SeaWorld known as accusations it bred “Jurassic World”-style orcas a wild fish story, in keeping with reviews.
The denial follows claims from former SeaWorld orca coach John Hargrove the theme park mated subspecies of killer whales that may by no means meet within the wild in its since-shuttered breeding program, he instructed The Solar.
Hargrove spent 20 years working at SeaWorld and performed a distinguished position in he 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” which explored a collection of deaths brought on by Tilikum — one of many park’s most famed captive orca.
He instructed the newspaper that it was like “Jurassic World,” a reference to this summer time’s blockbuster movie that includes “hybrid dinosaurs.”
“That's precisely what we did at SeaWorld,” Hargrove stated. “[…]The principle takeaway with making a hybrid orca is that you just actually don't know what you’ve created as a result of they don’t exist in nature. So all issues are potential,” he instructed the paper.
He stated the plan to create super-sized whales was hatched in an effort to spice up attendance at its theme parks.
SeaWorld denied Hargrove’s claims.
“There may be nothing new in these claims. The wild characterizations from this former worker – who has not labored at SeaWorld in any capability for 10 years – are designed to get clicks, not talk information or science,” a SeaWorld rep instructed Newsweek.
The theme park ended its orca breeding program in March 2016.
“SeaWorld is independently accredited, reviewed, and authorized by each federal wildlife companies and unbiased third-party consultants to uphold the very best requirements of animal care,” the rep stated. “A lot of what the world is aware of about killer whales immediately is due to what has been realized by means of almost 60 years of care and examine of orcas in accredited zoological services resembling SeaWorld. “
The corporate didn't return requests for remark to The Put up.
SeaWorld’s captive killer whales have been a controversial matter amongst animal rights activists for years. At SeaWorld, the orcas carried out in theatrical reveals till 2017.
4 folks have been killed by whales on the park. Tilikum, who lived at SeaWorld’s Orlando-based park, was chargeable for three of them.
In “Blackfish,” Hargrove and different former trainers spoke out about how captive orcas endure psychological injury and trauma, resulting in aggression. An outspoken advocate, Hargrove additionally wrote a ebook known as “Beneath the Floor,” which detailed his time on the park and the way he believed it was unsafe it was to maintain the whales in captivity.
SeaWorld has beforehand denied Hargrove’s claims, including that in 2015, the coach left his job after he was disciplined for a security violation.
In the meantime, animal welfare teams proceed to scrutinize SeaWorld and different locations that hold orcas in captivity.
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