Facing mounting outrage sparked by the ‘Blackfish’ film exposé, SeaWorld San Diego will be terminating its brutal orca shows.
The 2013 docudrama revealed the depth of animal cruelty inflicted on the theme-park chain’s captive whales, which includes food deprivation, oppressive and sometimes solitary confinements, and stealing babies from their mothers.
#Blackfish also helped shed light on the emotional stresses behind some of the most vicious orca assaults on SeaWorld’s trainers -- most which occurred while audiences looked on and were even filmed in progress.
In 2010, expert handler Dawn Brancheau was murdered by an enormous male orca when he suddenly snapped at the close of their live performance.
Tilikum not only intentionally drowned his victim in that attack, but scalped and dismembered her as well, actively preventing other trainers from rescuing Brancheau or retrieving her body intact.
It was just one of many violent outbursts by this profoundly abused animal that SeaWorld conspired to hide from the public, and which the company further forbid its own employees from knowing or talking about.
Leaked footage of the event showed the performing orca had become confused and agitated when -- in the course of his routine -- he realized that Brancheau’s bucket of fish treats was empty.
Tilikum dutifully completed his ‘Shamu’ act regardless. Then, when she turned her back on him, retaliated for not being properly rewarded.
SeaWorld has about a dozen marine parks in the U.S. alone, but their spokespeople said the San Diego facility is the only one where whale shows will be “phased out” by 2016.
The captive creatures there won’t actually be liberated though, warn animal rights activists. Which sadly means this week’s long awaited announcement is only a partial victory.
