It might sound like fun to go to SeaWorld and see all the different animals there, but if you were to look at things from the animals' perspectives, you'd see that everything isn't nearly as fun as it seems.
Although some animal species can thrive in captivity, orcas and dolphins don't. In the wild, they are used to swimming across vast distances, ranging anywhere from 40-140 miles a day. They are also highly intelligent, social creatures that are capable of advanced problem-solving and language. Abducting them from the ocean, which is what SeaWorld did to most of its orcas including Shamu, and forcing them into tanks that are only a couple hundred feet in length and 35 feet deep and making them perform the same tricks each day leads to disastrous effects on their physical and mental health. Most of them don't live nearly as long as they would in the wild. In fact, the longest-living captive-bred orca, Kayla, died at only 30 when the average lifespan for a female extends well into their 50s.
The negative effects of forced captivity are not only seen in their shortened lifespans but also in their aggressive behavior. In all of recorded human history, not a single human has ever died from an attack by a wild orca. However, four humans have been killed by captive orcas at SeaWorld; three of which were caused by a single male, Tilikum. And yet, despite this unusual alarming behavior, a spokesperson from SeaWorld claimed that returning Tilikum to performing shows merely 13 months after killing his 3rd trainer was an "important component of his physical, social, and mental, enrichment," a statement that raised serious concerns among experts and animal rights advocates, given Tilikum’s violent history and obvious psychological distress. Orcas are often seen floating listlessly on the surface or gnawing on steel bars in their tanks, eroding their teeth. They are also seen chewing on tank walls to the point where their teeth are broken. This damage can lead to the need for chronic antibiotic therapy, which can compromise orcas' immune systems. Orcas at SeaWorld have been abducted from the ocean and were forced to live in cramped tanks. An orca named Corky was captured from her pod off the coast in British Columbia on December 11, 1969. She remained in the same tank in SeaWorld San Diego as of 2023 with 7 other orcas.
Dolphins at SeaWorld are forced to live in cramped tanks, just like the orcas. Although SeaWorld ended its orca breeding program, it still breeds dolphins through artificial insemination. Female dolphins were pulled out of the water, drugged, and filled with semen from the males. During shows, trainers stood on their faces and rode on their backs like surfboards. Many children were also bitten by dolphins during the encounters they had. As of 2023, SeaWorld stopped trainers from standing on dolphins' faces and riding on their backs like surfboards. Still, it keeps the dolphins inside its tanks and continues its breeding program.
Furthermore, it's not only orcas and dolphins who suffered at SeaWorld. A walrus named Obie went blind because of too much direct exposure to the sun. He and many other walruses exhibit stereotypical behavior such as pressing their mouths against the glass and repeatedly regurgitating and swallowing their food many times. Recently, SeaWorld San Diego separated 2 polar bear sisters named Szenja and Snowflake from each other. Snowflake was sent to the Pittsburgh Zoo & PPG Aquarium in Pennsylvania. Szenja remained in her small exhibit and died a few days after. While no cause of death was determined, many believed the loss of her sister contributed to her decline. Beluga whales are also kept in cramped tanks. Many beluga whales died shortly after their natural lifespan which is 70-80 years in the wild. They are also used for breeding in all 3 parks at San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio.
The best way to help these animals is to never go to SeaWorld or any other marine park that exploits animals for entertainment unless you're there to document abuse. Furthermore, you can also sign this alert by PETA to urge SeaWorld to halt its breeding program and send its animals to seaside sanctuaries. You can also sign this other alert by PETA to urge SeaWorld to release Corky, one of the orcas suffering at its San Diego park, to a seaside sanctuary. Additionally, you can sign this petition by Species Unite to urge Congress to pass the Strengthening Welfare in Marine Settings (SWIMS) Act, which would help end the keeping of large marine mammals like orcas in captivity. Instead of going to SeaWorld, you can go to other AZA-accredited aquariums that are conservation-focused and don't exploit animals for entertainment. Supporting and funding the development of seaside sanctuaries like the Whale Sanctuary Project is another great thing that you can do, since they can provide a refuge for captive whales and dolphins.
Although SeaWorld ended its orca breeding program, it still keeps 18 orcas in their three parks (San Diego, Orlando, and San Antonio). Experts predict that orca captivity will be phased out in 20 years, but as we celebrate the end of performances, we should also not forget the ones still living in the tanks. Every orca at SeaWorld has a backstory, a name, and a personality, and their tales of resilience deserve to be honored.
