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Telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act

May 30, 2014, 3:28 am
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Telling the Truth is a Revolutionary Act
By Jeffrey Ventre & Carol Ray 


The public condemnation of SeaWorld in the wake of the documentary Blackfish has put the theme park's crisis-management team into overdrive. 

State Legislators in New York and California have proposed bills to ban or end captivity in those states. Just yesterday, 38 US Congressmen sent a letter to Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack, citing outdated regulations protecting cetaceans and assert that the current rules don’t reflect “updated science." We couldn't agree more. 



Read about it HERE at The Dodo or Read about it HERE at CNN


Despite overwhelming evidence that killer whales are not suited for captivity, the giant captivity corporation continues to spread misinformation to hold onto a tired business model that the U.S. public has outgrown. Scientific polling data collected by Edge Research and commissioned by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI)& Whale & Dolphin Conservation (WDC), released on 26 May 2014, can be viewed HERE. Only 21% of the American public support keeping killer whales in captivity; 50% oppose captivity; and 29% are undecided. With those numbers its clear to see why politicians are finally jumping on board the anti-captivity train.  



Read about SeaWorld's Misuse of Dr Ingrid Visser's research HERE 


As former SeaWorld trainers, we can offer a firsthand perspective on this controversy. We participated in Blackfish with the hope that the public would learn about the very real suffering of killer whales at SeaWorld. This is reflected in measurable ways, including shorter lifespans, broken teeth, collapsed dorsal fins, and social strife. 



SeaWorld's asking supporters to battle the Blackfish Effect 
We watched as young orcas were forcibly separated from their mothers to be shipped off to other facilities. We listened to the mothers' wails of despair. Katina, a nurturing and conscientious mother, has tragically had five of her seven offspring taken away from her. 

Katina currently lives with Nalani, her daughter who was fathered by her own son Taku, and young Makaio. Tragically, soon after impregnating his mother, Taku was separated and shipped to SeaWorld of Texas where he was killed at age 14 by a West Nile Virus infection transmitted by a mosquito bite.

SeaWorld spins these traumatic separations by defining youngsters who are no longer nursing as "independent." That's like saying a 5-year-old toddler is ready to be taken from his or her family. In the wild, orcas rarely leave their family pod and the bond between mother and child lasts a lifetime.


TO LEARN THE TRUTH ABOUT KATINA & HER CALVES, CLICK ON THIS ARTWORK BY LEE HARRISON
Incredible Art by Lee Harrison, New Zealand          http://okura.deviantart.com/        @kiwiokuraorca 













There's an abundance of evidence that captivity kills orcas, usually at a young age, and that stress, social tension and poor health are chronic issues among orcas held in marine-park facilities. Genetically adapted to spend their entire lives within the complexity and security of family groupings, orcas captured from the wild have been denied the comfort and mentoring that these communities provide.



Read an article about this data HERE.    See the Edge Research memo HERE. 


Killer whales at SeaWorld are confined to small acoustically inadequate concrete pools, where they must live in extremely close proximity to other whales, with whom they often share no ancestral or cultural connection. The squabbles and tension that result are exacerbated by the fact that they have no way to escape. Subdominant animals like Tilikum have no where to run, and he has no mother to provide him with any social status in the artificial pod. So he gets beat up, picked on, and isolated for his own protection. Those higher on the social ladder are like schoolyard bullies, ramming and raking (dragging their teeth over) more submissive individuals. 



Washington Post sports columnist Mike Wise: 



Serious injuries, including bites in which chunks of flesh are torn off, are not uncommon. SeaWorld's tanks are only a a tiny fraction of the area through which an orca would move during a single day of swimming in the wild.

SeaWorld's orca "inventory" in no way benefits orcas in the wild. In fact, the park's whale catchers devastated an orca population off the coast of Washington state by removing so many individuals to be used in theme parks. (Watch: "45 Southern Residents were taken.") Many orcas have died prematurely in SeaWorld facilities from violent accidents, preventable injuries, illnesses caused by stressful living conditions and many other causes, and the park has never released a captive orca back into the ocean.


3 Young Ladies deliver a petition of 1.2 Million Signatures in
Support of Richard Bloom's California Blackfish Bill AB 2140
SeaWorld reports 1.5 billion dollars in ANNUAL revenue, yet over the past DECADE has contributed $9 million to conservation, rescue and rehabilitation. Thus, only 0.0006 of its profits are funneled back into conservation. And conveniently, some of it's "beachies" wind up in display areas, helping generate more profits. SeaWorld has spent close to nothing on providing the whales and dolphins in its facilities with comfort, a real life or a plan to transfer them to a coastal sanctuary, where they would be able to feel the tides, communicate with far-flung friends and family members and experience the immensity of the ocean, where they belong. Instead, SeaWorld of California was cited for polluting Mission Bay in 2012. How’s that for conservation? 




SeaWorld's well-financed public-relations machine is designed to deflect and deny, and it is an expert at spinning twine into gold. But the riveting documentary Blackfish has drawn back the curtain on what George Orwell is said to have called "universal deceit." That curtain can never be closed again.

 
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To Watch a GIS Tour of The Blackfish Effect produced by Michelle Duncan   @Chicasyoga Click HERE







3 May 2014 in Rochester, New York
Carol Ray MA CCC-SLP earned a B.A. degree in Psychology from Rollins College in Winter Park, FL, after which she worked for several years training cetaceans at Seaworld of Florida. Carol serves on the expert board for the Free Morgan Foundation, and is a co-sponsor of proposed CA state "Blackfish Bill" AB 2140 which seeks to end captive orca performances and captive breeding. An outspoken freedom advocate, she has been a featured presenter at many orca related events in the Pacific Northwest. As a lover of marine life and an extensive traveler, she cherishes the opportunities she has had to experience whales and dolphins in their natural environment, around the world. Carol earned a Masters Degree (MA)  in Communicative Disorders from the University of Central Florida& is currently the owner/director of three busy pediatric speech therapy clinics in the Seattle area. She can be reached on Twitter at @CarolRay_WA

Jeffrey Ventre MD DC is a board certified medical doctor who specializes in Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He is also a board certified doctor of chiropractic. He practices in Central Washington State, treating patients with disabilities ranging from spinal cord injuries to back pain. He worked as a marine mammal trainer at SeaWorld from 1987–1995, spending seven of eight years with cetaceans. In June of 1996 he participated in “Orca Survey” with Ken Balcomb and Dr. Astrid van Ginneken, an ongoing photo-identification study of the Southern Resident community of killer whales in the Pacific Northwest. Seeing free-ranging killer whales radically altered his perspective. In 2011 he co-authored a paper with John Jett, PhD that describes the health issues and decreased lifespans of captive orcas. He's since teamed up with Dr Jett on two additional peer-reviewed scientific papers as well as an upcoming book chapter regarding animals in entertainment. He was subpoenaed in 2011 as a witness for the federal government in the case of OSHA vs SeaWorld. He can be reached on Twitter @jeffrey_ventre


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SeaWorld Floods Debate Audience with Paid Employees to Cheer & Jeer

June 10, 2014, 10:13 pm
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Back on October 12, 2012 the marine mammal industry paid homeless folks, and others, $22 per hour to sit in line and occupy chairs at a NOAA hearing in Silver Spring, Maryland. This was done to flood available spaces at the hearing with "hired hands," to "represent" the cruel practices of the captivity industry, by doing nothing. 

You can read  about it and see images of the actual "line sitters" in the article linked here:

Read all about the above in this great article by Elizabeth Batt HERE


Specifically, these folks were used to block out the work of NGO's & animal welfarists who wished to testify, or hear testimony, against the idea of importing 18 wild caught belugas that were captured on behalf of SeaWorld, the Georgia Aquarium, & the Shedd Aquarium. The industry paid tens of thousands of dollars to block a democratic process that should have been open to all that were interested, by using mostly poor people as pawns. NOAA denied the permit, but the industry has since appealed the decision. 


That was then. This is now...  

Despite accumulating scientific evidence that orcas suffer in captivity, SeaWorld continues to spread misinformation & use propaganda & stunts, similar to the disgraceful one used at the NOAA hearings, in 2012. Maybe the company is desperate, especially since recent polling data, HERE, shows that only 21% of the American public support keeping killer whales in captivity; 50% oppose; and 29% are undecided. 



Same Corporate Tactics in 2014


On June 5, 2014, Voice of San Diego (VOSD) hosted an-open-to-the-public SeaWorld Round Table event composed of SeaWorld killer whale trainer Kristi Burtis and Veterinarian Todd Robeck, head of the company’s breeding program, plus Naomi Rose PhD of the Animal Welfare Institute and professor Susan Gray Davis, who’s researched the park’s business model. The event was also live streamed and described by VOSD in economic terms: 


"SeaWorld has a significant economic footprint in San Diego. During its 50-year history, it's generated millions for city coffers and employed thousands of San Diegans. But a controversial documentary has raised big questions about SeaWorld's treatment of its trademark killer whales." 



Watch as SeaWorld's veterinarian, Dr. Todd Robeck, concludes the 90 minute debate with a tearful plea on behalf of the captivity corporation.  





With its brand hemorrhaging followers, corporate partners, stock holders, and social capital, the easy way out would be to admit mistakes, apologize for the failed experiment, and move forward with a progressive business model; move away from marine mammal captivity. 


NOT for SeaWorld. 


The company, still largely composed of corporate cowboys, is hanging onto captivity like the Koch Brothers hanging onto climate change denial.  It's become laughable. 



Read how SeaWorld has become a "Laughing Stock" HERE 


Thus, instead of letting the debate venue fill organically, and represent a true cross-section of the interested public, SeaWorld decided to (once again) flood the hearing with more "paid place-holders," this time using its own employees, shipped in courtesy of company vans. SeaWorld knows that far more people are now opposed to it's business model than support it. And it couldn't risk being outnumbered & embarrassed in this public forum.  


This SeaWorld van was one used to transport employees into the debate


You have to give credit to SeaWorld for one thing... 

this time they got a better deal, as the average wage at SeaWorld is far less than the $22 per hour that they & the Georgia Aquarium paid the line sitters at the NOAA hearing. 


Our only question is whether the employee place-holders were getting overtime pay? 

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A Few Tweets that tell a story... 














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Schedule of Events for Superpod Three

July 1, 2014, 10:08 am
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Superpod Three begins on World Orca Day, Monday July 14, 2014, and lasts for one week. Below is a schedule of events which will be updated as new information comes in. 

Not including the many local participants, naturalists, boat & business operators, Center for Whale Research staff, & more, approximately 35 - 50 additional human Superpod members will migrate to San Juan Island, WA, USA, to learn, present, share, Tweet, blog, plan, get inspired, cross-pollinate, & take stunning photos & videos to share with the world. 





