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Credit: SeaWorldAnimal rights group PETA has exposed two incidents of animal and trainer injuries at SeaWorld Orlando.
Orlando is home to the second of three (soon to be four with the opening of SeaWorld Abu Dhabi) SeaWorld Resorts worldwide. Opened in 1973, it’s seen its fair share of ups and downs over the years. While it saw record-breaking revenue in 2022, it’s also faced big backlash from animal rights activists thanks to its captivity of killer whales and other marine animals.
Numerous incidents over the years haven’t helped SeaWorld’s case. Tilikum – the killer whale at the heart of the controversial documentary Blackfish (2013) – is its most infamous resident, causing two deaths during his time at SeaWorld Orlando.
There have also been cases of animals attacking other animals, with onlookers watching as a dolphin pod targeted and attacked a single dolphin in November.
Now PETA has exposed new incidents within the Park. According to a USDA report uncovered by the animal rights organization, a 25-year-old dolphin named Rascal received serious injuries a month before the previous attack after being targeted by other dolphins in its enclosure in October 2022.
The dolphins repeatedly raked Rascal with their teeth, leaving him with scrape marks, bleeding, and scarring across 30% of his body.
A separate incident – discovered via a report from OSHA – occurred in June when a trainer was cleaning the inside of an orca’s mouth. During the routine clean, the orca bit the trainer’s hand, causing several bone fractures.
“Both reports offer a glimpse into the aggression that marine mammal experts believe to be caused by the enormous stress and deep frustration that cetaceans endure at the facility,” said PETA.
The organization has repeatedly called for SeaWorld to relocate its creatures to sea pens, similar to an endeavor planned for Miami Seaquarium’s killer whale Lolita.
But while there’s a serious conversation around the ethics of keeping dolphins, killer whales, and other marine animals in captivity, there’s also an equally important conversation about whether freeing them is the right course of action.
The fate of Keiko, the orca of Free Willy (1993) fame, serves as a cautionary tale for reintroducing animals back into the ocean – and introduces a whole new layer to the debate of what’s truly best for their wellbeing. A group of former trainers and veterinarians are currently fighting against the decision to free Lolita (also known as Tokitae), launching a petition under the name “Truth 4 Toki” and instead pushing for her relocation to SeaWorld Orlando.