SeaWorld stock down by 24% - what does that mean?

[L&Lfan]

I saw Blackfish on CNN and that would never stop me from visiting Sea World. I've never gone because animals don't interest me although I WOULD enjoy their thrill rides. That's why Animal Kingdom is my least favorite Disney park too. I do think the dolphin and manatee tanks at Epcot are kind of depressing to see.

 

[sharadoc]

They are losing corporate sponsors - Southwest Airlines just pulled out because of the Blackfish documentary. That is a pretty big blow from a PR standpoint so I'm sure that's affecting the number.

http://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/seaworld-southwest-airlines-ending-partnership-n169756

I don't like Sea World or zoos. But especially I do not like to see any animal that is "trained" to do tricks for my entertainment. So I won't go there.

 

[ArwenMarie]

ITA with this. It makes my heart hurt when I think of those poor dolphins. Honestly, I'm hoping that Disney quietly relocates them in order to avoid the PR problems that Sea World is currently facing.

And ironically, Disney built the Living Seas to counter Sea World in that area of the business.

I think I saw somewhere (but I can't find it right now) that the dolphins are "off display" for a month? Or will be? Anyway, I hope that means a move to somewhere more appropriate is planned.

 

[ArwenMarie]

Found this in a Google search-

http://www.freethedisneydolphins.org/

Thanks for link.
I am going to write them a letter.

 

[RealBlast3]

For me, it's always a case by case basis when it comes to things like zoos and animal preserves. In certain cases, there is plenty of space for the animal to graze and be happy and they have replicated a reasonable facsimile of the animal's natural habitat, which in some cases, may have shrunk or been eradicated all together, so the animal preserve/zoo may be the only place to save an animal from extinction.

However, from all the research we know about killer whale orcas, and one can even ignore the documentary if you like, due to it's inaccuracies (which are negligible in my opinion but if the biases there bother you, you can get your information all over web from other sources), orcas just do not thrive in captivity at all. It is a very poor quality of life for them, and the conditions, such as rewarding their tricks with feeding, such as one does with dogs, has proven to be disastrous to their behavior and temperaments. (Orcas who turn on each other and viciously bite the newbie orcas who are struggling to learn the tricks, thus delaying the feeding for all) Orcas are just too intelligent and proud creatures to endure being given the "circus" treatment. Captivity does to them what pitbull and **** fights does to those animals, unfortunately. There has never been an orca attack in the wild, only in captivity.

Also, orcas mate for life and maintain their family unit for life as well. Seaworld has been deliberately deceptive about claims they preserve the family unit - they do an initial overture of keeping them somewhat together at first, but the family unit is soon separated.

Then there is the issue of the dorsal fin collapsing from captivity. This doesn't happen in the wild either.

While the orcas in captivity now cannot be safely returned to the wild and survive, there are things such as "sea pens" which would be a great alternative. It would be the equivalent of what we call "animal preserves" for land animals. The orcas would swim in a large, closed off ocean preserve but would still be cared for by humans. Seaworld has the money, if it wanted to, to do the right thing and make these sea pens available for their captive orcas and give them a semblance of a happy life, but of course it would mean the end to their orca "program" of tricks for $$$.

 

[lilpooh108]

While the orcas in captivity now cannot be safely returned to the wild and survive, there are things such as "sea pens" which would be a great alternative. It would be the equivalent of what we call "animal preserves" for land animals. The orcas would swim in a large, closed off ocean preserve but would still be cared for by humans. Seaworld has the money, if it wanted to, to do the right thing and make these sea pens available for their captive orcas and give them a semblance of a happy life, but of course it would mean the end to their orca "program" of tricks for $$$.

I think that the whole "trained animal trick for entertainment" thing (just like animal circuses) is really a thing of the past. Instead of being in denial, Seaworld should really expand the entertainment value (rides, shows) of its parks rather than try to rely on positive PR to keep the status quo.

