After the death of a whale trainer at Sea World Orlando Wednesday, The Humane Society of the United States released a statement re-confirming their stance that whales and dolphins should not be confined to show-aquariums and amusement parks. Naomi Rose, Ph.D, and marine mammal scientist with The Humane Society of the United States, made the following statement in response to the death:
“This is a terrible tragedy and our hearts go out to the family of the trainer. Tillikum, the SeaWorld orca, has now been involved in the deaths of three people. Using these animals in entertainment is not good for animals or people. Sadly, we’ve seen evidence of that again today. Whales and dolphins are large, intelligent, long-lived, socially complex predators who often hunt cooperatively and are capable of swimming a hundred miles in a day. They are unsuited to permanent confinement, often exhibiting neurotic behaviors in these settings. Capture methods are also inhumane, and often not adequately managed or overseen. ”
The Humane Society of the United States is the nation’s largest animal protection organization backed by 11 million Americans, or one of every 28. For more than a half-century, The HSUS has been fighting for the protection of all animals through advocacy, education and hands-on programs. Celebrating animals and confronting cruelty On the web at humanesociety.org.