These are the real Blackfish. And none of them have stage names like Shamu, Namu, or Baby Shamu

Two "Blackfish" jump for joy at their summer home in the San Juan Islands, WA, USA 

The event will be the most attended one, yet. There is good news regarding the whales, too. June Chinook (salmon) numbers are good, thus far. The "J's and L's" are already swimming in the waters around the island & when the "K's" arrive...  a true, complete Southern Resident Superpod will commence, with local customs & traditions, including an annual whale greeting ceremony, and more. If you've not seen a Superpod, check out "Voice of the Orcas" video here: 




Previous Superpod events have included film crews from Blackfish, the Non-Human Rights Project, The Humane Society, & journalists like Tim Zimmermann, & David Kirby, who have written extensively about the plight of killer whales in captivity. Many keys journalists, former trainers, documentarians, and more have gotten their first exposure to wild killer whales from San Juan Island, and also at the Superpod One & Two events, 2011 & 2012, respectively. 

Here's a screen shot of the island showing distribution of current rental properties & hotels. Click to expand the view. 


Notice Kanaka Bay & Tilikum in the ocean. The dots represent Superpod Three Dwellings 



Daily Excursions & Events 

Each day on Island, pod members will be out on the water, possibly on a whale watch boat, kayak or sail boat. Or maybe on land, at Lime Kiln State Park, watching as the Southern Residents swim by. Or lastly, spending time in beautiful Friday Harbor enjoying a craft beer with some grilled oysters at Friday's Crab House.  Usually, after whale watching the pod congregates at public and private spaces for presentations, food & spirits. Below, you'll find a current list of events that will be updated as more presenters check in and add details. 


Monday: Meet and Greet / Orientation in Friday Harbor at 2 pm.  Get off the WA State Ferry and meet some of the event organizers. 

Friday's Crab House from 2:00 - 4:00 PM (Upper deck)
Get Jerry's Famous Grilled Oysters with Capers Sauce




Friday's Crab House on the water in Friday Harbor, San Juan Island, WA, USA 


Presentations will begin after 7 pm at the "VOTO-2" House on the West Side of the Island 


Learn about Taiji from a Cove Guardian, Rachel Carbary. Followed by "Dolphin Drive History 101" by Jordan Waltz (see below).  


Rachel has organized the global #EmptyTheTanks events, and will give a presentation on her experiences at the annual small cetacean slaughter & sale at Taiji, Japan.

Witnessing this was her inspiration for "Empty the Tanks." Rachel told VOTO,



This past November, when I was in Taiji for a second time, I watched dolphin trainers ride on a skiff with dolphin killers and dead dolphins on board. The slaughter exists because the captivity industry exists. Every time someone buys a ticket to SeaWorld or MarineLand or any park with cetaceans, you are encouraging the dolphin killers of Taiji to continue their bloody business. It doesn’t matter if SeaWorld doesn’t have dolphins from Taiji. Other parks in the world do, so if you go to any park that is using cetaceans for entertainment, you are encouraging new parks to be built in other parts of the world, like Dubai and those dolphins will be victims of Taiji’s annual slaughter and capture season. It’s simple supply and demand. Take away the demand and you eliminate the need for the supply.



Presentation Two: Dolphin drive history 101:  A presentation on when and how the drives the started and how they became entwined with the captivity industry, as well as how activists have tried to halt it over the years. Presentation duration will be 20-25 minutes. Jordan will present a printed out illustrated timeline where people can view it & provide feed back.


Jordan Waltz is A Midwest artist and independent researcher who has served as archivalist/researcher for Blackfish documentary.



 Tuesday:   Free public Blackfish Screening hosted by the The Whale Museum. Note: The location of screening is just two buildings down at The Grange, in Friday Harbor  


Come see the Whale Museum at Friday Harbor and meet the staff & up to 8 members of the Blackfish Cast 


5:30 Meet & Greet reception at The Whale Museum (light refreshments provided)
6:00 Move to the Grange (just two buildings up the street) for the film
6:10 Welcome audience & start film
6:15 Screening of “Blackfish”
7:40 Q & A conversation with the cast, immediately following film
8:45 approximate end time


Wednesday: Voice of the Orcas hosted Media Day, with journalists in attendance. There will be interviews & film from the house & deck overlooking the Haro Strait. (See "Whale Party Central" on island map). We are hoping for some whale "fly bys" as the day unfolds.



That morning VOTO, along with Dr Naomi Rose, is tentatively scheduled to be on L.A. Talk Radio with Capt Paul Watson & the Barbi Twins at 11:00 a.m Pacific time. 


Wednesday evening, Howard Garrett of Orca Network (ON), will give a presentation on Lolita. 


Later, John Jett PhD will give a PowerPoint presentation called, "Survival Estimate for Captive Killer Whales" 


Lastly, Colleen Weiler,  Whale & Dolphin Conservation first ‘Rekos Orca Fellow, will do a presentation on the recent "Russian orca collections.


This deck, overlooking the Haro Strait, will be a big part of media day (and possibly some drone launches)


Thursday:  

Superpod3 Group Whale Watch Trip on the Western Prince II with naturalist Traci Walter (@TeelDubya) and others. The excursion departs at 10:00 am from Friday Harbor and we will meet by the Western Prince offices next to the ferry landing between 9:30 - 9:45 a.m. 

Presentation that evening by Dr. Naomi Rose on the topic of current legistlative & regulatory issues regarding killer whale / cetacean captivity. 







THURS: PRESENTATION ONE:"Pinkfish for Blackfish: The role of salmon recovery in sustaining the Southern Residents"

Dr Chris Caudill is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources at the University of Idaho. His broad interests are in the ecology and evolution of animal movement and the conservation of aquatic resources. He holds a MS from the University of New Hampshire (1995) and Ph.D. from Cornell University (2002). He conducted postdoctoral research at Georgia Tech before joining the Fish Ecology Research Lab at the University of Idaho in 2003 for a second post-doc. He has directed the FERL program since 2008, largely focusing on the migration ecology of adult salmon, Pacific lamprey, and American shad in the Columbia, Snake, and Willamette rivers.

PRESENTATION TWO: Humpbacks of the Silver Bank by Jeff Friedman




Friday: 

War of the Whales Day. Meet Ken Balcomb, legendary killer whale scientist, Principle Investigator of the Center for Whale Research (CFWR), and primary character in the just-released non-fiction book, War of the Whales. Ken & his research staff will be hosting a social event at the CFWR.



Friday's event will occur at the Center for Whale Research, on the West side of San Juan Island. See map above. 



Saturday:


Book Signing 2-4 pm at The Whale Museum

Sandra Pollard's, Puget Sound Whales for Sale







Sunday / Departure

If you've never seen a wild killer whale, join us this year, or plan to come to Superpod 4. For what it's worth, the co$t of our Western Prince II boat trip is about $30 USD less than a single day ticket at SeaWorld of Florida. 
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Four Piece Lecture Set from #Superpod3

August 11, 2014, 12:55 am
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This article contains three Lectures and a Q&A from #Superpod3, with more material to be posted at Voice of the Orcas 

Please dig in, as there's a lot to share & a lot to learn about Southern Resident Killer Whales, Russia vs China, Lolita, and salmon (aka pink fish for blackfish). Also, linked below is 34 mins from a Blackfish movie expert panel. Samantha describes the European screenings & the impact the film is having around the world. 

The additional material, to be posted under one tab at the site, will store interviews, a statement from Blackfish director Gabriela Cowperthwaite, via Kimberly Ventre, and Monday Night (World Orca Day) lectures. We will archive all of it under one tab at VOTO, but here is a sneak preview of the approved interviews. 

If you are interested in #Superpod4, the event will be July 20-24, 2015, on San Juan Island, WA, USA 



(1) Dr Chris Caudill lectures on Salmon with historical context, challenges, damnation, salmon life cycle, patterns: http://youtu.be/jQdcoZXo1ls


(2) Howard Garrett lecture on Lolita: http://youtu.be/4QvUeHKdfbA

(3) Blackfish Panel Q&A After movie screening (the first 34 mins only) : http://youtu.be/Mb791vmpSUE

(4) Dr Naomi Rose lectures on legislation/regulation including comments on Russia v China, belugas, more : http://youtu.be/3P18nuf-_ME
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The Cure For Toxic SeaWorld is Blackfish Bill AB-2140

August 16, 2014, 3:56 pm
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Amidst the Blackfish backlash,toxic SeaWorld throws a bone to California politicians and Wall Street

Instead of responding to public pressure & collapsing stock, SeaWorld doubles down on captivity. In lieu of taking the proverbial high road (phasing out shows, placing its female killer whales on oral contraception, & leading the way on coastal sanctuaries) SeaWorld pompously announces more captivity, more pools, more breeding, and international expansion. 




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What just happened & what can the Animal Justice / Blackfish Movement do about it? 
(Hint: AB-2140 & more Blackfish)


All Eyes on California

The proposed Blue World Project is a media play. Plain & simple. 

[Rolled out to a live audience with a suspenseful unveiling, complete with rumors planted the day before, & some ball-park figures provided to Wall Street. It was a spectacle]



Back to reality, there isn't much information on how the proposed "Blue World Project" would impact the Mission Bay ecosystem. As recently as 2012, SeaWorld was cited & fined for polluting it. Subsequently, its hard to believe that SeaWorld can begin digging a massive hole on city property, with additional water treatment equipment, without due process. This would include environmental impact studies and approvals from regulatory agencies including the California Coastal Commission and the city itself. SeaWorld leases the land from San Diego. Check out this excerpt from Frank Gormlie of the  San Diego Free Press 23 October 2012:


SeaWorld is not just any corporate entity. Outside of the thousands of birds crapping in the water, one of the biggest polluters of Mission Bay is SeaWorld itself. Just earlier this year, SeaWorld was fined $6,000 for dumping excessive ammonia and animal waste into the Bay. (See Fox5 video here and “SeaWorld Cited for Exceeding Mission Bay Effluent Limits” in an article by Matt Potter, March 20, 2012 in the San Diego Reader.) 
SeaWorld is the largest discharger of water into the Bay and has been a known polluter of the body of water, as the bay has been on California’s list of impaired water bodies for several years as it does not meet the Clean Water Act standards.


A large proposal that will likely require city & regulatory approval 
Next, note the relatively long timeline for implementation, and also how it will happen one park at a time. This gives the #SeaCircus plenty of wiggle room and lowers risk. 

If AB-2140 passes, the San Diego "Blackfish puppy-mill idea" will likely evaporate, as breeding captive killer whales would then be illegal. Faced with that, SeaWorld could halt the plans, or even shift the project to Orlando, a site that makes more sense, once you remove the politics. I discuss this in a moment.  


