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| Jean-Michel Cousteau: SeaWorld should set captive orcas free | Jean-Michel Cousteau: SeaWorld should set captive orcas free |
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| Oceanographic explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau has called on SeaWorld to release its captive orcas. | Oceanographic explorer Jean-Michel Cousteau has called on SeaWorld to release its captive orcas. |
| Cousteau’s intervention comes just one month after the embattled theme park company announced it would stop its program of orca breeding in captivity, but would not completely release the animals. | Cousteau’s intervention comes just one month after the embattled theme park company announced it would stop its program of orca breeding in captivity, but would not completely release the animals. |
| At a press conference hosted by the anti-animal cruelty charity Peta on Wednesday, Cousteau said that by releasing its captive orcas, Sea World could be “a leader in showing the rest of the world, where there are other captive orcas, that they can do the same thing”. | At a press conference hosted by the anti-animal cruelty charity Peta on Wednesday, Cousteau said that by releasing its captive orcas, Sea World could be “a leader in showing the rest of the world, where there are other captive orcas, that they can do the same thing”. |
| Cousteau, whose father Jacques was a renowned oceanographer, founded the environmental group Ocean Future Society. On Wednesday, he spoke about how captive orcas could, and should, be safely reintroduced into the wild. | Cousteau, whose father Jacques was a renowned oceanographer, founded the environmental group Ocean Future Society. On Wednesday, he spoke about how captive orcas could, and should, be safely reintroduced into the wild. |
| SeaWorld, however, has said its orcas will remain in captivity until they die because releasing them would likely kill them. “These orcas have never lived in the wild and could not survive in oceans that include environmental concerns such as pollution and other manmade threats,” the company said on its website. | SeaWorld, however, has said its orcas will remain in captivity until they die because releasing them would likely kill them. “These orcas have never lived in the wild and could not survive in oceans that include environmental concerns such as pollution and other manmade threats,” the company said on its website. |
| The last time SeaWorld obtained an orca from the wild was almost 40 years ago, the company said. | The last time SeaWorld obtained an orca from the wild was almost 40 years ago, the company said. |
| Cousteau indirectly challenged a claim by Joel Manby, president and CEO of SeaWorld, that no orca or dolphin born in captivity has survived release into the wild. In a Los Angeles Times op-ed last month, Manby said the introduction of Keiko, the whale from Free Willy, into the wild “was a failure”. | Cousteau indirectly challenged a claim by Joel Manby, president and CEO of SeaWorld, that no orca or dolphin born in captivity has survived release into the wild. In a Los Angeles Times op-ed last month, Manby said the introduction of Keiko, the whale from Free Willy, into the wild “was a failure”. |
| But Cousteau said he watched Keiko live a happy life in the wild for five years before he died, proof that releasing captive animals is the best thing for their health. “They need to be released and put back into a place where we can keep an eye on them and they can reconnect with nature,” Cousteau said. | But Cousteau said he watched Keiko live a happy life in the wild for five years before he died, proof that releasing captive animals is the best thing for their health. “They need to be released and put back into a place where we can keep an eye on them and they can reconnect with nature,” Cousteau said. |
| And if SeaWorld is concerned about how releasing orcas could impact its business, Cousteau suggested their theme parks could instead be turned into education centers about marine life and animals, using data pulled from seaside marine centers that monitor the theme park’s former inhabitants. | And if SeaWorld is concerned about how releasing orcas could impact its business, Cousteau suggested their theme parks could instead be turned into education centers about marine life and animals, using data pulled from seaside marine centers that monitor the theme park’s former inhabitants. |
| “It would be a win-win for – of course for all the captive marine animals, particularly dolphins and whales – to be put back there,” Cousteau said. “It would be a win-win for all these enterprises who now have access to communications we didn’t have many years ago and can literally educate the public.” | “It would be a win-win for – of course for all the captive marine animals, particularly dolphins and whales – to be put back there,” Cousteau said. “It would be a win-win for all these enterprises who now have access to communications we didn’t have many years ago and can literally educate the public.” |
| SeaWorld has faced widespread criticism for its treatment of captive animals since the release of the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which told the story of Tilikum, a captive orca involved in the deaths of several people. In the wake of the film’s release, SeaWorld’s profits dropped 84% between 2014 and 2015. | SeaWorld has faced widespread criticism for its treatment of captive animals since the release of the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which told the story of Tilikum, a captive orca involved in the deaths of several people. In the wake of the film’s release, SeaWorld’s profits dropped 84% between 2014 and 2015. |