Corky is the longest-held captive orca in the world. She was born free at around 1985 and was captured from her pod off the coast of British Columbia on December 11, 1969. From 1977-1986, she was kept at the now-defunct Marineland of the Pacific in California, where she was used as a breeding machine and bred with her own cousin. Unfortunately, none of her babies survived past 47 days. In 1987, she was transferred to SeaWorld San Diego, where her last pregnancy ended in a miscarriage. Orcas form strong maternal bonds and some remain with their mothers for life, so the grief that Corky faced was immeasurable. As of today, she remains at SeaWorld San Diego with 7 other orcas.
Ikaika was born at SeaWorld Orlando in 2002. His name means "strength." He is the son of Katina and Tilikum, whose life was revealed in the 2013 documentary Blackfish. When Ikaika was 4 years old, he was sent to Marineland Canada on a breeding loan, tearing him away from his mother. At Marineland, his condition deteriorated by 2009: he suffered from a chronic dental problem, was underfed, and displayed repeated aggression. In 2011, he was transported to SeaWorld San Diego, a journey which exemplifies how orcas are treated like property to move rather than individuals who deserve care and stability.
Kalia is the daughter of Kasatka and Keet. She spent much of her early life on and off medication. At 6 1/2 months old, she became ill and had to be lifted to the medical pool daily for injections and blood draws, experiences that made her distrustful of her trainers. Female orcas typically mate at 14 years old, but Kalia was still an adolescent when SeaWorld forced her to reproduce. At 10 years old, she gave birth to Amaya. Unfortunately, Amaya died in 2021 at just 6 years old, which led Kalia to withdraw into isolation to grieve. Not long after, she suffered the loss of her brother, Nakai, whom she shared a lifelong bond with.
Keet is one of the most transported orcas in SeaWorld history. Born at SeaWorld San Antonio in 1993, he spent his early life with his mother, Kalina. However, when Keet was less than 2 years old and still nursing, Kalina was sent to SeaWorld Orlando. He never saw his mother again. The loss of his mother was devastating for Keet, since male orcas often remain with their mothers for life. Once he reached sexual maturity, he was used in SeaWorld's artificial insemination program and was shuttled between SeaWorld parks multiple times. He currently remains at SeaWorld San Diego to this day.
Makani was born at SeaWorld San Diego on Valentine's Day 2013. He's the son of Kasatka, a female orca who suffered a bacterial lung infection. When he was 4 years old, his mother died due to the prolonged illness. After her death, an eyewitness saw Makani's body covered in deep rake marks, wounds from the teeth of other orcas. The rake marks were evidence of aggression and vulnerability that happen when male orcas are separated from or lose their mothers. According to an eyewitness, Makani often beached himself in order to escape the other orcas in his tank.
Orkid was born on 1988 during a show. She is the daughter of Kandu and Orky. Kandu, Orkid's mother, is an Icelandic orca while Orky, Orkid's father, is a Northern Resident orca. Orkid is considered a "hybrid" orca since these subspecies of orcas have different social structures. Corky spent most of her time with Orkid, but it may have led to jealousy. Kandu attacked Corky, breaking her jaw and severing arteries in her head. It took 45 minutes for Orkid to see her mother, only 14 years old, bleed to death in front of her. Orkid has a long history of aggression towards trainers. It could be a result of trauma from watching her mother bleed to death, or a result of stress from captivity.
Shouka was born on 1993 at Marineland Antibes in France, which closed on January 2025. She was the first orca born in the country and, as a result, the staff were unprepared for her care. Due to this, she was underfed and when she was 8, she was still the size of a 4-year-old orca. When Shouka was 9 years old, she was moved to a now-defunct marine park in Ohio (Six Flags Worlds of Adventure), where she was kept in solitary confinement. After that, she was transferred to Six Flags Discovery Kingdom (previously called Six Flags Marine World) in 2004, where she was kept in isolation again. Orcas naturally live in large pods, so solitary confinement was traumatizing for Shouka and it may have caused brain damage. In 2012, she was transferred to SeaWorld San Diego, where she currently remains.
Ulises was born free on 1977. He spent his early years swimming with his pod in the cold, open waters off Iceland until, in 1980, he was torn from his family at age 3. He spent 13 years at the Barcelona Zoo in Spain without companionship before moving to SeaWorld San Diego in 1994. Now, he's 20 ft and weighs 10,000 lbs, which makes him a giant trapped in a small tank, which is a fraction of the size of his natural range. He and Corky are 2 of the 3 surviving wild-captured orcas that are being held captive at SeaWorld parks. Over the years, he had been bullied by many of his tankmates, and sustained many injuries. In fact, he was bullied by Kalia. Due to the stress from captivity, Ulises often lashed out and attacked his tankmates, primarily Corky.