Artificial insemination into a young female with ungloved hand
In general, company officials have made it clear that expanding the breeding program is a big reason for the proposed addition. In regard to its business model, which includes the unethical 
artificial insemination (AI) of unnaturally young female killer whales, CEO Jim Atchinson told The Today Show earlier this week...
“We make no apologies for what we do and how we do it.” (SeaWorld)


Here's the deal:  SeaWorld is banking that this gesture will win it votes in the California legislature, and don't expect quick action. I predict major construction on Blue World (at least in San Diego) will not begin until after a final vote on AB-2140 is counted. The company may stage a "ground breaking ceremony" for the press. But one shovel-load does not dig you a 50 foot pool with added water treatment capability, plumbing & an "orca treadmill."

Hence, all eyes on California!

Assemblyman Richard Bloom needs help from a growing coalition of concerned citizens. Consider following Mr. Bloom, and spreading the word about AB-2140. These are live Tweets, from him:  



More Blackfish Leads to a Broader Community

The Blackfish Effect will continue to happen. Intermittent airings by CNN, stellar sales at Amazon for the DVD, and availability at Netflix & Red Box continues to bring aboard more and more people that wish to end captivity. Some fine folks hope for the right of "bodily liberty" for "non human persons." These awakened friends add to a growing army of regular people that seek justice for killer whales, an end to poaching, sensible regulation of farms, and more oversight for corporations.





SeaWorld is worried, and they should be, because a critical mass of informed consumers has been achieved, with backlash coming from people & students from all walks of life, as well as from both sides of the political aisle. For us, as a community, its time to craft the transformational political change we need, and that involves taking on a corporation at the ballot box. The Blackfish Effect needs to be converted into political action. That is happening, and please tell your friends. 

The animal justice movement is growing with each airing of Blackfish. Thank you Blackfish director Gabriela Cowperthwaite and producer Manny Oteyza. 






"Once you see it, you cannot un-see it." 




True. Blackfish is a one-way door, a gateway, and a powerful tool. SeaWorld is currently caught in the "Blackfish Effect." To get a sense of what the Blackfish Effect is, see how it has affected the lives of some of the cast members of the film:


Excerpt from a Q&A at Superpod-3. Of note, Superpod-4 is scheduled for July 20-24, 2015. 





Why San Diego? Yep, It comes back to AB-2140

Considering that the Orlando park is more profitable, sees more visitors, is home base for corporate headquarters, & has cheaper construction costs, you'd think that the Blue World Project would start there. So what gives?  

According to this report by WKMG-TV / Orlando, CBS Affiliate, as well as the SeaWorld web page, "The San Diego project is expected to open in 2018. New killer whale homes will then be constructed at SeaWorld Orlando and SeaWorld San Antonio."

Choosing San Diego is a strategic business move. This accomplishes at least five things for SeaWorld: 


An Artist's Rendering of the proposed "Blue World Project" 

1. Shows that they're doing something in response to public sentiment & collapsing stock value

2. This proposal provides cover to vote down Blackfish Bill AB-2140. SeaWorld gives a lot of money to campaigns in California, and politicians are happy to take "donations." 
Assemlymen who might buck public opinion & strike down the bill, can now cite "Blue World Project" as an example of how the company is evolving. 


To get a feel for public opinion in the state, watch this heartwarming video about three young ladies who delivered 1.2 million signatures to the California Assembly in support of a bill that would ban captive breeding of Killer Whales in the state.




3. It shows Wall Street they're "all in" and gives pro-SeaWorld Voice of San Diego plenty of feel good stories to publish. VOSD hosted a good live debate, but tends to frame SeaWorld's presence in San Diego as a beneficial, economic one, without much regard for the killer whales suffering in captivity. When captivity of killer whales gets reduced to economics, by Wall St, or VOSD, it misses the point. The coverage has been helpful to SeaWorld. 


Atlantis The Palm was heavily promoting its marine park on Emirates Airlines
4. The new pool, if AB-2140 is shot down (i.e. SeaWorld gets its wish), will become a #Blackfish "puppy mill" for SeaWorld's overseas expansion. In my opinion SeaWorld couldn't be happier with the ongoing Russian captures (more genetic material), and is looking carefully at opportunities in the United Arab Emirates, specifically Dubai, where there is already a large marine life park itching to get some killer whales. 



I've written about this with co-author John Jett PhD in an upcoming textbook chapter regarding animals in entertainment. I believe that the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is gearing up for killer whales, and combined with company statements, will likely get them from SeaWorld. This effort, to breed animals as quickly as possible, is a way to get more animals into places like the UAE, for a very hefty price tag. 


Personal Photo. Departing Dubai International Airport. Boeing 777. Emirates Airlines. 


Placing killer whales into a region where temperatures regularly exceed 120 degrees Fahrenheit, with little regulation or oversight, is a disturbing thought.


5. It changes the conversation, at least temporarily. SeaWorld has been getting bashed in the media, lately. This is a way to change the subject, for a while (see image of "Blackfish Wednesday") 


With plenty of money, a desire for Killer Whales, and pre-existing captivity infrastructure, Atlantis The Palm is a predictable destination for SeaWorld and the killer whales it is actively breeding. Note: Air temps in Dubai regularly exceed 120 F


SeaWorld Just Doesn't Get It


In general the proposed Blue World Project is a striking indicator that SeaWorld really doesn't get it. It also points to the incompetence of the management team as described in this Dodo article by Keneth Leher. His five points are worth restating:

1.  The SeaWorld brand is now tarnished, at best.
Toxic? Likely. The brand represents the torture of whales for an increasing population of concerned citizens. If you love whales (and who doesn’t), you don’t like SeaWorld. 
2.  Wall Street has turned on SeaWorld.
The stock is down over the last year by 45% and $1.6 billion in market cap has evaporated. You can sometimes fight City Hall, but it’s nearly impossible to fight Wall Street. And Wall Street is done with SeaWorld. 
3.  Consumers are turning away from SeaWorld.
Attendance has dropped 4.3 percent over the first 6 months of 2014. It takes forever and a day for consumers to return to a company once they have walked away. And they usually never come back. 
4.  The internet has turned against SeaWorld.
“Blackfish,” The Oceanic Preservation Society, The Dodo, over 100,000 users on Change.org and many other sites have made it their business to actively campaign against SeaWorld’s mistreatment of animals. SeaWorld can’t survive that, plain and simple. 
5.  Incompetence. 
SeaWorld has proven itself totally inept in dealing with one, two, three and four. They haven’t got a clue.


Get active links to all of these Blackfish Wednesday Headlines HERE

















In summary, SeaWorld really doesn't get it, and hopefully changes can be made in middle & upper management that will improve the quality of the management team & improve the future lives of the killer whales in its care.  

"Blue World Project" does not address the issue of broken teeth, collapsed dorsal fins, diminished quality of life, social strife, and shortened lifespans, all of which are caused by captivity. 

Blackfish remains a critical tool in a growing movement. Lastly, AB-2140 is the cure for what ails Toxic SeaWorld. 


Jeffrey Ventre, MD, is a physician, Blackfish cast member, and former SeaWorld trainer from 1987-1995. 

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Businessweek Article Exposes that SeaWorld Lied in Federal Court

November 21, 2014, 4:50 pm
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There were interesting revelations in Atchison's article with Businessweek
In this interview with Bloomberg
Businessweek, SeaWorld CEO Jim Atchison not only reinforced the notion that SeaWorld management is inept, see Dodo's take-down, here, the article inadvertently demonstrated that Kelly Flaherty Clark, curator of animal training, lied under oath in a federal courtroom in 2011. 




First, as depicted in the OSHA v SeaWorld courtroom scene in the documentary film, Blackfish, SeaWorld lawyer Carla Gunnin questions curator of animal training, Kelly Flaherty Clark regarding the connection between SeaWorld & Loro Parque. See 1:56 in the Blackfish trailer: 





As a reminder, this trial was national headline news, heavily attended, and widely followed. It began on Monday, September 19, 2011, lasting about two weeks, total. It was held at the Seminole County Courthouse in Sanford, FL, USA, with Federal Judge Ken S. Welsch presiding.  John Jett PhD and I were subpoenaed by Judge Welsch. You can view my subpoena, here. 


[The fascinating court transcript, filled with SeaWorld "whoopers," can be found & downloaded here. The exchange reported below is on page 133]





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SW ATTORNEY:  Ms. Clark, I just have one more question for you. You mentioned something about Loro Parque, and I just want to clarify for the Judge. Is that a park owned by SeaWorld in any way? 
CURATOR KELLY F. CLARK:  No, it is not. 
SW ATTORNEY:  Are they affiliated to your knowledge with SeaWorld? 
CURATOR KELLY F. CLARK:   No. 
SW ATTORNEY: That's all I have.
_____________________________________________


Article by @TheBattWoman on Loro Paque: Incident report into park trainer's death raises concerns

For the record, curator Clark and Dawn Brancheau were close friends. In this article & video (60 Minutes Australia) they were described as "best friends." Kelly was also Dawn Brancheau's boss, and sent her to Loro Parque. Relevant because Gunnin adds the phrase, "to your knowledge," which is a potential back-door out. 

The bottom line is that Kelly Clark had demonstrable knowledge of the association between SeaWorld and Loro Parque, as well as of her "best friend," whom she sent there to help train the SeaWorld killer whales; and also to help train the Spanish trainers. Thus, the phrase, "to your knowledge" doesn't provide her with an out. 


She knew.

This photograph demonstrates the connection of SeaWorld & Loro Parque. 





Next, because it was the SeaWorld attorney, questioning her own witness, it demonstrates a tactic. One that was planned and designed to separate SeaWorld, legally, from it's relationship with Loro Parque, and culpability in the death of Alexis Martinez. [Note: This is where the article comes into play]. 

Bloomberg Businessweek:  Saving SeaWord article: 


Paragraph Two: 
...as Atchison and his team have dealt with fallout from Blackfish, the documentary that shed unwelcome light on the lives of SeaWorld’s most valuable assets, the 29 four- to six-ton killer whales, or orcas, kept and trained at parks it owns or helps manage.   [Emphasis added]

Paragraph Nineteen:

"SeaWorld hasn’t participated in capturing wild orcas since the practice was banned in 1972. Of the 29 whales it manages, five were captured—including Tilikum     [Emphasis added]


Those statements confirm three things. First, that SeaWorld helps manage Loro Parque, proving that Kelly Flaherty Clark made a "bold-faced lie" under oath, and as demonstrated in the movie Blackfish. Secondly, that SeaWorld considers the 29th orca in its collection, Morgan, a company "asset." And thirdly, that Atchison lied regarding when SeaWorld stopped capturing orcas. In the chart below, note that Morgan was wild caught in June of 2010. And also note, here on CNN, this week, that former SeaWorld collector, Jeff Foster, describes capturing orcas for SeaWorld well into the 1980's.  [Warning, video below contains graphic footage]








See chart below, which was provided by WDC and can be downloaded here.   

