Recently, news came out that SeaWorld will no longer breed Orca whales in captivity. The whales currently in captivity will be the last generation they will ever cage. People had mixed feelings when they heard the news via social media and news stations. A lot of animal rights activists are overjoyed, whereas others are rather upset because the well known tourist attraction will lose their most popular group of marine wildlife.

NBC News reported, “SeaWorld may have made exactly the right move to keep its business afloat with its announcement that it would no longer be breeding orcas in captivity…” With SeaWorld no longer breeding in captivity, this means that infant orca whales will not grow up in the conditions that SeaWorld has.

Seen on NPR, the director of the documentary, Blackfish, stated in an interview that it was “a defining moment” and that the fact SeaWorld is stopping the breeding of orcas “marks truly meaningful change.”

CNN posted to their website that People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals says that SeaWorld has not gone far enough. They spoke with the PETA president, Ingrid E. Newkirk. “PETA has campaigned hard and today there is a payoff for future generations of orcas. For decades orcas, dolphins, beluga whales, seals and many other animals have suffered in SeaWorld confinement, and to do right by them now, SeaWorld must open the tanks to ocean sanctuaries so that these long-suffering animals may have some semblance of a life outside their prison tanks. SeaWorld has taken a step forward but more must come.”

CEO and president of SeaWorld, Joel Manby, wrote a letter to the Los Angeles Times calling the situation a “paradox” and stated that customers visit the parks to watch the orcas. But he knows that a growing amount of people don’t think that killer whales, and other marine wildlife, belong in the care of humans. And he would be right.

In July of 2015, Harry Styles, from the iconic boy band One Direction, urged the audience of a San Diego concert not to go to SeaWorld. He asked the group of screaming fans if anybody liked dolphins, in which the crowd responded with a roaring “yes.” He then told them, “Don’t go to SeaWorld.” It can be assumed that the fans listened, increasing the number of people against the marine park. Not only did Harry’s comment raise the numbers, but also the fact that other bands and music artists refuse to work with SeaWorld because of the conditions the captive marine life are put in.

I spoke with the school’s drama directors to get their opinion on the news. Mrs. Davis stated that she believes that animals “should stay where God put them” unless they are an endangered species in which they should be kept in a safe space and bred in captivity to try and save the species from dying out. Otherwise, they should be left alone and in the ocean where they belong.

Marine biology and sciences teacher, Mr. Ames is entirely against the breeding of marine mammals in captivity and thinks it’s good that SeaWorld is putting an end to the breeding. The only reason SeaWorld should be breeding in captivity is for the sole purpose of the species nearing extinction. Otherwise, if it is only for recreational purposes and for the entertainment of guests, then it’s just “man showing his stupidity.”

Sophomore, Maaike Priest, said, “I think it’s a good thing. I mean, they shouldn’t have to breed [orcas] in captivity.”

If you ask me, I feel that orcas should be kept in captivity just for the sake of keeping them safe because killer whales are an endangered species and we can’t risk such a beautiful creature dying out. But the mammals should not be placed back into the wild, when they come off of the endangered list, after becoming used to being treated as house pets simply because it is not the safest thing to do.

Hopefully such a beautiful species will eventually come off the endangered list and can remain in the wild where it belongs.