SeaWorld: Top news
On November 15, the Washington Post editorial board published a piece titled “SeaWorld’s Whales Still Deserve Better”. The authors argue that just as the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus had to come to grips with the reality that dressing up elephants and forcing them to stand on their heads was a callous holdover of another age, SeaWorld should recognize the need for new thinking and bold action. The whales now in captivity are unlikely to survive in the wild, but sanctuaries could be created that would better emulate conditions of their natural habitat. The existing tanks would be put to far better use accommodating the injured animals that are a part of SeaWorld’s admirable rescue efforts. Since breeding orcas only consigns future generations to captivity and its inherent cruelty, SeaWorld should voluntarily end the practice.
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Georgia Aquarium announced on November 17th that they will not appeal the case of the import of 18 beluga whales from Russia. This puts an end to their efforts to seek an import permit.
Our coalition, which includes Earth Island Institute’s International Marine Mammal Project, Animal Welfare Institute, Whale & Dolphin Conservation, and Cetacean Society International, had intervened in the case as defendants in support of NMFS, which denied Georgia Aquarium’s import permit application.
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“SeaWorld fully intends to continue forced breeding of orcas in captivity,” says David Phillips, Director of the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute. “They will continue to keep orcas in concrete tanks with no intention of retirement or release. They intend to continue to import and export orcas to other captive facilities.”
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Headlines proclaiming that SeaWorld is ending it's shows were misleading - they are ending "theatrical" shows, and replacing them with new shows.
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Mark J. Palmer, Associate Director of the Earth Island Institute's International Marine Mammal Project, testifies to the California Coastal Commission against SeaWorld San Diego's proposed Blue World project.
Palmer encouraged the development of rehabilitation and release facilities, pointing out that there exist good candidates for release at SeaWorld. One such candidate is the orca Corky, whom was stolen from the Pacific Northwest population. A banner for Corky was presented to the commission with help from Michael Reppy, who also presented later in the day.
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Dr. Ingrid Visser flew all the way from New Zealand to make a presentation to the California Coastal Commission regarding SeaWorld's proposed Blue World Project. She was the first speaker to address the issues following a presentation by SeaWorld representatives.
Dr. Visser, who has extensive experience with studying orcas in the wild, made compelling comparisons between wild individuals and those in SeaWorld's tanks, illustrating how damaging captivity is for these wide-ranging beings.
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For many years, Sara Wan was a member and the chairperson of the California Coastal Commission. So, what she had to say to the Commission carried with it extra weight.
Luckily for the captive orcas of SeaWorld, Sara was on their side!
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Everyone wants to know what will SeaWorld do now that their tank expansion plan can only happen if orca breeding ends. Here is a review of some of their options.
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In a stunning victory, the California Coastal Commission conditioned SeaWorld San Diego’s expansion of orca tanks (called by SeaWorld the “Blue World Project”) on SeaWorld ending breeding or moving captive orcas into California, effectively telling SeaWorld to phase out captive orcas.
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The Latest on Earth Island Institute's SeaWorld Lawsuit
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Campaign Top News
- International Marine Mammal Project >
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From pushing for sanctuaries for Wikie & Keijo and 30 beluga whales, to opposing attempts to gut the Endangered Species and Marine Mammal Protection Acts, to protecting wetlands in the Barataria basin, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a great deal in 2025 for whales and dolphins.
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What is it like being a student intern at the International Marine Mammal Project? An internship can be life-changing for a student. Our intern Jillian talks about her experience with IMMP.
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From battling the whaling industry in Japan and Iceland, to exposing the continued slaughter of dolphins in Taiji, Japan, to saving the lives of tens of thousands of dolphins annually through Dolphin Safe tuna, the International Marine Mammal Project has accomplished a lot in 2024.
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- Save Japan Dolphins >
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The Taiji dolphin drive hunts have again ended, killing hundreds of dolphins for meat after removing "show quality" animals for a miserable life in captivity. Numbers were slightly higher this year for slaughter, although historically low compared to recent years.
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Three species of dolphins have been captured and slaughtered over the past month as the bloody Taiji dolphin drive hunts continue. Most of the dolphins you see in these photos are now dead. The hunts end on March 1st, but six months later, they will begin again.
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A former dolphin trainer explains the damage done by dolphin and small whale captures in Taiji, Japan. Learn the facts about how the aquarium industry sources wild dolphins for a lifetime of misery in small concrete tanks.
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- Dolphin + Whale Project >
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Sadly, Iceland is back in the whaling business. A number of endangered fin whales have been slaughtered recently, with the meat being prepared for export to Japan. Read about the efforts to end whaling by activists in Iceland.
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While Congress is in recess for the 4th of July, now is a good time to contact their offices to express your concerns for whales and our oceans. Here are THREE quick actions you can take this summer for whales!
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A funny thing happened to the Trump administration last Friday: No major oil companies bothered to bid for oil drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. Enviros, including IMMP, had urged oil companies to avoid the lease sale.
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- Keiko Whale Rescue >
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Like most cetaceans, beluga whales do poorly in captivity. Many are now kept in aquariums around the world -- some get stranded once the aquarium or park goes broke and shuts down. Learn about the beluga whale, and why it is a bad idea to keep them in small concrete tanks.
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We are deeply saddened at the death of orca whale Tokitae. Calls for her release were denied for decades and it’s shameful that she never got a chance to go home.
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30 years ago, the movie "Free Willy" was a huge hit. The plight of its orca star, Keiko, touched the public along with the moving story. Read how the International Marine Mammal Project took that spark of concern and returned Keiko to his home waters. SeaWorld and other captive dolphin parks would never be the same!
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- Dolphin Safe Fishing >
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The US is now the biggest importer of seafood in the world, but the sustainability of many of the fisheries involved is highly questionable. The experience with the Dolphin Safe tuna label can help form better monitoring and protection for fish populations, as well as protect non-target species like marine mammals.
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Every year, we estimate that the Dolphin Safe label on tuna cans saves the lives of 90,000 dolphins annually in the Eastern Tropical Pacific Ocean, and many more in other oceans of the world. You, as a consumer, should know how the Dolphin Safe label works to protect dolphins in global tuna fisheries.
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A new Marine Mammal Protection Act has been proposed for the Philippines, with strong support from our IMMP Philippines office, with the support of Representative Co. Read about this new legislation to protect endangered species like the Irrawaddy dolphin and other Filipino whales and dolphins.
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- Freeing Orca Whales from Captivity >
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Thirty belugas in a closed park in Canada are scheduled to be sent to five aquariums in the US and Spain. IMMP is demanding a better review of their health before moving them and a ban on breeding them in captivity. Read our letter.
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The orcas Wikie and her son Keijo are still trapped in Marineland in France. Marineland wants the orcas to go to Loro Parque Zoo, an aquarium in Spain with one of the worst records of captive orca deaths. IMMP is urging the French government to instead retire Wikie and Keijo to a seaside sanctuary in Nova Scotia.
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Captivity in small concrete aquarium tanks is hard and often fatal for whales and dolphins. Dr. Lori Marino and her colleagues have laid out the issues for cetaceans in captivity in a new scientific article, building a powerful scientific case for ending captivity for whales and dolphins.
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- Freeing Wikie & Keijo >