Facility
Name of orca
Capture or birth date
USA



SeaWorld California
1.   Corky 2
Wild caught, 12/1969
2.     Kasatka
Wild caught, 10/1978
3.     Ulises
Wild caught, 11/1980
4.      Orkid
09/1988
5.      Nakai
09/2001
6.       Kalia
12/2004
7.      Ikaika
08/2002
8.   Shouka
02/1993
9.         Keet
02/1993

10.    Makani
02/2013

SeaWorld Florida
11.      Katina
Wild caught, 10/1978
12.     Tilikum
Wild caught, 11/1983
13.        Kayla
11/1988
14.          Trua
11/2005
15.       Nalani
09/2006
16.         Malia
03/2007
17.      Makaio
10/2010

SeaWorld Texas
18.       Takara
07/1991
19.     Kyuquot
12/1991
20.           Unna
12/1996
21.            Tuar
06/1999
22.          Sakari
07/2010
23.         Kamea
12/2013






























SPAIN

Loro Parque
24.      Keto
06/1995
25.    Tekoa
11/2000
26.  Kohana
05/2002
27.     Skyla
02/2004
28       Adan
10/2010
29.  Morgan
Wild caught, 06/2010



Perhaps these "bold faced lies" will be of interest to the Rosen Law Firm, which has filed a class action suit against Atchison, Blackstone, & other SeaWorld management. In it the suit questions the company's credibility and asserts that SeaWorld misrepresented its value, ripped off investors, and covered up its cruel practices with killer whales. 

Based on personal experiences, this is nothing new for SeaWorld. 
____________________________




Jeffrey Ventre is a medical doctor licensed in the state of Washington and is a board certified specialist in the area of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. Jeff was a marine mammal trainer at SeaWorld from 1987 to 1995. He worked with John Jett PhD, Samantha Berg, and Carol Ray, at SeaWorld in Orlando (as well as Kelly Clark & Dawn Brancheau). The four ex trainers continue to spread the word regarding cetacean captivity as a group known as "Voice of the Orcas."



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Animal Justice Advocates Diving Deeper with Death at SeaWorld Book

November 10, 2013, 1:07 pm
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In a recent article at Psychology Today, scientific writer, biologist, and mother, Rachel Clark referred to David Kirby's book Death at SeaWorld as a "Bellwether." Wikipedia defines a bellwether as: 


Any entity in a given arena that serves to create or influence trends or to presage future happenings. The term is derived from the Middle English, bellewether, and refers to the practice of placing a bell around the neck of a... ram (a wether) leading his flock of sheep. The movements of the flock could be noted by hearing the bell before the flock was in sight.

Two of the protagonists in Death at SeaWorld are Ex SeaWorld Trainer Carol Ray& Killer Whale Expert Naomi Rose PhD




































In Rachel's words:
"I knew when I read Death at SeaWorld last summer that this book was about much more than killer whales. It was about our society, how it’s structured, and the systems we have in place that allow, and even encourage, brutalization of animals, people and the Earth…legal and corporate systems that continue to foster climate change and other instances of severe deterioration of our natural systems.

What I didn’t know, then, was that Death at SeaWorld was a bellwether, one of the first in this particular upheaval (see also Blood in the Water in Outside Magazine by journalist and Blackfish co-producer, Tim Zimmermann). Now, Blackfish is further advancing this powerful shift to a societal awakening, and to incontrovertible demands for justice."



Death at SeaWorld is a "Bellwether" 

Due in part to the success of Gabriela Cowperthwaite's film Blackfish, and also to the broadening demographic of informed citizens, Death at SeaWorld is getting into the hands, and minds, of more and more people. And that's a good thing for all small cetaceans, wild & captive. 

Below, see what other readers are now saying about Death at SeaWorld, at "Goodreads." There is also a video featuring Dr. Naomi Rose, called, "The Real SeaWorld" and a video of the Southern Resident orcas.  Lastly, a live Twitter feed has been embedded here that tracks the hashtag


#DeathAtSeaWorld



TWITTER FEED:




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Recent Reviews of Death at SeaWorld

These are published at Goodreads HERE:
 http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/12799562-death-at-seaworld


Heather
Nov 06, 2013Heather rated it 4 of 5 stars
Shelves: back-to-nature, blinded-me-with-science, sad-but-true-crime
I never knew I had an opinion on whale captivity. I was horrified at the death of the trainer at Sea World and believed it's just common sense not to hang out with killer whales. After watching the movie Blackfish recently, I was struck by the seemingly deep emotions experienced by the whales when they were captured, both by the pod members still at Sea and those taken away. I needed to know more. I know more now but this is a decidedly one sided picture as Sea World did not participate. Kirby p...more

Nikki
Jul 30, 2013Nikki rated it 5 of 5 stars
One of the best books I have read. Everyone should pick up this book because its such an eye opener. It is very well written and interesting enough that you won't want to but it down. Prior to reading this book the documentary The Cove had put me off ever visiting Seaworld and/or other marine parks. After read this I will whole-heartily encourage others not to step foot in any Seaworld parks until they stop the shows and return eligible whales back to the sea. I remember when I was little I want...more

Libby
Nov 10, 2013Libby rated it 5 of 5 stars
I read Death at Sea World knowing I would leave haunted and wanting to do more than read. he thought even passed my mind, "How much better the world might be without our grand ideas." I had little idea how the "70 cents of every dollar" that each Shamu makes for Sea World -- they're all named that, since most die or become unmanageable so quickly -- drives the decision-making and the frequently successful lobbying efforts of Sea World. I've become an advocate of gradually letting each re-learn t...more


Elizabeth rated it 5 of 5 stars
Shelves: activism, favorites
I was actually really skeptical about this book when I first got it. It looked interesting but I thought it would be really dry. It starts off with basic orca biology and goes through the history of orca captures, early captivity and current captivity. The author interviewed the scientist in charge of marine mammal captivity at HSUS and former trainers. It definitely has an anti captivity bias but I think it comes at it from the correct angle. The incident with Dawn B was actually a very small p...more


"The Real Sea World" 




Brendon Schrodinger
Oct 24, 2013Brendon Schrodinger rated it 4 of 5 stars
'Death at Seaworld' is a fascinating and meticulously researched work that centres upon the death of a killer whale trainer at the U.S. theme park in 2010. However the work also takes on the entire history of the captivity of these whales, as well as research undertaken in the wild.
What you get to read may be argued as one-sided as it argues strictly against the captivity of killer whales, but with the evidence presented, there is no other conclusion that could be reached. It does essentially co...more




Vicki
Aug 17, 2013Vicki rated it 5 of 5 stars  ·  review of another edition
Shelves: kindle-books
Just read it. Death at Seaworld deals with a subject I am very passionate about: whales and dolphins in captivity. Primarily orcas in this book. I've been against captive whales and dolphins for a lob time, an this book has just fuelled my passionate dislike about corporations such as Seaworld.
I could rant and rage about how they make these beautiful intelligent animals perform cheap circus tricks in order for their food, and how captivity is seriously detrimental to whales health: both physica...more

"Voice of the Orcas" 



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SeaWorld's Decimation of the Southern Resident Orca Population

December 18, 2014, 4:38 pm
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As a former trainer at SeaWorld I had first hand experience providing misinformation to the public, examples of which are depicted in the movie Blackfish.  

This included parroting false lifespan data during "education shows," claiming that dorsal fin collapse is commonplace in wild orcas, it's not, & also calling teeth drilling & flushing"superior dental care." Another fiction repeated to the public was that food deprivation was never used. We'd say, "The whales get their food every day, regardless of behavior." That is more misinformation. The whales were routinely withheld food, especially in the context of VIP shows, like when August Busch would visit the park, or when key animal separations were needed. The command was, and still is, "hold the animals at half-base." Translation: If an animal, such as Tilikum, received 220 pounds of food as a daily base amount, it was an order to hold him at 110 pounds to ensure that he was "properly motivated."

In general, SeaWorld spends a lot of time grooming & feeding its trainers, animal care specialists, and education staff with corporate talking points that promote captivity and portray the happy Shamu image. For trainers, this included mandatory public relations (PR) classes to learn the "correct answers" to questions, and voice training lessons to project your lines with confidence and authority. And if you wanted to stay employed there, or have access to whales, you did what you were told.

One of the most dubious claims made by SeaWorld is that having orcas in concrete tanks helps to conserve wild populations. They cite the decline of the Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) population as a prime example as to why captivity is necessary. I cringe when I hear that whooper, like at the end of this interview.


The San Juan Islands. It's easy to see why the Southern Residents prefer this to SeaWorld


Here's the rub. The "Southern Residents," with over 120 members before the capture era (pre 1965) are endangered because of SeaWorld, and remain that way due to a lack of food. This clan, the J, K, and L pods, has been unable to rebound from collections that removed over 40% of its members, leaving just 70 whales, by 1976. At that point SeaWorld was ejected from Washington state for inhumane capture methods. Here's a video of former Washington Secretary of State, Ralph Munro, describing what he witnessed in 1976, at Budd Inlet.




The practice of displaying killer whales began in the United States in June of 1965 with the purchase of a Northern Resident Killer Whale called “Namu,” who was bought by Ted Griffin of the Seattle Public Aquarium for $8,000 USD. [See my footnote regarding Wanda and Moby Doll]. Northern Residents are fish eating killer whales, akin to Southern Residents, but with a range from Northern Vancouver Island up to Southeast Alaskan waters. Relative to the Southern Residents, they're just North.






Namu was the first to perform shows, and got his name from a fishing village in British Columbia where he became entangled in a net. After paying cash for Namu, Griffin towed the 22 foot male (the same length as Tilikum) 400 miles South, to Seattle, in a custom floating 60 x 40 x 16 foot deep sea pen held afloat by empty oil drums fastened around the perimeter. Namu's Northern Resident pod, including his suspected mother, reportedly swam with him much of the way. From a business perspective, Namu was an instant hit. Griffin rode him, trained him; a book& movie were made, and he performed for tens of thousands of paying customers. Namu made headlines around the world. Lloyds of London insured Namu, covering him for loss by vandalism or natural death.

With immense potential profits in their sites, Griffin and his partner Don Goldsberry, focused their energies on the acquisition of more live orcas. In October of 1965, at Carr Inlet, Washington, USA, they collected a young Southern Resident Killer Whale after harpooning and killing her mother.




“Shamu”was Griffin & Goldsberry's first successful live orca capture. She was 14 feet in length and approximately 2000 pounds. The young female, "She-Namu" was originally intended as a companion animal for Namu. But putting a young Southern Resident female with an older Northern Resident male didn't work out. In Griffin's words:
"When I [was] in the water with Namu, even riding him, this whale would ram Namu with such force that it might have killed me. And when I was [swimming] in the water with Namu, the whale would ram me, but not as [seriously] as some of the times that she rammed Namu. I thought this was child's play at first but it became quite serious. SeaWorld had come to Seattle and was very interested in acquiring a killer whale for their new facility in San Diego. They wanted to call the whale Namu and they wanted the rights to the name, and I wouldn't do that. So they said okay, we'll... call her Shamu, and that's how it all started. So Shamu went to San Diego and Namu stayed in Seattle.

So the orphaned Southern Resident "Shamu" was sold to SeaWorld for $75,000.  Thus began the company's decimation of mostly Southern Residents in the Pacific Northwest. Keep in mind that SeaWorld has never released a killer whale back into the ocean, argues against sea pens or release for current captives, & has no intention of letting "corporate assets" out of it's concrete enclosures.

SIGNS of TROUBLE: Killer Whale Shamu Attacks Woman Rider in Bikini


According to the Center for Whale Research, website, 45 Southern Resident Killer Whales were delivered to marine parks around the world, with the most going to SeaWorld, and at least 13 more were killed during the capture operations. As depicted by diver John Crowe in Blackfish, the hunters preferred smaller, younger animals. So, if you count the larger, undesirable animals that were corralled and released, often several times in their lives, the total number of Southern Residents "caught" is well over 200. This includes 80 orcas rounded up at Penn Cove in August of 1970. And these numbers don't include some Northern Residents (like Namu) or Transients, like Kanduke, who died at SeaWorld of FL from a mosquito borne virus in September of 1990.

  
According to an investigative report by ABC10 News, in 2007:


"Griffin made no apologies about the whales that died in the hunt, including Shamu'’s mother. Griffin shot her with a harpoon and she drowned."

The profits from Namu & Shamu triggered the formation of a multi-billion dollar franchise and marine park industry. Griffin & Goldsberry became the primary whale hunters for SeaWorld, with Goldsberry reportedly becoming SeaWorld's "Vice President of Animal Collections," and both accrued immense wealth. Unfortunately for the whales, Namu survived only 381 days at the Seattle Aquarium & Shamu lived only six years at SeaWorld in California. But a new lucrative business model had emerged; one that relied on a fresh supply of live-captured orcas to replace the ones who died young.

From 1965 to 1976 the whale hunters collected & delivered (or killed)  about 58 SRKW's. They were finally stopped because of inhumane capture methods, including using seal bombs to herd the whales, and aircraft to spot the pods and also to drop bombs from the air.


From ‘Puget Sound Whales for Sale’ by Sandra Pollard


Public concern over the captures, and other factors, helped trigger the passage of the Marine Mammal Protection Act by the U.S. Congress in 1972. In Washington State, public outcry over live captures led to the ejection of SeaWorld, by name, from those waters in 1976. After that, Goldsberry, a SeaWorld Vice-President, moved on to Iceland. Griffin was done. But this business model remained operational for two decades, until Kalina, the first "Baby Shamu," was born in 1985.

From a population standpoint, the damage was done. Approximately 58 mostly young Southern Residents were removed & the group was decimated. For reference, in the wild, killer whale females have their first viable calf around the age of 14, have about a five-year birthing interval and require 17 to 18 months of gestation to produce a 300 to 400 pound calf. Even under optimal conditions, it would be difficult to rapidly replace the missing members of the clan, but especially when your young females have been taken. Unfortunately, the conditions for recovery have degraded since the captures, mainly due to  human activity, including loss of wetlands and riparian areas, toxins from industry, factory fish farming, and the ongoing negative impacts from literally hundreds of dams in the region.

Here is a video featuring Killer Whale scientist Ken Balcomb, SeaWorld's Don Goldsberry & Blackfish cast member John Crowe, the tattooed diver who was present for one of the round-ups.




Watch another former SeaWorld orca hunter, Jeff Foster, describe hunting killer whales in Iceland in this recently released footage via CNN HERE.  


History aside, SeaWorld now has an opportunity to help increase Chinook salmon for the Southern Resident Killer whales, a group that it once decimated.  It could use its influence to aid salmon recovery efforts in California, Oregon, and Washington.  Political leaders could be encouraged, by SeaWorld, to vote for the removal of unnecessary dams that block salmon migration paths far inland. As an example, The Elwha River Restoration Project is both a great success and one of the most heart-warming environmental stories in decades. The corporation could develop true educational shows that teach millions of guests to reduce the use of chemicals & lawn products which contaminate waterways. It could join corporate partners, especially large grocery stores & restaurant chains, to discourage them from purchasing and selling farm raised salmon, With it's large marketing and public relations resources, this gesture could easily become a national effort to save a unique and iconic group of whales. An effort like that would earn the respect of a new generation of potential guests at their parks. 

It would be a win for the whales, a win for the environment, and a win for SeaWorld.


Footnote: A female named Wanda lived for a day at Marineland, in Los Angeles, after being harassed and netted by hunters of the now defunct Marineland of the Pacific; and after swimming into Newport Harbor, CA, in 1961. And yes, Moby Doll lived several weeks after being harpooned & shot several times by the Vancouver Aquarium in 1964; but the beginning of the industry began with Namu, who was successfully captured in good health, and with the intent to display.



Jeffrey Ventre is a medical doctor licensed in the state of Washington and is a board certified specialist in the area of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation. He treats patients with disabilities ranging from spinal cord & brain injury to low back pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, and amputations. He is (also) a doctor of chiropractic, and continues to use spinal manipulation as a complementary therapy in his medical practice. Jeff was a marine mammal trainer at SeaWorld from 1987 to 1995. He worked with John Jett PhD, Samantha Berg, and Carol Ray, at SeaWorld in Orlando. The four ex trainers continue to spread the word regarding cetacean captivity as a group known as "Voice of the Orcas."

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Images4 #Blackfish Airings @CNNFilms & #OpSeaWorld

December 18, 2014, 6:02 pm
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#OpSeaWorld Engaged 

These photos are available for use during Tweet Storms & airings of #Blackfish movie @CNNFilms; or for your use on Facebook or social media. Please add them to your collection & share.

To Download: Click on the image; Then Right Click to download it to your computer.
























Wild Southern Resident Killer Whales as seen in #Blackfish Movie







Blackfish Cast Members holding up a Poster 












































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Chronicling the #Blackfish Effect

January 13, 2015, 9:38 pm
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By now, anyone reading this knows what the #Blackfish Effect is. It's been written about by journalists from The Wall Street Journal, The Daily Mail, National Geographic, & Outside Magazine. A future post will describe exactly when, where & why the name was coined, and what it refers to. Note: It has a definition & was used for a specific purpose.

For now, enjoy these #Blackfish Effect Tweets & links to great journalism. Keep in mind the Tweets are still live.






















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Sara Ellzey Has Ideas for SeaWorld

February 16, 2015, 9:37 pm
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On January 19, 2015, Sara Ellzey, from Boston, Massachusetts, USA, reached out with ideas that she believes will help SeaWorld grow. Her ideas are detailed & elaborated, so instead of just telling us about them, maybe it's best if she shares them with you, too. She is our guest blogger. Below are her ideas.

_________________________________________________________________________________


Sara Ellzey is in sales by day, and is a writer-activist by night. She is a longtime supporter of human rights and animal rights, with a passion for non-profit and volunteer work. She has a particular affinity for cetaceans, elephants and dogs. She currently lives in Boston, MA, having previously lived in Pennsylvania, Virginia and California. Find her on Twitter @WeAreItForThem

_________________________________________________________________________________



SeaWorld should take their proposed 1.5 acre pool and make a snorkeling and scuba diving pool with a beach for visitors. The water can house reefs with life-sized moldings of various marine mammals. The education department could offer waterproof headsets to visitors for an audio tour for underwater and on land.

A model of every type of animal they have rescued can be in those pools and on those beaches, in a realistic habitat so guests could learn in an interactive way. 

Money from this type of park can help fund sea pens or salmon restoration efforts. It would be the first project of its kind and an amazing step in the right direction. Some organizations across the world work to release and rehabilitate terrestrial animals, like the David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust; the Elephant Sanctuary in Tennessee, USA; the Elephant Nature Park in Chiang Mai, Thailand. SeaWorld led the way to marine captivity, and surely they can lead the way back to sea.



Each marine mammal model will have written & audio descriptions, telling the public about the animals SeaWorld has rehabilitated, rescued and/or released - stirring interest & support for that process. For those who don't like the water, imagine a ski-lift or monorail ride above the pools, with an audio tour. Think of the Eye of London... slow and with enough time to take it all in. Under the massive pool visitors can see the activity via glass windows. Imagine underwater walking tunnels, like at the Shark Encounter, so visitors can walk beneath the swimmers and the models, visiting multiple "habitats". This approach is animal-exploitation-free and can be updated or amended as needed. 


Include information on why reefs are so important & the effects of ocean acidification. Discuss the impact of plastics & other debris on wildlife. In the pool you will swim, snorkel or scuba dive with a guide. They'll lead you through each area. Underwater photographers could take pictures for purchase.

Have you ever been to the Franklin Institute in Philadelphia, PA? 

There is a gigantic two story, full scale heart that you can walk through. You hear the heartbeat, learn about what happens to the blood. You walk through the heart as if you are blood. Imagine being underneath this massive pool at SeaWorld and seeing a gigantic humpback whale. Imagine being able to climb inside of it. You could have a whale at the bottom where the folks in the tunnel can see inside the whale and those swimming can see its vast size. Maybe they can even swim through another one next to it, from head to flukes! This could happen by keeping the top of the whale cut open by an inch or so, and guiding an oxygen line down to the open section so that a swimmer can swim through. What an interaction that shows you how truly large these creatures are!

Learn and play with interactive walls, activities or listen to story tellers. Watch 5-10 minute film clips about everyone's favorite animals in the ocean; in the various theaters, combined with a kid-centric "please touch" museum style of area. In the center there could be a playground with slides and jungle-gyms geared towards younger children. Think of a child sliding through a life-sized orca, life-sized humpback whale, or a baby slide of a life-sized bottlenose dolphin. End the water walkway tour at a gift shop, where you can pick up pictures of you in a whale (with diameters drawn on it to show you how small you are in comparison!). At this shop you can learn about where to see animals in their natural habitat, buy books, DVDs, plush toys and more, and where 25%-50% goes to support conservation or research.

