SeaWorld to stop breeding killer whales

Yahoo – AFP, Kerry Sheridan, 17 March 2016

SeaWorld currently has seven orcas in Orlando, Florida; five in San Antonio,

Texas; and 11 in San Diego, California (AFP Photo/Gerardo Mora)

Miami (AFP) - Marine theme-park giant SeaWorld announced Thursday it will stop breeding orcas, also known as killer whales, and will no longer keep any of the giant sea creatures in captivity after its current generation dies.

The park and popular tourist destination has faced criticism from animal rights groups over its treatment of orcas, which opponents say are kept in tanks that are too small, fed improper diets and forced to perform tricks.

"The killer whales in our care will be the last at SeaWorld," said a company statement.

"Tilikum" appears during a performance at Sea 

World on March 30, 2011 in Orlando, Florida (AFP

Photo/Gerardo Mora)

"We haven't taken a whale from the wild in nearly 40 years. Now, we're going further and will end our orca breeding programs as of today."

SeaWorld currently has seven orcas in Orlando, Florida; five in San Antonio, Texas; and 11 in San Diego, California.

The animals range in age from one to 51. SeaWorld also has one orca that is currently pregnant.

Another, Tilikum, who drowned his US trainer during a live show in 2010, is severely ill due to a bacterial infection.

As part of deal struck with The Humane Society of the United States, SeaWorld pledged to donate $50 million over the next five years for the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals and on advocacy campaigns.

'Most beloved'

Wayne Pacelle, president and CEO of the HSUS, called the move "a major boost to our movement in helping marine animals in crisis."

SeaWorld also said any new parks opened around the world would not contain orcas, and that "new, inspiring and natural orca encounters" would be introduced instead of theatrical acts with the animals.

The changes will begin in San Diego next year, followed by San Antonio and Orlando in 2019, SeaWorld said.

"SeaWorld has introduced more than 400 million guests to orcas, and we are proud of our part in contributing to the human understanding of these animals," said Joel Manby, president and chief executive officer of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc.

"We've helped make orcas among the most beloved marine mammals on the planet. As society's understanding of orcas continues to change, SeaWorld is changing with it."

"By making this the last generation of orcas in our care and reimagining how guests will experience these beautiful animals, we are fulfilling our mission of providing visitors to our parks with experiences that matter."

The 2013 documentary "Blackfish" depicted the harms inflicted on orcas in captivity.

SeaWorld disputed the allegations, saying the film "relies on animal rights activists masquerading as scientists."

People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, which has been a vocal opponent of SeaWorld's treatment of marine animals, welcomed the decision.

"PETA has campaigned hard & today there's a pay off for future generations of orcas," the group said on Twitter.

California congressman Adam Schiff, a Democrat, called on lawmakers to "now pass the ORCA Act to make these changes permanent across the country, not just at SeaWorld, but in all parks."

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Kryon Q&A

Question: Dear Kryon: I was wondering about the way I feel about whales and dolphins. I've had a feeling that I have to go to them sometime, but I don't know how or what I'm to do when I get there. Please help.

Question: Dear Kryon: I'm a Turkish/Islam woman of 57. I live in Ankara and work for the European Commission's project in Turkey. I've read almost all of the Kryon books twice, and I'm planning to read them once more. My question is about the whales. Why do they commit mass suicide? What is the reason for this very sad event? Is it a kind of protest against Human Beings?

Answer: Dear ones, we've channelled many times about the whales of this planet. In review, they're the living portions of an actual grid-system! They contain the "history of Earth" within their beings, and they're sacred for that reason. They coordinate and cooperate with the crystalline grid of your planet, which is currently being rewritten (see Kryon channelling on the Website: "What's Next?" December 8, 2002). Doesn't it strike you odd that these mammals are the only ones protected against hunting by more than 90 percent of the countries of Earth... even the places without oceans? Do you think that this is an accident or a coincidence? No. It's cellular information for all humanity to protect the whales and keep them safe. Dolphins are their cousins and support group, and they play a role in the whales' development. This is why you're so attracted to them.

Whales do not commit mass suicide. They have no consciousness to allow for this, and it has never happened. Instead, you see whales often beaching themselves and then being saved by Humans, only to re-beach themselves and die. This takes place mostly on the coastlines of your continents, and often on those areas of topography that "stick out," such as a peninsula or isthmus. Your Cape Cod is a good example in America, and is also a place where this has recently happened (up to 47 whales on a beach).

The reason is that whales, dolphins, amphibians, birds, and even insects all navigate to their breeding ground or migration areas each year via the magnetic grid of the planet! Each group follows the ley lines of magnetic influence, almost as if they had a built-in compass. In fact, they actually do!

The magnetic grid of this planet has changed so much, so quickly, as we told you it would in 1989, that there hasn't been time for the pods of whales to adjust with time to these changes. Instead, many simply follow the old magnetic lines of migration, only to find themselves on a beach instead of the open ocean, as the old magnetic direction used to take them. They're confused, and they simply line up and try again, just as they have for years. These things are temporary, and as tragic as you might see them, it's all part of "pruning" the system, and the calves will go around in the future, establishing new instinctive information for the new whales regarding the grid changes. This information has even now been validated this year (2003) by your scientists.