I'd much rather give my money to aquariums that rescue and rehab animals for purposes of conservation than to give Seaworld my money for them to maintain the status quo.

With so many amazing theme-park entertainment options in Orlando, I'm not surprised that shareholders are losing confidence and leaving in droves. Maybe it will give Seaworld an impetus to look at why people are turned off and stop blaming "Blackfish" as a culprit. It really was all coming to a head anyway.

 

[hallie]

I just watched Blackfish for the first time and unless the change I'll never give Sea World another dime. I use to love Sea World, had annual passes for years. But after watching the documentary and hearing from all the former trainers & all the proven lies straight from Sea World, there's no way I can support them.

If you haven't seen it please take the time to watch, it was very eye opening. And for arguments sake even if only 1/4 of what was said is true(which I don't believe is the case), I'd still never step foot in the park again.

 

[Goddesstree]

I've worked with dolphins - they are very intelligent, social, and dangerous. So are humans.

One needs to realize that a toothed whale's natural habitat is huge and very three dimensional. The tiny tanks that most toothed whales are kept in are like keeping a human in a small bathroom.

I'm not surprised Sea World stock is dropping. Actually rather happy about it. I would also love for WDW to move their dolphins off site, to an oceanside rehab center to prep for release.

 

[Planogirl]

These companies aren't going to pay for pens and rehab centers. Those who are so opposed to these things should.

 

[RealBlast3]

These companies aren't going to pay for pens and rehab centers. Those who are so opposed to these things should.

I'm not sure I understand your logic and reasoning here...Seaworld went out and captured/kidnapped these beautiful creatures and is subjecting them to an inhumane lifestyle that is rife with injuries, depression, and shortened life spans and somehow it's someone else's responsibility to remedy the situation?

I believe in the end, it may take years, but the courts will eventually get involved and force Seaworld to do the right thing by these intelligent beings.

 

[Planogirl]

I'm not sure I understand your logic and reasoning here...Seaworld went out and captured/kidnapped these beautiful creatures and is subjecting them to an inhumane lifestyle that is rife with injuries, depression, and shortened life spans and somehow it's someone else's responsibility to remedy the situation?

I believe in the end, it may take years, but the courts will eventually get involved and force Seaworld to do the right thing by these intelligent beings.

Those creatures will likely be deceased by the time the courts would get involved and who knows what SeaWorld might do going forward?

I feel that corporations will do their best to avoid any expenditure that doesn't do them some good. Call this a negative view but I see it regularly. SeaWorld could decide that it would be good press at some point but I don't see that as likely. There are slews of charities and animal right organizations that will probably have to step up.

Disney luckily has less to deal with but I'm not holding my breath that they will do the "right thing" either.

 

[itchin2go]

I always wanted to visit SeaWorld on one of our Disney vacations. I always thought we would.

After seeing Blackfish, that's never gonna happen.

Everything about it bothered me, but the thing that bothered me the most was the "ponytail lie". If you watched it, you know what I'm talking about. The fact that the company would lie, blame a BLAMELESS woman who died a brutal death doing what SeaWorld told her to do, and stain her reputation, all so they could maintain the status quo ... it was just unspeakable to me.

If I had that reaction, and will never visit, you can bet others did too.

I can't help but worry that the poor orcas will suffer because of this. As poor as I think their lives are, SeaWorld has the incentive to invest $$$ in their care as long as they're "cash cows". When they're not money makers anymore, what will SeaWorld do?

 

[RealBlast3]

Well, Seaworld breeds them too, so they have Orcas of all ages, so orcas in captivity are not going anyway anytime soon.

Also, Seaworld likes to brag they no longer "capture" Orcas. No, not at all. They just buy them from unsavory international parks who do the capturing for them since it became illegal to capture them by the US. They are an organization that has no ethics and very little morals, I'm afraid - just look at their initial victim blaming when their trainer died, blaming her "ponytail" for her death.

 

[Planogirl]

Well, Seaworld breeds them too, so they have Orcas of all ages, so orcas in captivity are not going anyway anytime soon.

