Credit: u/ICallLagFears of animals being abused at some of the world’s largest theme parks are coming to light, and guests are worried about the safety of these creatures.
Animal treatment at theme parks has become an ongoing topic of conversation recently, with many animals used for theme park entertainment and safety questioned.
This has happened the most at water-based theme parks such as SeaWorld and Marineland, but reports are also surfacing for major parks like Walt Disney World.
The 2013 documentary Blackfish sparked a major conversation about animal welfare in theme parks. It centered on Tilikum, an orca whale housed at SeaWorld, and the controversies surrounding captive orcas. The film exposed the potential psychological toll captivity takes on these intelligent creatures, highlighting Tilikum’s involvement in several trainer deaths.
Blackfish challenged the rosy portrayal of orcas in shows, instead focusing on the orcas’ complex social structures and the stress of confinement in tanks. This documentary wasn’t alone. Growing public awareness of animal captivity, along with incidents involving other animals in theme parks, has pushed animal safety to the forefront. People are questioning the ethics of keeping large, intelligent creatures in environments far from their natural habitat, and demanding better living conditions for these animals.
In 2014, a beluga whale trainer at Marineland in Canada was filmed riding on the back of a beluga whale during a live performance. This act was widely condemned by animal rights groups as exploitative and disrespectful to the animal. The trainer was fired, and the park faced public backlash for allowing such treatment. The theme park has actually had several documentaries made about it, including Marineland Animal Defense (MAD), which is an advocacy group focused on animal welfare issues in Marineland, Canada. MAD has produced several videos and documentaries highlighting alleged animal abuse and neglect in Marineland, Canada, including footage of poor living conditions for marine mammals, inadequate veterinary care, and concerns about animal welfare standards.
Most recently, worries have arisen regarding the safety of animals at Walt Disney World.
While service dogs are not under the control of Disney, we shared a recent story of guests noticing a service dog being treated poorly, with its paws being run over. It appears that there was no cast member who intervened on the poor treatment, however, they may not have seen what was going on. Guests with service animals do not need paperwork to bring their pets to the theme parks, but based on recent findings, it seems that guests would like to see Disney a little more strict on those rules.
We also covered an incident in which a child was trying to kill the infamous Disney ducks, which are the ducks that like to trot around the parks.
Additionally, the IDA (In Defense of Animals) rates Disney’s Animal Kingdom In Orlando, Florida, as number 10 among the worst zoos for elephants. This happened after Mayo and her unborn calf died from birth complications due to being shipped to another elephant center. Then, a 10-year-old male elephant named Tufani died of improper treatment for salmonella infection.
It was also reported that Disney was convicted of 16 animal cruelty charges. On top of that, there are multiple reports of animal abuse from animals in Disney films such as Eight Below and The Chronicles of Narnia.
That being said, Disney Animal Kingdom is accredited by the AZA (Association of Zoos and Aquariums), which speaks very highly of its standard of care for the animals.
Disney strives to be a leader in animal conservation. Their dedication goes beyond the theme parks, with a dedicated arm called Animals, Science, and Environment (ASE) working to protect endangered species in the wild. ASE collaborates with scientists and local communities around the world on crucial projects.
These include rescuing injured animals, rehabilitating them, and even reintroducing them back to their natural habitats. Disney understands the power of education and inspiration. Their parks are filled with educational programs and signage to raise awareness about animal conservation. They use storytelling through movies, documentaries, and even character interactions to spark a love for animals in parkgoers.
But what about the animals living within the parks themselves?
Disney emphasizes high animal welfare standards. Their enclosures are meticulously designed to mimic natural habitats, offering the animals plenty of space, hiding spots, and enrichment activities to keep them stimulated. Experienced animal care teams, including vets, behaviorists, and nutritionists, are on staff to provide specialized care for each species. Disney has top-notch veterinary facilities on-site, ensuring any animal receives prompt medical attention if needed.
Not every animal is suited for a park environment, so Disney carefully selects species that can thrive in managed care settings. While Disney doesn’t reveal every detail about animal care, it is becoming more transparent. Annual reports detail its conservation efforts, select guests are offered behind-the-scenes tours of animal care facilities, and collaboration with external animal welfare experts is ongoing.
However, Disney still faces criticism.
The ethics of keeping animals in captivity and the potential stress of shows and interactions remain a point of discussion.
Do you think that theme parks and companies need to do a better job when utilizing animals for entertainment?