Teach conservation. Use the money generated from this type of park to release the animals into sanctuaries and sea pens which will be created by you. Turn SeaWorld into the most interactive and incredible marine park in the world... without having a single live marine animal inside.


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VOTO Remembers Sam Simon

March 11, 2015, 10:44 pm
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Every now and then a man comes along who changes things for the better. A man who puts the human back into humanity. Such is the case with: 

The Great Sam Simon...  

Stanford graduate, sports cartoonist, amateur boxer, TV writer (Taxi & Cheers), boxing manager (of a world champion), philanthropist, radio show host, animal lover, Co-creator of The Simpsons, tireless advocate, and much much more. 



The Broadcast Booth for The Sam Simon Show, at Sam's Place 


After the tragic 2010 death of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld, Sam took an interest in the work we were doing at VOTO...  blowing the whistle on SeaWorld. This was prior to Death at SeaWorld and Blackfish. He read our website and blog religiously, according to him. This connection gave us the opportunity to spend some time with Sam over the last several years. He invited us onto his radio show, and we invited him to see whales with us. 





He saw his first wild killer whales at #Superpod2, where he also transmitted the Sam Simon show, from Friday Harbor.




I had the opportunity to visit Santa Monica and hang with Sam. He was interested in creating a movie about killer whale captivity, and requested that I fly down from Washington state. We sat down with another movie producer, and put our heads together. He seemed excited about the project. 

Those plans changed after the success of Blackfish. 





Earlier, Blackfish director Gabriela Cowperthwaite brought the film to his home and did a private screening. Later, after the film's success, Sam figured that he didn't have to make another movie on the topic. He told me, 


"Why should I make another film after Blackfish?" 

He also said numerous times, as Oscar season 2014 approached, that he thought that Blackfish would not only get nominated for an Academy Award, but that it would win the award. Some of his thoughts regarding #Blackfish are included in the interviews embedded on this page. 



Sam Simon lived in Santa Monica 

As an anecdote regarding the movie Sam didn't make, I can tell you this: It was going to involve ex-trainers, night operations, stealth activities, gullable SeaWorld security guards, and in the end, large heavy-lift helicopters. SeaWorld of California was targeted due to it's location near the ocean. 






A meeting space at Sam's place, with some Chihuly glass on the wall 

As far as my role, Sam needed to know some details regarding animal separations, transports, use of stretchers, and how we'd keep the whales moist and as comfortable as possible for their relatively brief ride from the stretcher to the open ocean... 





Damn... it's fun to think like Sam Simon. We'll miss you Sam. 

Jeffrey Ventre
On Behalf of All of Us At VOTO
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NPR: Former Orca Trainer For SeaWorld Condemns Its Practices

March 23, 2015, 8:44 pm
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NPR: Last year 4 million people visited SeaWorld's theme parks, where the top shows feature orcas, also known as killer whales. For years, activists have charged that keeping orcas in captivity is harmful to the animals and risky for the trainers who work with them, a case that gained urgency in 2010 when Dawn Brancheau, a veteran orca trainer, was dragged into the water and killed by a whale at the SeaWorld Park in Orlando, Fla. When Brancheau died, there was some dispute as to whether the whale's intent was aggressive and whose fault the incident was.







John Hargrove, who spent 14 years as an orca trainer, mostly at SeaWorld, says there was no doubt that the whale was aggressive. And the reason for whales' aggression, he says, is that they're held captive. 


Hargrove eventually became disillusioned with SeaWorld's treatment of orcas and left the company. 

"As I became higher-ranked, I saw the devastating effects of captivity on these whales and it just really became a moral and ethical issue," Hargrove tells Fresh Air's Dave Davies in an interview about the book. "When you first start to see it, you first try to say, 'OK, well, I love these animals; I'm going to take care of them.' ... You think, 'I can change things.' And then all these things, of course, never improve and then you start ... seeing mothers separated from their calves; you start seeing trainers being killed, and then they blame [the trainers] for their own deaths." 

He said his "final straw" was when SeaWorld publicly testified that "they had no knowledge we had a dangerous job." 

The documentary Blackfish, released in 2013, covers Brancheau's death and an incident two months earlier at a theme park in Spain when an orca killed a trainer named Alexis Martinez. The federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration investigated Brancheau's death and concluded SeaWorld had exposed trainers to hazardous conditions; it fined the corporation. 

In its order, later upheld on appeal, OSHA also banned SeaWorld from permitting its personnel to enter the tanks to train and perform with orcas, a practice known as water work. Now Hargrove has a new book, called Beneath the Surface. He is one of seven former trainers who criticized the company in Blackfish.
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John Hargrove Daily Show Interview

March 27, 2015, 8:16 pm
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Exclusive Video: John Hargrove Unleashes Beneath the Surface in Seattle

April 1, 2015, 10:23 pm
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In 1965...  Ted Griffin paid a fisherman $8,000 for a Northern Resident killer whale named "Namu" and launched an industry at the Seattle Public Aquarium. People from all over the world came to visit Namu; books were written, and a movie was made. Wanting to cash in on the business of performing orcas, a new company, Sea World, paid Griffin $70-100,000 USD (reports vary) for the 2nd captive killer whale, "Shamu," a Southern Resident orca. 


To "land" Shamu, Griffin (working with SeaWorld's Don Goldsberry) harpooned & killed Shamu's mother, delivered the calf to Sea World, and now a billion dollar industry was created. Sea World collectors would go on to capture or kill an additional ~57 Southern Residents (some winding up at other facilities)... a clan that is endangered today. 


Fifty years later, on 30 March 2015 and in the wake of the book Death at SeaWorld and Blackfish, John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer with 12 years at the company, visited the birthplace of captivity. 

He came to share excerpts from Beneath the Surface, his new book that documents a journey from an enamored young kid driven to work at SeaWorld, to a senior killer whale trainer (at 3 separate facilities) and finally to animal advocate & company whistle-blower. 

(Spoiler alert: John's transformation to "extreme activist" in the video below is funny)

It was a sold out venue and John was flanked by Blackfish cast members, SeaShepherds, Orca Network, book authors, doctors, activists, #Superpod4 organizers, whale lovers, one heckler, camera crews and at least one of his attorneys. 


@orcawild & Superpod4 Organizer Jeff Friedman with Beneath the Surface Co-author @JohnJHargrove


A Weird Twist 

At the time of the Seattle event and in an attempt to redirect the topic from captivity to John's character, SeaWorld delivered a disturbing 5 year old video of its former employee, heavily intoxicated, rambling racial epithets, to various media outlets. The intention, as stated by SeaWorld spokesman Fred Jacobs, was to demonstrate the "true" character of John Hargrove and presumably to cripple him as a whistle-blower. 

Regarding the leaked video and as stated by Dr Naomi Rose, here: 

This video shows nothing about John Hargrove’s character other than that he made a serious mistake while drunk. However, sending it to the media in an effort to discredit a former employee who has published a book critical of corporate practices does show a great deal about SeaWorld’s corporate character. It shows that this company, which has always resorted to the personal attack against its critics instead of engaging on their substantive arguments, has no ethics or morals at all. It will go right down into the mud as it desperately clings to its outdated business model.


This blog wasn't created to defend John or the video he participated in. It was created to share the work that the post-SeaWorld John Hargrove is doing right now. Work that is informing the public and propelling the  animal justice movement forward, and work that has SeaWorld scrambling for its very survival. 


Keeping our eye on the ball... The video below contains stories of growth, mistakes, humility, learning, laughs, sadness and transformation. It's an evolution that all of us at VOTO have had time to make. And it's a great preview of his book "Beneath the Surface." 




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Food Deprivation at SeaWorld

April 11, 2015, 12:36 pm
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A Statement on Food Deprivation at SeaWorld 

Recently, the topic of killer whale food rationing & deprivation has made national news as SeaWorld vigorously defends its training practices & launches attacks at critics.

Q: Does SeaWorld use food deprivation?
Absolutely. But decide for yourself


Identical questions were posed to John Jett PhD& Jeffrey Ventre MD, former killer whale trainers. Jett is a visiting research professor at Stetson University in Deland, Florida, USA, and Ventre a board certified physiatrist in Washington state. Their responses are below, beginning with Dr Jett. There is an additional section that summarizes how killer whale food preparation happens each morning. 

Dr John Jett being interviewed by Katie Emmons of Blue Freedom. Katie's film Voiceless will be released this year. 


1. JJ: Does SeaWorld use food deprivation?

Food deprivation was a tool often used when I was a trainer. The concept is straightforward: Reduce the number of calories a whale gets over a period of time and that animal becomes increasingly food motivated. Animals are generally more likely to cooperate with trainers when they are hungry. Food deprivation is a normal component of the training environment, at least while I was a trainer.








2  JJ: Have you ever witnessed food deprivation, or witnessed a drop in an animals food amount prior to a special occasion?

I have both seen and have been a part of depriving whales of food too many times to count. For example, we would often know a week or more prior to August Busch IV visiting the park in Orlando. August Busch IV was the CEO of Anheuser-Busch, the company who owned SeaWorld while I was employed there, and we were always informed by management to cut food bases during the week leading up to his visit. This helped to ensure that Mr. Busch would observe a decent show. Hungry whales generally seemed to perform much better and more consistently, which of course was the objective. 



A bucket of fish. The herring on top is likely the "med fish" which is fed first
I also witnessed food deprivation on targeted animals for specific purposes. For example, Tilikum was often deprived of food prior to teeth drilling or when he was initially asked to go into the (at the time) new back pool (“G” pool). Captive whales are often reluctant to enter new pools, especially when being asked to do so. Food deprivation was also used to help address difficult separations. For example, there was a time when Gudrun (deceased) and Katina were difficult to separate and both bases were cut on a number of occasions so that separations could be reinforced.



Ex SeaWorld Killer Whale Trainers John Hargrove and John Jett talking Blackfish 


3. JJ: What else can you add on the topic of food deprivation?

Food deprivation is not immediately effective as it usually takes at least a couple of days of reduced caloric intake before a whale becomes motivated by their growing hunger.



Jeffrey Ventre & John Jett answering questions at a Blackfish screening 


1. JV: Does SeaWorld use food deprivation?

Yes. One can debate the ethics of withholding food from animals, but it is a tool that is necessary for companies with scheduled orca shows. All performance animals (as opposed to exhibit animals) have carefully managed food base amounts to keep them interested in food & willing to perform. 

Some animals are clearly more food motivated than others, but ultimately they all must eat. Hunger provides leverage, especially when you consider that even sea lions weigh several hundred pounds & could seriously injure a trainer.

