strain on the region's salmon population and leaving the whales vulnerable to a host of industrial threats as they migrate down the Pacific Coast during the winter months. And without healthier salmon runs, the orcas will simply starve to death.
Tell the Obama Administration to do everything it can to permanently protect the orcas' coastal home and save these majestic whales from extinction.
There is hope. Since the beginning of 2015, 10 orca calves have been born -- the most in nearly 50 years. Tragically, two of them have already died.
The thought of giving up on them now is too cruel to even consider. Orcas will rebound if we give them a fighting chance -- but we must act now.
This
orca is one of 84 left in this rare population.
A
population of endangered wild orcas is now at risk of losing vital protection
they need to survive. Add your voice to save these magnificent whales today.
