Activists create ocean sanctuaries for SeaWorld to retire their orcas

 A new, global, awareness about the plight of whales and dolphins in captivity has lit up in the last few years.  Thanks to documentaries like The Cove and Blackfish, people have begun to see the destructive nature of capturing, keeping and breeding these large animals in tiny cages.

It is for this reason that activists like Paul Spong have begun developing sea-sanctuaries, giant swaths of ocean water, often in bays or around islands, that are netted off from the outside ocean.

“This, I think, would be a terrific home for Corky," says Spong, indicating SeaWorld's longest captive orca.  Corky was taken from her family in 1969, around the age of four and is a perfect candidate for release.

Corky jumps in a show at SeaWorld in San Diego on Aug. 13, 2010. (Photo: Bryce Bradford/Flickr)

Sea World has responded to the pressure to release their orcas back into sea sanctuaries.

“Putting our killer whales in sea cages would expose them to disease, pollution, and other man-made and natural disasters,” the statement reads. “In addition, given the ages of our whales, the length of time they've spent in human care and the social relationships they've formed with other whales, it would do them more harm than good [and] could cause the whales immense stress and even death during transport and release.”

 The reality, according to most activists, is that life in a small, cement cage is much worse than acres of deep, natural seawater.  SeaWorld continues to bow to public pressure; it is important that we keep pushing to give these animals the best quality of life we can.