SeaWorld plans to challenge California's ruling on banning the breeding of captive killer whales for its park.
One week after SeaWorld proposed an expansion on its orca tanks worth $100 million, the theme park company said it would pursue legal action against the state ruling that outline restrictions on park management - including the ban on breeding, trading and transferring of orcas.
"The Coastal Commission went way beyond its jurisdiction and authority when it banned breeding by killer whales at SeaWorld," SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby said.
Manby added that, by imposing this jurisdiction on all of SeaWorld's future marine animal projects, the Commission has overstepped boundaries on both federal and state laws.
"Breeding is a natural, fundamental and important part of an animal's life and depriving a social animal of the right to reproduce is inhumane," Manby said, going further to say that banning breeding defies common sense that a land use permit approval then turned into the mentioned ban.
Animal rights activists, on the other hand, appear to fully support the newly imposed restriction.
"SeaWorld is blowing smoke," commented Jared Goodman of the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals.
Goodman also said that the commission, contrary to SeaWorld's claims, acted fully within its authority when it placed a ban on breeding orcas as a condition to facilitate approval of expanding and building fish tanks.
Attendance at SeaWorld declined after the release of the "Blackfish" documentary in 2013, which damaged the company's reputation. The documentary was about the abuse captive marine animals like killer whales endure in SeaWorld.
Attendance dropped as far as 12 percent last 2014, and stock prices dropped to $18 compared to May 2013's $38.88 price per share.
Professor George Belch of the San Diego State University said that the necessity to restore the good name of its brand could be what prompted SeaWorld to pursue legal action on this matter.
"They've been fighting this issue for years," Belch explained. "For them to roll over and do nothing would be somewhat surprising."
While no one knows for sure how important killer whales are in driving customers to the park, from an outsider's perspective, Belch pointed out that the orcas are still one of the park's strongest attractions.
Photo: Spencer Wright | Flickr
