In their natural habitats, dolphins can swim up to 60 miles a day in family pods. At SeaWorld parks, they’re confined to tiny pools with incompatible tankmates, often resulting in violent attacks. And in 2022 alone, numerous cetaceans at SeaWorld parks died or were cruelly shipped to other facilities to be used for entertainment. None of these animals—including two “rescued” by SeaWorld—were released to seaside sanctuaries.
How Many Cetaceans at SeaWorld Parks Died or Were Transferred Elsewhere in 2022?
SeaWorld Orlando
In 2022 alone, SeaWorld Orlando transferred 10 cetaceans to other facilities, including nine bottlenose dolphins who were shipped around the world on October 23 to be exploited in SeaWorld’s new Abu Dhabi park.
Discovery Cove Orlando
SeaWorld Orlando’s sister park, Discovery Cove, also transferred bottlenose dolphins to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi. In March 2022, the park shipped six dolphins—Sparrow, Reef, Skye, Eden, Kona, and Lola—to the overseas park.
After being torn away from her ocean home 47 years earlier and being shuffled from park to park, bottlenose dolphin Dixie died at Discovery Cove on April 27.
SeaWorld San Diego
Two pilot whales, Ace and Argo, and one orca, Nakai, died at SeaWorld San Diego in 2022. Nakai was only 21 years old. By comparison, orcas in the ocean have an average life expectancy of 30 to 50 years, and male orcas can live up to 60 years.
The San Diego park also transferred six bottlenose dolphins to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi on October 23.
Dolphin Deaths at SeaWorld San Antonio
Three Pacific white-sided dolphins died at SeaWorld San Antonio in 2022, including a calf who was born and died at the park at just a day old, along with Betty, who died after languishing in tiny tanks for 42 years.
SeaWorld San Antonio also sent three bottlenose dolphins—Alice, Haven, and Zip—to Abu Dhabi in October 2022. Alice had been “rescued” in 2007, then imprisoned at the park and forcibly impregnated, giving birth to Haven and 3-year-old Cooper, who remain captive in San Antonio.
Altogether, 24 dolphins from SeaWorld parks in the U.S. were sent to SeaWorld Abu Dhabi in 2022.
Join PETA to Help Animals Trapped at Miserable Marine Parks
If you want to help marine animals in captivity, you can start by never visiting SeaWorld or any other abusement park. Then, click the button below to urge the company to end its use of animals, stop breeding all dolphins and whales, and retire them all to seaside sanctuaries:
