SeaWorld has seen their share of troubles recently but this new ruling in the state of California is the latest problem to hit that organization. They have ruled that SeaWorld will no longer be permitted to breed captive orcas. This ruling comes down from the California Coastal Commission, who approved a $100 million expansion to the Orca tanks but said that they would not be able to breed the whales.
Interestingly, not everybody was happy with this decision. There were over 600 individuals who gathered, both to support Seaworld and to oppose them. Both sides were able to give speeches, but the ruling was against the breeding of those animals in captivity. In all of the other 49 states, it is still permitted to breed Orcas in captivity but the ruling also prohibits the trade, sale and transfer of captive whales. That means that the orcas which are currently kept in the San Diego SeaWorld location will be the last to come to California.
Those who support Seaworld and their activities claim that having the whales in captivity allows them to teach audiences about conservation and preservation of the orcas that live in the wild. They also claim that breeding is a natural part of the animal’s life and depriving it from doing so is inhumane.
On the heels of this new decision, the attendance at the park has slumped and profits are down.
