Aug25
Walking With ... Whales?
Posted at 04:24 PM | Permalink
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Comments (17)
OK, ever since we mentioned our proposal to take over a SeaWorld and turn it into a virtual-reality marine-mammal theme park, some people have been a bit, well, skeptical.
Obviously, these folks aren't familiar with PETA and our unique blend of determination and outside-the-box thinking. Long story short: Never say "never" to PETA people (and that includes our wonderful members and supporters).
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Unlike the animals currently trapped at SeaWorld, these robotic Barneys voluntarily put on an amazing 90-minute show. Machines don't get bored and anxious between performances or miss their "natural" environment, but marine mammals—who would naturally swim hundreds of miles per day, eat a diverse diet, and form complex relationships—spend their lives swimming in listless, lonely circles.
If they can already do all that with fake dinosaurs, then our SeaWorld overhaul should be a piece of cake (or maybe a cupcake), right? Like one of those aquarium screensavers—and if you're jonesing for an aquarium, that's the way to go—taken to the extreme. It's win-win: The animals are free to do their thing, and you don't go home smelling like chlorine.
Posted by Jeff Mackey
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Comments
How fun! Will this show come to socal?
Slightly off topic, why hasn't PETA talked about Colin, the baby whale in Australia who lost his mother and was euthanized last week due to health complications. I'm curious to hear your opinion.
Posted by: PETA #1 | August 25, 2008 05:55 PM
Thank you so much for this wonderful idea! I've had this thought in my head for a LONG time. I've always been an "Anti-cap" (anti-captivity) and never liked Sea World! You should provide a link so people can email and constantly pester Sea World to adopt this great idea! Thanks again!
Posted by: Niki | August 25, 2008 06:10 PM
Walking with Dinosaur's toured here in Canada too. I think a PETA theme park would be amazing and really open people's eyes to the terrible lives of zoo, circus, and theme park animals. Walking with Dinosaurs is a great point to make to support PETA's idea. Hope it works!!!
Posted by: Aneliese | August 25, 2008 08:03 PM
Doesn't SeaWorld only take in injured marine animals that would not have survived in the wild? I'm not saying I'm defending them, I'm just a little curious as to why it is sinful to save an animal's life.
Posted by: Katie | August 25, 2008 08:35 PM
i hate humans
Posted by: farah | August 25, 2008 09:38 PM
HEY PETA !! I TOOK YOU SERIOUSLY !! AND YOUR RIGHT...NEVER SAY NEVER (LIKE YOU SAID) KEEP IT UP WITH THE GOOD WORK. IT CAN AND WILL HAPPEN. I WILL BE THE FIRST TO GO TO SEA WORLD TO SUPPORT YOU AND ALL THE ANIMALS THAT WILL BE SAVED BY THIS.
Posted by: SASHA | August 25, 2008 10:43 PM
Grrr....its frustrating that there's no PETA stuff here in Vancouver, BC Canada.
I'd say I would do it, but I dont have time to set up a demonstration, the funds to make a theme park. I wanna demonstrate and show my support for animals. There needs to be a stronger presence here!!!
Posted by: Amanda | August 26, 2008 10:59 AM
I've been spreading the word here in Orlando about the possible PETA SeaWorld takeover, and you sure are right about the skeptics. I didn't know so many people could be so dumb...oh wait.
Posted by: Siobhan M. | August 26, 2008 01:44 PM
go peta!!u help animals in need so much it saddens my heart when i see people hurting animals i mean who wuld hurt such cute animals big or small they diserve to live
Posted by: Amber | August 26, 2008 01:57 PM
Katie, Sea World has had all kinds of issues over the years. Don't be fooled by their pr
http://www.downbound.com/Marine_Parks_s/429.htm
Posted by: kelly | August 26, 2008 03:06 PM
PETA#1,
Colin/Collette the baby whale is a little bit more down Sea Shepherd's alley, and Captain Paul Watson does an excellent commentary on her.
http://www.seashepherd.org/editorials/editorial_080822_2.html
Posted by: Mike Quinoa | August 26, 2008 06:38 PM
Farah,
I'm interested to know what that means? Why do you hate humans? All humans? In as much as you hate them for being cruel you should love them for being kind. Of all species humans are the kindest.
If you hate humans what is your plan? Are you planning to quit the species and if so what would you choose? Or are you doing something to make humans more lovable?
It is being human that gives you the capacity to judge what is right and wrong. If you should choose to give up on the species and walk a non-human road you should also be prepared to give up judgement, love and hate amongst many other human qualities.
