Credit: Leon7, Wikimedia CommonsSeaWorld San Diego has been condemned by those linking its fireworks to a surge in animal deaths.
Theme parks don’t get much more controversial than SeaWorld. The marine park – which has three U.S. locations in San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio – has long been marred by criticism over its use of captive marine mammals, especially dolphins and killer whales.
The park’s reputation took the biggest hit after the release of the documentary Blackfish (2013). This sharply criticized SeaWorld’s practices of capturing and housing orcas.
The film highlighted incidents of aggression by orcas towards trainers (particularly Tilikum, who was responsible for the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando in February 2010), raising questions about the ethics and safety of keeping such intelligent and social creatures in captivity.
Post-Blackfish, SeaWorld has faced a decline in attendance and revenue. Animal rights activists and organizations intensified their calls for SeaWorld to end its orca breeding program and phase out theatrical shows featuring these animals. The controversy not only sparked protests and legal challenges but also prompted changes in SeaWorld’s strategic direction.
In response to mounting pressure and changing public sentiment, SeaWorld announced in 2016 that it would end its orca breeding program and phase out its theatrical orca shows. The company has since started adding more thrill rides to its parks, as well as ramping up the promotion of its conservation efforts and rehabilitation programs for marine animals, particularly manatees in Florida and sea lions in San Diego.
But that doesn’t mean SeaWord is totally without criticism today. This week, SeaWorld San Diego – which debuted its newest roller coaster, Arctic Rescue, in 2023 – was condemned by The San Diego Audubon Society over its repeated use of fireworks.
As per Voice of San Diego, the group is requesting that the California Coastal Commission revoke SeaWorld San Diego’s fireworks permit through most of the breeding season due to an increase in bird deaths in the area.
The group claims that a significant number of dead unborn, chick and adult elegant terns – a breed primarily found on the Pacific coast and defined as “near threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature – washed ashore at the Kendall-Frost Marsh Reserve, a mere few days after SeaWorld San Diego and Discover Mission Bay detonated over 500 pounds of pyrotechnics for the Fourth of July.
“It seems like the adult terns and chicks got scared off the island,” said Andrew Meyer, director of conservation for the San Diego Audubon Society. “And when chicks get scared, not being good flyers, they run in groups and probably pushed many eggs into the water.”
The San Diego Audubon Society reportedly sent a letter to the California Coastal Commission with their complaints, complete with images of the birds that were allegedly flying over the island during the fireworks, plus photos of the “panic flights of huge flocks of terns of 5,000-7,000 flying around during and after the show notably on July 4,” and the carcasses found after the event.
While Discover Mission Bay hosted its fireworks display on July 3, SeaWorld San Diego – which is home to killer whales (including Corky II, the oldest orca in captivity), dolphins, beluga whales, and a host of other marine animals – hosted its own 20-minute display on July 4.
This is just one show hosted by the Southern California park over the summer months. While it may not host daily fireworks shows all year round like Walt Disney World Resort, SeaWorld San Diego currently hosts Enchanted Wonders Fireworks nightly through August 11 as a part of its Summer Spectacular.
The show is also accompanied by a celebratory video celebrating 60 years of SeaWorld for those who watch it from the seating at Orca Encounter.
“We’re concerned with the high frequency of the excessive 150 fireworks shows during spring and summer coinciding with seabird breeding and the proximity of the shows to seabird breeding colonies,” the letter reads.
Tracy Spahr, a spokesperson for SeaWorld San Diego, issued a statement to Voice of San Diego about the criticism. “As one of the largest animal rescue organizations in the world, SeaWorld’s mission is to help, protect, and care for animals,” Spahr wrote, insisting that the park’s fireworks displays are monitored and regulated by multiple government agencies, including the Coastal Commission.
SeaWorld San Diego isn’t the only SeaWorld park embroiled in controversy over the Fourth of July. Further east, SeaWorld Orlando was criticized by guests for its restrictive “no re-entry” policy.
This policy meant that even if you bought a ticket for the day, leaving for a break at your hotel or to grab lunch outside the park would result in being denied re-entry. The park even posted signage warning guests to follow the policy. “Welcome to SeaWorld,” the sign read. “Please don’t make us trespass you today.”
Recently, SeaWorld San Diego also made headlines after mother Salina Higgins claimed that her 10-year-old daughter’s ride harness “malfunctioned” and that her family was escorted out of the theme park after complaining.
The incident occurred on the park’s Electric Eeel roller coaster, which reaches a height of 150 feet. However, park officials have insisted that “the ‘harness’ this family is referencing is called a ‘comfort collar,’ which is intended for the rider’s comfort and is not a restraining device.”
Do you think fireworks should be allowed in San Diego, considering the nearby wildlife?