Great news: SeaWorld has just reported their worst quarter earnings since the company went public in 2013. The "controversial aquatic theme park", as the Guardian calls it, reported that its third quarter income has fallen from $98m to only $66m, and attendance has been down as well. Investors are furious, while animal advocates around the world smile.
"Thanks to public pressure, SeaWorld realizes that it must change with the times as they attempt to build new attractions to hide their industry’s cruelty towards marine mammals," says IMMP's Katherine Hanly. "But the company is failing at every step and will continue to do so until the parks are empty of every last captive orca and dolphin."
Despite the recent law passed in California that outlaws orca breeding, the SeaWorld San Diego location currently holds 11 orcas captive. Given the lifespans of orcas, shortened as they are in captivity, SeaWorld will continue to display the whales possibly for decades to come. They continue to reject the idea of sending them to seaside sanctuaries. The company is also doubling down on dolphin entertainment, despite the fact that all species of cetacean suffer terribly in captivity.
"The numbers don't lie - clearly, the public is not being fooled by SeaWorld any longer," notes Hanly. "Its time for SeaWorld get out of the animal exploitation business and explore alternatives as their only hope of surviving as a company."
For the full article on the Guardian, click here.
Photo credit Mike Blake/Reuters.
