The Born Free Foundation has asked Samantha Berg, former SeaWorld trainer and Blackfish cast member, for her views on the recent SeaWorld announcements. Click “Read More” below to read the full statement.[teaserbreak]
“SeaWorld’s decision to end orca breeding and stop the circus style shows at all three parks is a great first step on the road to ending cetacean captivity, not just in the United States but worldwide. I applaud CEO Joel Manby for listening to the concerns of his shareholders, guests, scientists, journalists, NGOs, and former trainers. It is heartening to see a change of sentiment towards more humane treatment of animals, and I hope that this first step will have a trend setting/ripple effect across all animal industries including zoos, aquariums, circuses, and the even in animal agriculture. The partnership created by SeaWorld and the Humane Society of the United States also holds promise for the future, and it gives me genuine hope to see two former adversaries willing to work together to create meaningful change in the marine mammal captivity industry.
Although I am grateful that there won’t be any more orcas in captivity in the United States, it’s important to point out what this change in SeaWorld’s killer whale policy does NOT do:
- The situation for SeaWorld’s current killer whales won’t change until SeaWorld is willing to consider retiring them (where appropriate) to ocean sanctuaries or sea pens.
- The decision does not affect other animals in SeaWorld’s breeding program such as dolphins, sea lions, and beluga whales, so SeaWorld can continue to breed these animals. Unfortunately, the overwhelming evidence is that other marine mammals—not just killer whales—suffer terribly in captivity, as well.
- This new policy does not put an end to any of the “swim with the animals” interaction programs which are also stressful for the animals. In fact, it appears that SeaWorld is planning to expand its “swim with” program, as it just announced plans to build a new facility in Texas, inside SeaWorld San Antonio.
In conclusion, while I am certainly pleased with SeaWorld’s latest announcement, there is still much work to do on the road to ending cetacean captivity worldwide.”
– Samantha Berg, former SeaWorld trainer and Blackfish cast member
In October 2013, Born Free Foundation, in collaboration with film distributors Dogwoof, FilmFreaks, and Karma Films, organized a film tour of the documentary Blackfish in eight European cities, in seven countries, in 20 days. Former SeaWorld trainer Samantha Berg joined the tour and provided her own personal insights into the care of whales and dolphins in captivity. View an interview with Samantha Berg at Born Free Foundation’s office.