Annie Walton Doyle
A viral video of an orca defecating in the water and then splashing feces onto the crowd at SeaWorld has raised further questions about the keeping of wild animals in captivity.
Orcas at SeaWorld and similar marine parks have been the subject of controversy for years due to several ethical, psychological, and physical problems they face in captivity.
These issues stem from the differences between life in captivity and their natural habitats and have even resulted in the tragic deaths of trainers.
But the latest orca controversy is once again leaving the internet questioning whether it’s moral to visit attractions like SeaWorld.
The shocking clip has prompted a lot of response online, with one writing: “How do people still support this insane cruelty in 2024 fully escapes me.”
“So so sad….why is this still happening? WHY???????” questions another.
While a third adds: “Why is SeaWorld still allowed to exploit these poor animals like this??? And why do people still pay to watch abused animals do tricks???”
On Saturday at SeaWorld San Antonio, one of the orcas, also known as killer whales, was diving when it visibly relieved itself near the surface.
Right at the edge of the tank, no less.
That wouldn’t have been too big of an issue, except the giant whale then circled back, flipping its tail and sending a wave of dirty water splashing onto the unlucky crowd sitting nearby.
Usually, SeaWorld fans enjoy getting drenched by orcas and dolphins during performances, but this time it was a much less pleasant experience.
One guest who got caught in the splash zone said, per TMZ: “We expected to get wet sitting so close, but not like that. It smelled awful, and people were gagging.”
In the viral video, a young boy turns around in clear disgust after being splashed.
Many viewers expressed mixed reactions online.
One social media user commented: “The whale knows. It’s trying to tell everyone it’s tired of jumping for everyone.”
While another wrote, “All orcas belong in the wild.”
Others humorously noted the incident, with one user calling it ‘the ultimate troll.’
PETA took the incident rather more seriously, reposting the video and captioning it: “Honestly, that’s what you get for going to SeaWorld. What did these people expect? That orcas have specific tanks to poop in?”
Unsurprisingly, footage of the messy incident quickly went viral, prompting SeaWorld to go into cleanup mode.
They assured that affected guests were taken to a decontamination area and provided with soap, bottled water, and towels.
As for fresh clothes? Those were available for purchase in the gift shop. How thoughtful!
In an official statement, SeaWorld commented: “We regret this unfortunate event and are taking every step to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests. Our team followed established protocols to minimize health risks and will review our procedures to prevent this from happening again.”
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Related Article: Horrifying Words Of SeaWorld Trainer Dragged Under By Two Killer Whales
Related Article: Trainer’s Grisly Death As SeaWorld Orca Crushed Him And ‘Violently Played With His Body’
