Chained-Up ‘Orcas’ Tell Thomas Cook to ‘Stop Supporting Orca Prisons’
Two activists dressed as orca prisoners visited Thomas Cook stores across the UK this week to urge the travel provider to sever ties with SeaWorld. Calling in at branches in Cambridge, Leeds, Liverpool, Manchester, and Peterborough, the activists highlighted the suffering that real orcas endure at SeaWorld.
SeaWorld treats orcas like prisoners, keeping them in captivity for their entire lives and profiting from their suffering. In the wild, they live in large, complex social groups and swim up to 100 miles a day in the open ocean, but at SeaWorld, they’re confined to tiny concrete tanks. With no physical or psychological stimulation, these highly intelligent animals have no choice but to spend their days swimming in endless circles. Their frustration can grow so severe that they gnaw on the corners and bars of their tanks until their teeth break.
At least 41 orcas and dozens of other dolphins have died in captivity at SeaWorld parks. The most recent victim was a female orca named Kasatka, who died of a bacterial lung infection which she had been suffering from since at least 2008. Even though she was sick and on medication, SeaWorld artificially inseminated her again in 2011 and forced her to bear a fourth calf for the parks to exploit.
Thomas Cook is fully aware of this cruelty but continues to promote and sell tickets to SeaWorld.
What You Can Do
Other travel providers, including STA Travel and Responsible Travel, have already ditched SeaWorld – it’s time for Thomas Cook to do the same. Please send the company a message now urging it to sever ties with this marine abusement park.
If you want to get more involved with this campaign or others like it, please join PETA’s Action Team today.