A captive killer whale posing on a scale. This image shows some of the impacts of captivity on Orcinus orca  



















If you think about it, how else could you coerce an orca to separate from its family, remain motionless for teeth drilling, or pose for photos on a slide-out for 20 minutes without a hunger drive? 

Does SeaWorld expect the public to believe that whales voluntarily swim into stretchers for transportation to another facility?  Really?

The reality is that most whales become agitated & fearful when the crane rumbles up to Shamu Stadium because they realize that one of their facility-mates, or possibly them, is about to disappear. This is especially true when separating a mother from it's calf. In those situations food deprivation is not only used, but is relied upon, along with plenty of man power. 



_______________ Relevant Videos in this box_________________________

VIDEO:Keto is beached & a wooden 4x4 inch post is placed into his mouth to keep it pried open for a medical procedure. In this case a long tube with a fiber-optic camera is inserted all the way to his stomach. This procedure is called an "endoscopy" and was done to look for paint chips in his gut. Does he open his mouth for this because he wants this? No, because he is hungry PRIOR to this endoscopy. 

VIDEO:Blackfish star Carol Ray describes the Kalina separation story to a full house at #Superpod2. Kalina did not voluntarily separate from her mother.  

VIDEO: Samantha Berg & Jeffrey Ventre discuss trainer-whale relationships at SeaWorld
_______________________________________________________



The head trainer assures potential customers that SeaWorld "would never" withhold food 


Food deprivation is a training reality, and marine circuses should be honest about its use. The famous line that "our animals are doing these behaviors because they want to" is a very insincere way to describe why the animals are
performing many of their trained behaviors, especially ones that are uncomfortable. Granted a roll-over & belly rub is likely more enjoyable for a captive killer whale versus a pulpotomy procedure, but even roll-overs are trained using food. 

Roll-overs have a dual purpose. They are used to portray a trainer-whale bond during a show, which is good PR (and by design), but they also allow trainers to visualize & access killer whale genitalia, a key to SeaWorld's artificial insemination program. 


Wild killer whales are not known to roll over for humans. These behaviors are taught utilizing food & sometimes deprivation.



Withholding food becomes deprivation when it is done in a way to exert extra control over an animal; when it is intended to increase an animal's hunger drive. When I worked there, the order was to "hold the animals at half base," (or 3/4 base, etc.) meaning if a whale consumed 200 pounds of fish on a given day, hold him or her to 100 lbs. When deprivation is sustained, an animal will eventually cooperate for a desired show or husbandry behavior. 

On at least one occasion I recall asking a supervisor, "What do I do with this extra bucket of fish?" The order was, "Grind it."
 2. JV:  Have you ever witnessed food deprivation, or witnessed a drop in an animals food amount prior to a special occasion? 

Yes, both.   The pressure was on when celebrities, politicians, athletes, or businessmen attended live performances. These were scheduled shows and known weeks in advance. Food was sometimes withheld to ensure animal cooperation.


If management needed a vet's approval to cut back food, they simply asked for it & it was done. The veterinarian's salaries are dependent on the show performances, too.

In the lead-up to a VIP visit the routine included scrubbing pool sides with a light bleach solution, removing dead fish from the bottom grates & making sure the VIP saw a good show in a clean stadium. Steps to ensure that important people saw a good show are routine & this translated into
Taima & Jeffrey Ventre in A pool, 1995 
food deprivation for some whales. Taima was a notoriously disruptive killer whale who sometimes prevented shows from happening & who was eventually banished from doing waterwork. I was her primary waterwork trainer in 1994 & 1995. Her food base was cut on at least several occasions that I can recall, primarily to get her to separate into particular pools when asked. She had periods that included refusing to separate out of A pool, and her presence out there meant some shows were cancelled. The show must go on. 




SeaWorld's Food Board & Fish Room Described 


In regard to how food is distributed at Shamu Stadium, here's a summary: 

The ordered food amount is written up onto the food board in the fish room. The board is a clear plastic rectangle hanging on the wall. Grease pencils are used to "make up the board," an actual phrase. The first column is for the whales, the rows are for food bucket amounts, in pounds. 






The buckets themselves are labeled as in the image below. Each bucket contains a mix of fish, mostly smelt & herring, and is weighed & stored in a walk-in refrigerator. Each animal has his or her own buckets, and for shows extra mixed buckets are prepared and hidden around the stadium. The food is placed at positions where behaviors would terminate, so a trainer can quickly spin around, grab some fish and move on with the show. You see a lot of hugs, rubs, and "secondary reinforcers" during shows, but it's all usually backed up (reinforced) by food, just not on every occasion. This approach keeps the whales guessing as to when a food reward will come.


Please click to enlarge. Right click to save for your own blog. 


When an order to cut an animals base comes down from management, a senior level trainer will make up a new food board reflecting those changes. And when the morning crew comes in they will simply follow the new numbers. Questioning management was and is not encouraged. And keep in mind that the term "cut the animals base" is almost assuredly no longer permitted, by rule or unwritten rule. 
We understand that SeaWorld prefers not to call what it does, "food deprivation," so they play word games with this. They prefer phrases like "adjusted optimal food amount" or "best working weight" or phrases to that effect. 


It reminds of Florida Governor Rick Scott banning the term "global warming." Just because SeaWorld prefers to use other terms for its practice of withholding food from show animals doesn't mean that SeaWorld doesn't practice food deprivation.  

 It does. 


Orcas typically ignore humans in kayaks, boats, or SCUBA. Only at SeaWorld do you see them jumping out of the water for food. This mother-daughter pair is Kalina, pregnant here & now deceased (with Laura foreground) & Katina (with JV). 

3. JV: What else can you add on the topic of food deprivation? 

Food deprivation is built into the operant conditioning of free thinking & sometimes unpredictable killer whales.  Food is the primary leverage trainers have & one that is used to maintain control. Only at marine circuses are orcas & dolphins coerced into unnatural tricks for human amusement as well as their very sustenance. 





Call it what you will, but food deprivation is alive and well at SeaWorld. 


_______________________________________________________


FOOTNOTES


We former trainers at Voice of the Orcas have spoken out on the topic of food deprivation at numerous Q&A sessions & also during interviews with reporters & bloggers. Here is just one example from March of 2012. Be sure to read Samantha & Carol's thoughts on the topic here:  former seaworld trainers speak out about captivity

J. Jett & J. Ventre have two scientific writings on the topic of captive killer whales currently in print. One is a chapter in a university textbook dealing with animals in tourism. The other is a peer-reviewed article in the J. of Marine Mammal Science. Stay tuned. 


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SeaWorld Using Money and Politics to Push Back Against School Kids

May 25, 2015, 7:16 pm
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Evan Dow Testifies in Favor of the "Humane Treatment" Resolution
How does SeaWorld use politics to maintain captivity in a country that now opposes it? And who is T.J. Zane?


Despite overwhelming evidence that killer whales are not suited for life in sterile concrete pools, SeaWorld continues to spread misinformation, to mislead shareholders, and to hold onto an exploitative business model that the U.S. public has outgrown. Even Ringling Brothers agrees & stated that public attitudes regarding its performing elephants have changed. The circus, now more progressive than SeaWorld, will retire its elephants by 2018.

There is data [on marine mammal captivity] to support Ringling's conclusion. Scientific polling data published in May of 2014, collected by Edge Research, and commissioned by the Animal Welfare Institute (AWI) &Whale & Dolphin Conservation (WDC), can be viewed HERE. 



Results: Only 21% of the American public support keeping killer whales in captivity; 50% oppose captivity; and 29% are undecided. With those numbers its clear why some politicians are jumping on board the anti-captivity train. It's now MAJORITY opinion, and politicians win elections on populist issues. 


With that in mind, what gives? 

How has SeaWorld been successful at influencing political outcomes or stalling progress in Washington & California, two states that are more progressive than most?

The answer is money, deals, & continuing to fabricate misinformation. What's odd is how openly dishonest SeaWorld continues to be, including making false statements in public settings that can easily be refuted. Also, they're apparently calling on political favors from recipients who have received donations. 

A good example occurred last week at the Poway School District Board Meeting, San Diego, California, USA, on 18 May 2015. A high school senior, Zach Affolter, submitted a resolution to the school board, entitled:  

"Supporting Educational opportunities for the humane treatment of animals."
After getting push-back from captivity supporters, Zach took the step of revising & watering down the original language of the resolution to say that SeaWorld does offer some positive educational opportunities, as well as other changes. 



SeaWorld's response was to mass email the school board, send employees, friends, & a family member to testify, and to call in a favor from board member T.J. Zane to block the resolution before it could be voted on (see video at 1:30). According to his website:







@tjzane has a foundation  http://www.sandiegoprosperity.org  and is a long-time political fundraiser through Lincoln Club & the city GOP.


From an article by Lisa Halverstadt, Voice of San Diego, April 2014:
SeaWorld scored a big win this week when a bill targeting the company [AB-2140] was sidelined – but the park’s influence extends far beyond Sacramento. 
The company’s political action committee has funneled more than $100,000 to federal candidates and national lobbying groups since 2012. In the same two-year period, the company itself has sunk another $12,500 into the political arms of the Lincoln Club of San Diego County, the California Restaurant Association’s local chapter and the San Diego Regional Chamber of Commerce. 
Its executives also wrote checks to city politicians including Mayor Kevin Faulconer and City Council President Todd Gloria totaling more than $5,000.

From THIS ARTICLE: A visual of San Diego-based politicians receiving donations from SeaWorld executives, the company or its political action committee since 2012


The Lincoln Club of San Diego is a pro business political action group that recently received $12,500 from SeaWorld. T.J. Zane is the former chief executive. It's worth pointing out that Mr. Zane has done nothing illegal. He's simply exercising a political favor for a corporate constituent that has donated money to his group. Both he and SeaWorld  appreciate the money generated by performing marine mammals. 


"Follow the Money." 



Another notable point regarding the testimony seen in the video is that SeaWorld animal training management continues to fabricate misinformation to suit it's needs. Note that head killer whale trainer, Robin Sheets, lies to the school board. 


Robin Sheets testimony begins at 16:38 in the video

 

Thanks to various lawsuits, some SeaWorld killer whale medical documents are in the public record, including the note above, which states that 80mg of diazepam (Trade name Valium) was prescribed to orca "Ikaika." It is widely known within the trainer community that SeaWorld, and other marine parks, sometimes use medications to "mellow" agitated animals and when transporting animals from park to park. According to ex-colleague John Hargrove, this isn't the first time Mr. Sheets has fabricated misinformation in a public setting. See John's Tweet, below: 



The value of this evidence is that it captures a head trainer spreading misinformation, and also the flow of money to politicians in San Diego. According to the Voice of San Diego, SeaWorld has given contributions to many politicians in California, and nationally. It's our job to hold them accountable by voting out those who put profit before the welfare of the animals in human care.   