Katina was born free around 1976. At just 2 years old, she was captured off the coast of Iceland in 1978. She was passed on to multiple facilities before arriving at SeaWorld Orlando. According to Seaworld, Katina was "the most successful orca mother in human care," which meant that she sired multiple calves. In 2018, her dorsal fin was split open due to an interaction with incompatible members of her "pod." While orcas in the wild have been known to survive trauma to their dorsal fins, healing is much harder for captive orcas, who are susceptible to infections from environmental diseases. Although the wound is several years old, it is still visible today. Katina is the third surviving wild-captured orca at SeaWorld.
Nalani was born on 2006 at SeaWorld Orlando. She is inbred, as her parents are her mother, Katina, and her son, Taku. Taku is also her half-brother. Nalani was born right before Taku was separated from Katina and sent to SeaWorld San Antonio.
Malia was born in 2007 at SeaWorld Orlando. She is the daughter of Taima and Tilikum. As a calf, she showed abnormal behaviors, sometimes going completely still, as if in a seizure-like state. When she was a year and a half old, a photograph showed her with a trainer balancing on her back and neck, forcing her head underwater. According to experts, this treatment could have caused harm to a young orca. In 2022, she was seen with paint chips and debris stuck in her teeth and mouth, which suggests that she was chewing on the tank walls. While a trainer was removing the debris from her mouth, Malia bit the trainer's arm so severely that it required surgery.
Trua was born in 2005. He is the son of Takara and Taku and Sakari's half-sibling. When he was just 3 years old, his mother, Takara, was sent to SeaWorld San Antonio, but although she's still there, Trua will never see her again.
Makaio was born at SeaWorld Orlando on 2010. He is the last of Tilikum's 21 offspring, and lives with his mother, Katina, and his half-sister Nalani. At 3 months old, he was already participating in shows, and he is currently one of the largest orcas to be held in captivity.
Kyuquot was born on Christmas Eve in 1991 and when he was a month old, he was transferred to SeaWorld San Antonio. With his current weight being 9000 pounds, Kyuquot is the largest orca imprisoned at the San Antonio park. In the wild, orcas swim up to 150 miles a day, but at SeaWorld, it would take Kyuquot more than 4,280 laps around the tank to swim the same distance. The stress from captivity caused him to lash out against his trainers. Kyuquot has been involved in multiple incidents with trainers, the most notable being the July 2004 attack on SeaWorld trainer Steve Aibel. During that event, he body-slammed Aibel multiple times, dunking the trainer and blocking every attempted exit he tried to make.
Tuar was born at SeaWorld Orlando on 1999. He is the son of Kalina and Tilikum. Like his older half-brother, Keet, he was separated from his mother at a few years old and was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando in 2004. Due to the stress of adjusting, he grounded his teeth against the concrete walls of his tank, wearing them down. In addition to that, he also picked at the paint on the pool floor, a sign of boredom, and his stress often resulted in tense encounters with trainers.
Sakari was born in 2010 at SeaWorld San Antonio. She is the daughter of Takara and Tilikum and is the youngest orca at SeaWorld San Antonio. Her name means "sweet" in Inuit, but her backstory isn't sweet. Before she was born, her mother, Takara, was transferred from SeaWorld Orlando to San Antonio, which meant that she didn't have the chance to meet her father, Tilikum. Sakari had spent her whole life at SeaWorld San Antonio to this day.
Takara was born in 1991 to her mother, Kasatka, and her father, Kotar. At 3 years old, she was sent to SeaWorld Orlando, which meant that she was separated from her mother at a young age. In 2009, she was relocated to SeaWorld San Antonio. She was used like a breeding machine and sired five calves, including Kyara, the last orca to be born at SeaWorld. Three of her babies are dead now. Kyara died at just 3 months old, Kohana died in 2022 at Loro Parque in Spain, and Kamea died this year. Kamea died at 11 years old, making her the youngest orca of all 3 parks. Takara's other babies, Sakari and Trua, are still being imprisoned but Sakari is at the same park as his mother.
For these 18 orcas, a day in a tank is a day stolen. Let's not wait 20 years. We have the power to change the endings for these orcas because for these individuals, it's about the right to live their final days with dignity: in waters that move with the waves of the ocean, not the hum of a filtration pump.