As controversy over marine captivity has heightened, some attractions are eliminating or scaling back dolphin shows and facing government crackdowns on whale breeding.
The long-running debate over keeping marine mammals in captivity was brought into the spotlight after last year’s documentary “Blackfish,” which cast SeaWorld in a harsh light.
“It sounds like some of these aquariums are not willing to step into the fight. They’re basically giving up, which is not a good sign for SeaWorld,” said Scott Smith, a University of South Carolina hospitality professor whose specialties include theme parks.
Orlando-based SeaWorld is planning to build bigger tanks for its orcas and has no plans to stop shows or breeding at its three namesake theme parks.
SeaWorld says its whales and dolphins are healthy and happy, and letting people see them up close gives them an emotional bond with the animals, inspiring them to care more about marine life.
“We still have millions of guests coming through our parks wanting to see shows, wanting to connect with animals,” said Chris Dold, SeaWorld’s vice president of veterinary services. “That doesn’t seem to be changing at all.”
Other marine parks are making changes. Among them:
*A city park board this summer voted to end most whale and dolphin breeding at the Vancouver Aquarium — a decision the aquarium is challenging in court.
*Baltimore’s National Aquarium stopped using its dolphins in shows in 2012 and announced earlier this year it is considering creating an ocean retreat for the animals.
*Amid controversy about keeping a killer whale without a companion, Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in California sent it to SeaWorld. The Six Flags park still keeps dolphins.
*Opponents raised concerns that the Clearwater Marine Aquarium would start having dolphins perform when it unveiled plans for a 2,000-seat amphitheater. The aquarium said the seating was meant to let people see staff and dolphins interact, not watch stunts. But it recently eliminated the theater, saying it needed to cut costs.
In general, “what we certainly have seen is that operators are moving away from shows, or doing more modest … kind of educational programs,” said Thomas Martin, a Massachusetts consultant to attractions, museums and aquariums.
They are doing “more intimate kinds of things to show various behavior patterns and things like that,” he said. “I think that’s clearly a trend.”
Many facilities still keep whales and dolphins, said William Hurley, past president of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums.
The Georgia Aquarium, for example, has dolphin shows and is also trying to import more beluga whales from Russia.
Hurley said some facilities are moving toward more natural encounters. It’s difficult for animal shows to provide the flashier entertainment people want today, he said.
“I don’t think it’s an abandoning of the show because the show is bad. I think it’s a change in the business model,” he said.
Kelly Flaherty Clark, curator of animal training at SeaWorld, said the changes concern her.
She and Dold say training for shows keeps captive whales and dolphins mentally and physically healthy.
“I’ve seen the effect it has on people who come to the park expecting to have a good time and leave the park being inspired and educated,” Flaherty Clark said.
SeaWorld recently announced plans to expand its orca habitat and create a beachlike environment.
Shows featuring orcas at the Shamu Stadium are a major draw. One of those shows’ highlights used to be “rocket hops,” in which whales propel trainers out of the water.
Those came to an end after an orca named Tilikum killed trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando in 2010. This year, SeaWorld decided to give up fighting a citation that effectively bars trainers from performing in the water with killer whales.
After Brancheau’s death, SeaWorld launched a new orca show that heavily emphasizes conservation, with videos showing children discovering nature and growing up to work with animals. As trainers dance on platforms to upbeat music, the whales leap out of the water, bob their heads and raise their tails.
Nearby at a smaller stadium, the “Blue Horizons” show features both human acrobats and dolphins.
SeaWorld’s renovations of its whale tanks will feature 40-foot glass windows where guests can watch the orcas swimming. SeaWorld said it also plans changes to a section of the park where guests can see dolphins swim, though it would not give further details.
The changes are not meant to be a substitute for the shows, SeaWorld said.
“It doesn’t at all take the focus off the effect the show performances have on our guests,” Clark said.
SeaWorld revealed the whale-habitat plans two days after a disappointing earnings report sent its stock price plunging. SeaWorld said in that report its California park’s attendance was affected by the debate over whales in captivity.
There, a bill was proposed this year that would ban killer whale shows and breeding. The bill was delayed and is being studied further.
Its sponsor, Assemblyman Richard Bloom, said in an email that the “the issues are complex and it will take time to thoroughly review them and demonstrate to policy makers that science, public opinion and common sense support ending orca breeding programs and captivity once and for all.”
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