Are the stockholders & lawyers paying attention? 


For more on this story read this piece by Jaime at Cetacean Inspiration:
HEAD SEAWORLD TRAINER LIES TO CALIFORNIA BOARD OF EDUCATION
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Dr Rose Urges Scientists to Tell SeaWorld, "Stop Misinforming the Public"

May 27, 2015, 10:27 am
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NOTE: The email below was published with the permission of Dr. Rose.

The MARMAM e-mail list was established on August 6th, 1993, through the University of Victoria. It is a public e-mail list meant to serve researchers and managers working with marine mammals. As of January 2010 there are approximately 8,500 subscribers to the list. 


_____________________________________________________________


From: Naomi Rose
Date: May 12, 2015
To: "MARMAM"
Subject: [MARMAM] SeaWorld response to MMS paper on age milestones in killer whales


Dear MARMAMers:

Once again, I am compelled to post on SeaWorld’s current public relations efforts. A recent paper in Marine Mammal Science, which went through comprehensive peer-review, indicates that while survivorship rates have improved in captive killer whales, survival to certain age milestones is still poor compared to the wild. (It also found age milestones at which survivorship declined in captivity, suggesting that husbandry practices during these life stages are particularly problematic, such as separating juveniles from their mothers.) A popular article about this paper was just published, in which Dr. Doug DeMaster was quoted, as well as Dr. Todd Robeck, a veterinarian at SeaWorld. The article is here:  





Any members of the Society can read the original paper, by John Jett, Ph.D. and Jeff Ventre, M.D., online at https://www.marinemammalscience.org/journal/read-the-journal-now/

Dr. Robeck, in his capacity as a representative of SeaWorld, is highly critical of Marine Mammal Science and frankly of the peer-review process. (And I must confess, it has not been MY experience that the Society has a “large anti-captivity sentiment in a lot of [its] members.”) 



____________________________________________





Dr. Rose does a Ted Talk on the Topic of Killer Whales at TEDXBend 



_____________________________________________



This is typical of SeaWorld – when the company does not like the facts as presented, it attacks the presenter, whether it is an individual or a journal or an academic association. 

In short, its typical response is the ad hominem attack, when it should be a presentation of data that counters the claims of the analysis it is criticizing. SeaWorld, in its ongoing PR campaign, has told people that captive whales live as long as wild ones (see http://ask.seaworldcares.com/?p=131), which is not supported by the peer-reviewed science.


"If the company has data suggesting otherwise, it should publish it."


I call again for the Society for Marine Mammalogy to write to SeaWorld’s executives and ask them to stop misinforming the public about marine mammal science and Marine Mammal Science. I strongly urge marine mammal scientists to publicly respond to this PR campaign. This campaign is how many people are learning about killer whales right now and they are being misinformed.



NAOMI A. ROSE, PH.D.
Marine Mammal Scientist

ANIMAL WELFARE INSTITUTE
900 Pennsylvania Ave., SE
Washington, DC 20003
naomi@awionline.org
P  Please consider the animals and their habitat before printing.

_______________________________________________________________




Information on Dr. Rose & the Video Above

Published on May 25, 2015

The family structure of orcas is destroyed by captivity, and its time to return them to their world, the ‘real” sea world, instead of forcing them to live in ours.

As a scientist for Humane Society International and a marine mammal scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute, Rose has spent her entire career studying whales and dolphins (cetaceans) in captivity and how society’s relationship with these animals needs to change. Rose travels the world, most recently to Russia and Singapore, to give presentations about the concerns related to keeping cetaceans in captivity and using them in performances. She brings scientific grounding to an often divisive and emotional topic. Her work has been profiled in the book “Death at SeaWorld” by David Kirby; she also consulted on the 2013 documentary film “Blackfish” by Gabriela Cowperthwaite.

This talk was given at a TEDx event using the TED conference format but independently organized by a local community. Learn more athttp://ted.com/tedx



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Rachel & 65 Cities Say Empty The Tanks

June 5, 2015, 4:20 am
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It's been a year and we're back. I've teamed up, once again, with #EmptyTheTanks founder & SeaShepherd Cove Guardian Rachel Carbary for some information regarding the 2015 event. We spoke last year about her inspiration for the event, HERE. She told us,"My time spent in Taiji absolutely changed my life. I remember on my trip to Taiji in January 2013, the first time I saw with my own eyes a skiff carrying dolphin killers and dolphin trainers go into the killing cove. They were all smiling and working together. The trainers go into the killing area to inspect the captured dolphins in order to determine if any of the animals there are worth buying." 



The paragraphs below are fresh answers to questions about #EmptyTheTanks in 2015. 

Jeff V:  Rachel, last year was a huge success. How many cities are participating this year compared to last?

Rachel: This year is our biggest year yet. We have 65 locations throughout 20 countries participating. All of the events will take place on Saturday, June 6th, 2015.


Rachel & Friends 2014


Jeff V:  Just so folks that are new to the event can get an idea of what to expect, can you share with our readers the montage video from #EmptyTheTanks 2014?



Rachel: Here is the video highlighting the events that took place around the world last year for the 2nd Annual #EmptyTheTanks





Jeff V: Last year SeaWorld spokespeople were spreading misinformation about the event, here. Have any captivists organized counter protests or tried to interfere this year?


Rachel: I have heard about a couple of unorganized attempts to protest the #EmptyTheTanks events. I am not sure much will come of it, though.
Most of the time these people underestimate our passion and commitment to this cause. Even if they do show up -- we'll be there; we will be seen and heard and we will not stop until the tanks are empty.


Animal justice goes mainstream,  Portlandia 2015, Notice Blackfish Poster on Wall 

Jeff V:  San Diego has consistently brought out big numbers for #EmptyTheTanks. Any idea which cities will have the large turnouts on Saturday?


Seattle #EmptyTheTanks 2014


Rachel: Yes, San Diego always has an amazing number of dedicated activists that show up for these events. I am sure this year will be no different. I think this year we will have big crowds at most of the event locations, especially the SeaWorld ones. I am expecting big crowds in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio. 


Empty the Tanks is an event that even more people know about now. 

We have expanded our reach onto other social media outlets and this is allowing us to interact with more than just the Facebook crowd.


Downtown Seattle is home base for #EmptyTheTanks Global 



Jeff V: The UK and Australia have cities in the mix. What other countries outside of the U.S. are participating and how do you communicate over distant time zones?


Rachel C: This year we have so many countries that have joined in on this day of protest and awareness. Spain has several locations, South Africa is joining us this year for the first time, and we also have a few different locations in Mexico. The countries participating this year are:


US
Canada
Holland
Spain
UK
Germany
Turkey
Belgium
Australia
China
Japan
Ireland
Mexico
Argentina
Hungary
Brazil
France
United Arab Emirates
South Africa
Portugal


Jeff V:  Wherever you are, globally, make sure to help us #EmptyTheTanks on Saturday; whether through direct action or on social media. Spread the word to raise awareness for our cetacean friends that are earning profits for large companies in cruel & inhumane settings. Let's help end the practice. Thank you, Rachel, for leading the way. 


March in Seattle. Same topic "Beneath the Surface" helps to #EmptyTheTanks. John, Carol, Rachel, Jeff 

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RIP Sweet Obie

June 11, 2015, 7:53 pm
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I learned that Obie died yesterday at SeaWorld. He was blind when he died. 

I worked with Obie for just over a year, from 1993-1994. He was a sweet boy back then; Still nearly 2000 pounds in weight. 



My take on walruses, from direct experiences with Obie, Gwen, Slowpoke, and Garfield, are that they are nearly on par with killer whales, in terms of their sophisticated thinking. Maybe it's because they readily understand human vocal commands and you can casually ask them to "come" or "whistle" or "wave," by using plain English. Nothing against dogs, I love dogs, but walruses are, or at least seem, way smarter than the average canine.  


"For what it's worth, Walruses are great whistlers"


And in terms of the danger factor, walruses have large tusks and can do one thing captive killer whales cannot... muscle out of the pool, run you down, and pin you up against a wall, or worse. In general, the four walruses I worked with were very good-natured, despite their incarceration. 
Read about Gwen's sad story HERE 
I remember working with Obie one day when he heard a noise, a bird, or something...  and quickly raised his mammoth head. It was completely non-aggressive but the top of his skull did slam into my chin and broke one of my front teeth off. It was the most significant injury I sustained as an an animal trainer at SeaWorld and I was sent to the dentist for tooth repair. Of note, no incident report was generated from that injury, probably because it was out of the public view.  



 As I remember Obie, it reminds me to say that the walruses and sea lions are kept in a relative hell-hole at all three SeaWorld parks; especially when compared with the Shamu Stadium& the dolphin stadium.  They essentially live in small cesspools surrounded by steel cages. The pools are filled with their own stool and urine, and the facility is on a separate less-sophisticated filtration & treatment system that requires more chemicals; hence the blindness seen in many pinnipeds at SeaWorld. 


I worked at all three animal stadiums at SeaWorld of Florida. In trainer culture, the Sea Lion & Otter Stadium was definitely considered "bottom of the barrel." And this plays out in the media these days when SeaWorld itself points to ex-trainers as being disgruntled because they were "moved to Sea Lion."


In terms of the physical plant, the jail-like smallish hot-tub-sized enclosures were often filled with 4 or more animals swimming tight circles. Area work duties consisted of the daily scrubbing of snot and feces from the walls, floors, food stations and steel bars. Body fluids were everywhere when trainers arrived in the morning to open. When celebrities would come to the park, as far as I remember, they were never allowed to see behind-the-scenes at "Sea Lion." 

Think about it. How many "back area" photographs have YOU ever seen of SeaWorld's pinniped show areas? It's shocking and not fit for public exposure.  


SeaWorld knows this and keeps it hidden. Where's the media? Stossel? 


Former SeaWorld Trainer Jeffrey Ventre with young Obie the Walrus at the Sea Lion & Otter Stadium 1994

Cheesy photo, I know, but notice Obie sticking his head out between two steel bars of his small prisoner's cell. 

This is the real tyranny; intelligent animals in circus shows for corporations that pay low wages to regular employees while making a handful of executives incredibly wealthy. Obie is a victim of SeaWorld's ongoing exploitation of intelligent marine mammals.

It's time to #EmptyTheTanks. 

RIP sweet Obie 


________________________________


Jeffrey Ventre MD
Former Trainer, SeaWorld of Florida '87-'95
Note: Obie was transferred from Orlando to San Diego 
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