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Humpback whale © Christopher Swann

Migration Patterns of Humpback Whales

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We're at COP28 to Save the Whale, Save the World.

We’re at COP28 to save the whale, save the world

Ed Goodall Ed is WDC's head of intergovernmental engagement. He meets with world leaders to...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
We must protect our non-human allies. Image: Tom Brakefield, aurore murguet, johan63

We’re urging governments to protect all of our climate heroes – CITES

Katie Hunter Katie supports WDC's engagement in intergovernmental conversations and is working to end captivity...

SeaWorld's new exercise device

Amid news of falling ticket sales and share prices, comes an announcement about the development of a “killer whale treadmill” at SeaWorld’s Orlando park.

The “treadmill”, a pump that creates a moving stream of water in a tank, reportely as part of the park’s environmental enrichment programme for orcas, has reportedly been tested on Tillikum, the unfortunate star of the excellent Blackfish, the documentary about orcas in captivity that’s currently doing the rounds of cinemas across Europe. 

Could this development be the result of an admission by SeaWorld that its captives lack stimulation and need tools to help them develop more natural behaviour?

Such an exercise device in no way provides an adequate alternative to swimming free in the wild and the fact remains that orcas are inherently unsuited to captivity, as attested by the lengthening list of orca illness, premature death, trainer injury and death. 

About Cathy Williamson

Cathy Williamson was policy manager of our End Captivity Programme until July 2021.