Jessica Biel Wants Freedom for SeaWorld’s Orcas

SeaWorld held its first annual meeting for shareholders on June 11, and it wasn’t even in-person. The marine park was too timid for that, and decided to hold the meeting online. It was a Q & A session that gave shareholders the chance to ask questions, in which, actress Jessica Biel — on behalf of PETA — asked this question:

“With the release of the documentary Blackfish and PETA’s educational campaign, the public now knows about the devastating effects of keeping orcas captive and closely confined at SeaWorld. Frustrated orcas like Tilikum have worn their teeth down to the nubs by chewing on their enclosures, their dorsal fins collapse, and they die prematurely, reject their young, and harm and kill humans. SeaWorld then tries to mask the orcas’psychosis with psychotropic drugs. As the public hears about this, ticket sales decline. When will SeaWorld develop a plan to move the orcas to a sea pen in a natural setting in line with public opinion?”

Not surprisingly, Jim Atchison, president and CEO of SeaWorld, didn’t even read the entire question verbatim. Atchison did, however, answer with the same mumbo jumbo, PR-driven reply that SeaWorld always relies on to answer Biel’s question.

When SeaWorld can’t even read an entire question, and decides to censor it for its other shareholders online, you know sometimes not right.

Last year, PETA purchased stocks from the company with the sole purpose of having the right to attend such meetings. PETA suggested a resolution to transfer the company’s orcas to sanctuaries earlier this year. Turns out, SeaWorld found a way around this and the proposition didn’t even make it onto SeaWorld’s ballot.

When will SeaWorld finally listen to consumer demands? We want orcas free. Is that too much to ask?

Image source: Maggie/Flickr