Blackfish effect: SeaWorld attendance down 30%

In recent years, the public has become more and more aware of the realities behind marine parks and aquariums. The documentary Blackfish was a huge catalyst in this change, exposing the dark side of keeping orcas in captivity.

The film tells the story of Tilikum, an orca who has been involved in three human deaths, and shines a light on the terrible conditions these animals are kept in. Orcas are highly intelligent and social creatures, and forcing them to live in tanks is clearly not good for their mental health.

After watching Blackfish, many people decided they no longer wanted to support businesses that keep whales and dolphins in captivity. As a result, SeaWorld's attendance has plummeted by 30%. This shift in public opinion is what's known as the "Blackfish effect".

While SeaWorld is still able to make a profit, it's clear that public opinion is moving against them. In March 2017, they announced they would be ending their orca breeding program – a move that likely wouldn't have happened if Blackfish hadn't raised awareness about the issue.

There is no doubt that Blackfish has had a major impact on how we view marine parks and aquariums. It has shown us that it's time to start thinking about animals differently, and that we can no longer turn a blind eye to the cruelty behind these institutions.

Orcas at SeaWorld will be phased out by 2019

SeaWorld Entertainment announced today that it will end its orcas program in San Diego by 2019. The decision follows years of negative publicity and protests against the company's treatment of the marine mammals.

The last performance featuring orcas at SeaWorld San Diego will take place on January 6, 2019. SeaWorld will also end its orca breeding program, making it the first theme park company in the world to do so.

SeaWorld has faced growing criticism in recent years over its treatment of orcas. The documentary "Blackfish", which aired on CNN in 2013, raised questions about the welfare of orcas in captivity. The film tells the story of Tilikum, an orca who was captured from the wild and has been involved in three human deaths.

Since the release of "Blackfish", SeaWorld has seen a decline in attendance and profits. In March 2017, the company announced that it would phase out its orca shows in San Diego. However, SeaWorld had continued to breed orcas at its parks until now.

SeaWorld's decision to end its orca program is a major victory for animal rights activists. It also sets a precedent for other theme park companies that use animals in their shows.

Blue whales spotted near Golden Gate Bridge for first time in history

For the first time in history, blue whales were spotted near Golden Gate Bridge. The whales were feeding and breaching near the bridge, thrilling spectators.

The whales were first seen on Wednesday morning by whale watchers in a small boat. They were later spotted by people on the bridge itself. "I saw one jump out of the water and then splash back down," said one onlooker.

Experts say that it is not unusual for blue whales to be in this area at this time of year, as they migrate north to feed on krill. However, it is rare for them to be so close to the bridge.

The sighting comes as a relief to conservationists, who have been worried about the fate of the blue whale population in light of the recent increase in vessel traffic in the area. In February, a dead blue whale was found floating near Pier 39 in San Francisco. The whale's cause of death is still unknown.

Mysterious illness killing humpback whales in California

Since January, 2018, 36 humpback whales have died along the California coast. While the cause of death is still unknown, researchers are investigating a potential link between the deaths and a mysterious illness that has been affecting humpback whales in the northeast Pacific Ocean since 2012.

The mystery illness was first identified in sick and dying humpback whales in Alaska's Kodiak Archipelago. The majority of the whales affected by the illness were young animals, and many of them died. In order to try to determine what was causing the illness, scientists took blood and skin biopsies from some of the sick whales.

Initial tests showed that the whales had high levels of a virus called morbillivirus. Morbillivirus is a virus that is known to cause deadly outbreaks in dolphins and other marine mammals. However, further research revealed that while morbillivirus was present in some of the sick whales, it was not necessarily responsible for their deaths.

So what is causing these mysterious deaths? Researchers are still working to determine the cause, but they have several theories. One possibility is that something is causing the whales to become infected with morbillivirus. Another possibility is that something is making the whales susceptible to infection by other viruses or bacteria. It is also possible that environmental toxins or pollutants are playing a role in the deaths.

So far, none of these theories have been confirmed as the cause of death. Researchers continue to investigate all possible causes and hope to provide some answers soon. In the meantime, however, it remains a mystery as to why so many humpback whales are dying along the California coast.

Japan announces plans to resume commercial whaling

Japan announced its plans to resume commercial whaling Thursday, overturning a three-decade ban on the practice. This controversial decision is sure to provoke strong reactions from environmentalists and countries that support whale conservation.

The commercial hunting of whales has been banned by the International Whaling Commission (IWC) since 1986, but Japan has continued to hunt whales for what it says are scientific purposes. Critics, however, argue that the country's whaling industry is really just a cover for commercial whaling.

Japan has now announced that it will leave the IWC and resume commercial whaling in its own waters. The country says it will limit its catches to species that are not endangered and will abide by international regulations governing whaling.

Environmentalists have condemned Japan's decision, warning that it could lead to the renewed slaughter of hundreds of whales each year. They argue that Japan's planned hunt is nothing more than a cynical ploy to skirt international law and maintain its dwindling whaling industry.

Supporters of Japan's decision say that the country has a long tradition of whaling and that there is no reason why it should not be allowed to resume this activity. They also argue that Commercial whaling can be done in a responsible way and that it is unfair to deprive Japanese fishermen of this source of livelihood.