So I appreciate that your comment is not intented to be completely precise but we should be more careful with our words - they have the ability to build and destroy.
Posted by: jay | August 27, 2008 12:31 AM
I LOVE this idea. Before becoming educated (by PETA) about the abuse marine and other animals suffer because of entertainment, my husband and I bought 2-year passes to seaworld and busch gardens. Now our passes are sitting in our wallets. I have a suggestion for PETA: If you want to make ALOT of money in Orlando, the trick is rides. Put some crazy mega roller-coasters that boast to be the tallest, fastest, or scariest. That's the audience in Orlando. Trust me, I've been going there for years, and unless you are Disney, big scary rides are what will get people in the door. Even Disney is considering a new theme park with more rides because of the business they lose to Universal. Then, once they are there, give them a great education on animal rights and have fabulous vegan food. And don't listen to haters. Even meat-eaters will be trying to get in the door. Entertainment is entertainment. Take the Polynesian Culture Center in Hawaii. It's owned by Mormons and supports their church, but EVERYONE goes there, even people who don't like Mormons(I have no problem with Mormons or anyone, I'm just proving a point). Please take over, I'd buy year-passes every year.
Posted by: Daniella | August 27, 2008 08:30 AM
I get your idea. But your plan is to put a lot of people out of work basically. That you don't care about. Which should be somewhat of a concern for you. I honestly don't think people will go back "Sea" World (if you could even still call it that) time after time. What is your plan for the animals already there?
Why don't you just do something about the way you say they live? I feel bad for the animals, but I also feel bad for the people who make their living working there and also the people who live paycheck to paycheck.
I'm kind of on the fence about the whole thing.
Posted by: brandie r | August 27, 2008 10:01 AM
@ Branide r:
Are you serious? Why are you on this site if your concern is human employment? I really don't care about the people who allow this industry to exist, ESPECIALLY the people who work there, and take such a large part in contributing to the imprisonment of these beautiful animals, who above all deserve freedom. Why in the world does PeTA have to concern itself with the jobs of people who make their living training animals to do stupid tricks for the enjoyment of stupid people? Why don't you go get a job at Seaworld, and join a board about lack of employment opportunities.
And @ Katie, does it really matter if they only take animals that are sick or dying? I think an animal should have the right to die naturally in it's home environment, rather than being stolen away from it's family/social network for our stupid amusement. Don't think for a second they are doing what they do to benefit the animals. If they were, we wouldn't be watching them do ridiculous, unnatural tricks for hours a day in tiny glasses of water, compared to their vast ocean home.
Bottom line, PeTA, PLEASE MAKE THIS HAPPEN!! Get those animals back to where they belong, and stop this cruelty from continuing. Thank you PeTA, for everything you do every day for the lives of animals. The people of PeTA are the human race's saving grace.
Posted by: Samantha | August 27, 2008 10:18 PM
This is an important point, about zoos using sick or injured animals for displays. It is unethical and illegal to keep wild, releaseable animals in zoos if they are able to get better and be put back in the wild.
However, permanently injured wildlife have 2 choices: be kept in captivity, or be destroyed. I worked at a zoo which kept only non releaseable animals.
For example, they had 2 vultures who had deformed wings and could not fly. They also had an unwanted circus bear and a seal from another zoo who did not want him.
It would have been incredibly cruel to dump any of these animals into the ocean or forest. They would panic, suffer and die.
The vultures were at a rehab facility before that, confined to a tiny aviary because we rehabbers get calls about injured and sick wildlife, and although we get dozens of animals a year, we get piddlysquat for money, sometimes 20 bucks if we're lucky. That doesn't even cover travel expenses, much less medication, food, cleaning supplies, etc
So the non releaseable animals are forced to live in tiny enclosures - unless a good zoo takes them. Unless the public is prepared to give millions to wildlife rehabbers, zoos are going to be a better place for these animals to live.
That is, IF it's one of the few good zoos out there that only take in non releaseables AND make the animals first priority. SEA WORLD IS NOT ONE OF THESE PLACES.
However, I hope we're all on board that
1. Wild animals should never be taken from the wild OR bred in captivity
AND
2. Dumping a captive bred animal into the ocean or forest is cruel and idiotic.
Posted by: Maya, CVT | August 28, 2008 10:16 AM
Peta, what would we do without you?? The whales should be free where God intended them to be. No animal or mammal should be in zoo's, circus', or Sea World.
Please don't give up Peta, they need you, it's there life we are talking about. We love u Peta, we do what we can to help. God bless you Peta...
Posted by: Linda P. | February 25, 2010 12:25 AM