SeaWorld is famous for its choreographed dolphin and Orca whale performances. Now a Washington state lawmaker wants to make sure what happens at SeaWorld stays at SeaWorld.
Washington state Senator Kevin Ranker introduced legislation to prohibit marine mammal shows in Washington.
Several years ago, Ranker visited SeaWorld San Diego.
“It was a very powerful experience for me and not a positive one,” he recalled.
Ranker, a Democrat, wants to make it a crime for a zoo or aquarium in Washington to hold a wild-caught or captive-bred whale, dolphin or porpoise for purposes of entertainment or performance.
“They’re used to swimming hundreds and hundreds and thousands of miles and we’re putting them in tanks the size of the Washington state Senate floor,” Ranker said. “It’s disgusting.”
Ranker’s proposal would make an exception for zoos and aquariums to hold these marine mammals temporarily for rehabilitation or research.
In a statement, SeaWorld said it’s committed to animal welfare and calls its whale and dolphin shows educational and enriching.
