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WDC2023-007 NMLC Release (16)

Seal Rescued in Marshfield Released Back Into The Wild

For Immediate Release, May 31, 2023 PLYMOUTH, MA - A young male grey seal that...

Norway ups whale kill numbers and removes whale welfare protections

The whaling season in Norway has begun on the back of disturbing announcements from the...
Image taken from an unmanned hexacopter at >100ft during a research collaboration between NOAA/SWFSC, SR3 and the Coastal Ocean Research Institute. Research authorized by NMFS permit #19091.

Southern Resident orca petition to list them under Oregon Endangered Species Act advanced

The Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission voted today to advance a petition seeking to protect...
Hysazu Photography

WDC and Conservation Partners Continue to Seek Oregon Endangered Species Protection for Southern Resident Orcas

On Friday, April 21st, the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Commission will determine whether the petition...

SeaWorld launches ‘educational’ dolphin shows

Twenty four hours after the final ‘old style’ Blue Horizons captive dolphin show finished at SeaWorld Orlando, the company’s new ‘more educational’ Dolphin Days show has begun.  But SeaWorld’s attempt to align its brand with the growing public uneasiness with whale and dolphin captivity has left many questioning how different the shows are in reality.

The new Dolphin Days show does not feature many of the circus-style elements of the old show, which included acrobats and divers in costumes.  Trainers now introduce each dolphin by name and give the audience facts about the species.  However, the stage setting had changed little from the old Blue Horizons show, interactions with birds continue and the trainers still ride around on the noses of dolphins – not exactly educational or something seen in the wild.  Ultimately, the dolphins remain in small tanks performing flips in the air to a soundtrack played in the background.

In January, SeaWorld San Diego changed its orca show to a more ‘educational’ version similar to the new dolphin show. A completely reworked orca encounter experience will be launched in San Diego this summer. Attendance at the parks continues to plummet, forcing SeaWorld to drop ticket prices.

Read more about the cruelty of captivity and how WDC is fighting to end it.