Also, Seaworld likes to brag they no longer "capture" Orcas. No, not at all. They just buy them from unsavory international parks who do the capturing for them since it became illegal to capture them by the US. They are an organization that has no ethics and very little morals, I'm afraid - just look at their initial victim blaming when their trainer died, blaming her "ponytail" for her death.

SeaWorld has quite a few defenders too and I suspect that somewhere in the middle of the two sides is the truth. I know that some good people work there and I also know that they have rescued animals. I don't necessarily agree with their orca program but I doubt that that will be resolved any time soon.

I would be in favor if they discontinued all tricks (except maybe the dogs, dogs seem to enjoy that and I wonder about the sea lions ) and somehow found a way to move Orcas to the oceans. I have nothing against zoos but I want good habitats and otherwise they can work on rides and such things.

 

[wdw4rfam]

For me I'm hoping it means shorter lines next month when we go

 

[TrulyMadlyDisney]

For me I'm hoping it means shorter lines next month when we go

me too

 

[RubySue]

Before "Blackfish", there was the documentary "The Cove" about the killing of dolphins in Japan. That's where I found out that the entertainment sea parks buy their dolphins there before the slaughter. They usually pick young females and separate them from their family groups.

I also read that the EPCOT dolphins have been removed from display and there is some conjecture that they won't be returning. I don't know if that's true and can't find the link right now.

 

[MillauFr]

I don't necessarily agree with their orca program but I doubt that that will be resolved any time soon.

It will be resolved when the company realizes that it is hurting their business and ends the program.

 

[HollyL]

I agree it is probably the documentary - after we saw it DD (age 14) declared we would never ever go there again.

Your daughter sounds like a very smart and compassionate young lady. As the younger generation is becoming more educated on the cruelty of places such as Sea World, I think places like that will be phased out, and 50 years from now, they will be seen as a crazy barbaric part of American history.

Even my 6 year old son knows that orcas belong in the ocean with their families, and that Sea World is wrong.

Our next vacation will be to the Pacific Northwest to see orcas where they belong.

 

[HollyL]

For me, it's always a case by case basis when it comes to things like zoos and animal preserves. In certain cases, there is plenty of space for the animal to graze and be happy and they have replicated a reasonable facsimile of the animal's natural habitat, which in some cases, may have shrunk or been eradicated all together, so the animal preserve/zoo may be the only place to save an animal from extinction.

However, from all the research we know about killer whale orcas, and one can even ignore the documentary if you like, due to it's inaccuracies (which are negligible in my opinion but if the biases there bother you, you can get your information all over web from other sources), orcas just do not thrive in captivity at all. It is a very poor quality of life for them, and the conditions, such as rewarding their tricks with feeding, such as one does with dogs, has proven to be disastrous to their behavior and temperaments. (Orcas who turn on each other and viciously bite the newbie orcas who are struggling to learn the tricks, thus delaying the feeding for all) Orcas are just too intelligent and proud creatures to endure being given the "circus" treatment. Captivity does to them what pitbull and **** fights does to those animals, unfortunately. There has never been an orca attack in the wild, only in captivity.

Also, orcas mate for life and maintain their family unit for life as well. Seaworld has been deliberately deceptive about claims they preserve the family unit - they do an initial overture of keeping them somewhat together at first, but the family unit is soon separated.

Then there is the issue of the dorsal fin collapsing from captivity. This doesn't happen in the wild either.

While the orcas in captivity now cannot be safely returned to the wild and survive, there are things such as "sea pens" which would be a great alternative. It would be the equivalent of what we call "animal preserves" for land animals. The orcas would swim in a large, closed off ocean preserve but would still be cared for by humans. Seaworld has the money, if it wanted to, to do the right thing and make these sea pens available for their captive orcas and give them a semblance of a happy life, but of course it would mean the end to their orca "program" of tricks for $$$.

well said, I agree 100%.