How do you feel about Sea World, ethically? Is AK better?

[Luvchefmic]

Animal Kingdom does have citations against them. OSHA has hit them with both fines and violations multiple times over the years, but because they are Disney I guess they get a free pass on their mistakes and their responsibility in all of the animal deaths as a direct result of their negligence and mistakes.
I can't even find a statistic on how many animals Disney has rescued so I'd imagine that number is extremely small if they aren't broadcasting it. SW has rescued and released over 25,000 animals. I found that SW donated 2.5 million in 2012. I can't find much on Disney's charitable donations. 1 million to UNICEF in 2006. They do lots of in kind donations for make a wish and other organizations, but SW also donates to those causes. I find nothing about animal rescue and release through AK or any donations to wildlife conservation at all. Doesn't appear they do any more than SW. Again putting blinders on to AK and their wrongs is just silly, but each person decides what is right or wrong for them. I just don't get slamming one company for doing the exact same thing a company you are praising is doing.

The reality is that both of these places as a corporation put money first, their salaries fisrt. It is the people who work day to day with the animals at both parks that love and care for them, not the company and its CEO's.

To the bolded above, and in red, TDC is very much giving to conservation efforts: To date, the DWCF has awarded more than $25 million to projects in 114 countries from the link here:

http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/content/conservation-funding

 

[Xennia]

That didn't work so well for all the animals that are now extinct or on the verge of extinction.

She asked me how I felt. I expressed it. I don't think I should be trolled for my response. Not all of us will be agreeing on everything. I personally don't like wild animals being made to perform tricks. I don't think it's natural. That's my stance. Take it leave it, nothing anyone can say will change my mind.

 

[JanaDee]

She asked me how I felt. I expressed it. I don't think I should be trolled for my response. Not all of us will be agreeing on everything. I personally don't like wild animals being made to perform tricks. I don't think it's natural. That's my stance. Take it leave it, nothing anyone can say will change my mind.

"Trolled"? LOL Expressing a different opinion is not trolling.

 

[nugov2]

To the bolded above, and in red, TDC is very much giving to conservation efforts: To date, the DWCF has awarded more than $25 million to projects in 114 countries from the link here:



http://thewaltdisneycompany.com/content/conservation-funding

I think that is great. I was just doing a quick Google search. I also found SW has another program where they offer grants for different animal conservation and have given 10 million in grant money. I think both companies offer both good and bad when it comes to animals.

I think both of these companies have two angles. The corporate big wigs care about profit and IMO do what ever they can legally even if not ethically to make a profit and the people who work there who love and care for the animals everyday.

 

[rigs32]

They have an agenda and it's never the one they claim.

I'm curious what do you know or think the makers of Blackfish have as their true agenda?

 

[nugov2]

I'm curious what do you know or think the makers of Blackfish have as their true agenda?

I know you arent asking me, but I agree they were pushing an agenda.

Here is what a trainer who participated in the documentary feels(Bridget Pritle):

Overall, it’s scary to see so many people look to ‘Blackfish’ as factual. It’s anything but a fact-based documentary. It’s opinion-driven, fueled by outdated experiences and contrived scientific studies. Events recalled by former trainers are exaggerated or, even worse, fabricated. It is a tool of animal activist propaganda that takes advantage of a mainstream audience that lacks the knowledge of a more appropriate and current depiction of animal training and zoological facilities operating today.


I will say that is what I took from the movie too. I actually felt the people who made the movie so skewed that I had a hard time really believing much of what was in it. They focused way too much on practices that long ago were done by many and are no longer done by any to make there story look even more sensational. That is always a huge red flag for me. They were not trying to educate, but sell the world their sensational story IMO.

 

[bookgirl]

I'm curious what do you know or think the makers of Blackfish have as their true agenda?

I believe that the makers are animal activists. I believe their agenda is promote their belief that any animal captivity is wrong and that there is no middle ground. I believe their agenda is less about the actual animals or their well being and more about proving how they are on the higher moral ground and they will take any piece of information whether in context or not, whether backed up by science, and personal accounts with no thought of bias.

They are cherry pickers and I find that untrustworthy and not worth any consideration when doing actual research on ANY subject.

 

[Miskey]

I would seriously skip AK and EP as there treatment of animals is just as bad. Not only the dolphins and giraffes, but keeping elephants in captivity is extremely cruel. AK also made the list of top 10 worst zoos. I'd hate to see you supporting an equally cruel establishment.

I really don't have a horse in this race, but I think it should be clarified that it was a list that pertained to elephants only. It seems to me they were placed on the list because of the death of the pregnant elephant that was transferred. I've read where she was transferred because she had a rare disorder, it wasn't just a random "lets transfer an elephant" decision. I do have to wonder if AK was unfairly placed on this list because the Disney name would bring more attention.

 

[larryz]

But Sea World Corp. finds the money to pay their CEO a many, many, multi-million dollar salary - and hey, did you know that his house is actually 7000 square feet larger than the entire orca stadium? So, IMO, the "conservation" part, is a joke. Don't get me wrong - it's nice that they do anything, yes. But, to me, it's more of a publicity thing. They could be doing FAR more than they are - and instead of working on saving all these other animals, why don't they start by putting the money into taking care of the ones they have properly?

And, hey, did you know the CEO of SeaWorld also runs 6 other theme parks/water parks?

So he doesn't just spend all his time torturing killer whales...

 

[bcla]

And, hey, did you know the CEO of SeaWorld also runs 6 other theme parks/water parks?

I thought it was 12 total theme and water parks. It was basically the former division of Anheuser-Busch, which had bought out the SeaWorld division from its previous owner. I thought that the CEO had run a whole bunch of theme parks.

 

[larryz]

I thought it was 12 total theme and water parks. It was basically the former division of Anheuser-Busch, which had bought out the SeaWorld division from its previous owner. I thought that the CEO had run a whole bunch of theme parks.

I wasn't counting the SeaWorld parks.

Busch Gardens Williamsburg and Tampa (2) and their water parks (2)
Sesame Place (1)
and Aquatica (1)

But I just looked it up to be sure, and there are 2 more Aquaticas I didn't know about, in San Antonio and San Diego, so let's call it 8 theme/water parks.

 

[CPT Tripss]

Did they co-brand Aquatica with SeaWorld . . .

 

[The Mystery Machine]

My opinion on the matter is about Orca's in captivity. I don't like it and never did just because of the nature of how large the whales are and the tanks are insufficient for housing them.

As far as the shows, not sure how to answer that. While on the one hand, having Orca's do shows is unnatural for the whale, at the same time those whales have to be bored out of their minds in captivity.