The AI project was something that we are very proud of, number one. The artificial reproductive technology is used in many species and to bring it into this world of cetaceans and pinnipeds. It has been an eye opening for a lot of people. We have young, smart PhD folks… Read More
In August 2006, you authored a paper for WAZA, the World Zoo Association of Aquariums, “SeaWorld’s Killer Whale Program.” It was review of five decades and a warning to captive managers. Read More
What did you want them to take away from reading it?… Read More
From 2006 or ’16?… Read More
They killed it. So I don’t know if there is common ground. I’m sure there are a lot of good humane groups out there that wanna take care of animals. And I’m sure we could align with them. There’s also good NGOs and conservation we should align with even more. Read More
And the human population will take care of that in the future anyway. You talked about the work done in husbandry advancement with orcas. Read More
Can you talk about the successful AI project and its importance?… Read More
I think some of the things that we did very well in terms of the orcas, or killer whales, is simply exposing millions and millions of people to the beauty of these animals, the majesty of these animals and what they do in the ecosystems and how they act and… Read More
And I think it hurt the employees by not speaking out. And, again, I think when you deal with some of the activist groups and the humane groups, there should have been more of a dialogue with them as opposed to just a war and maybe we could have gotten… Read More
The extremists and activists, animal activists, wouldn’t want us to. But I told an activist the other day, “If we really wanna save the southern resident whales, I bet you we could teach them to eat different fish.” She says, “Well, we don’t want them in captivity.” And I said,… Read More
If somebody says, “Well, the killer whales are the best. They’re so super special and they’re smart and their big brains and dolphins are smart and big brained, they’re special,” they’re not any more special than the otters oo the fish. All of them are special and we have to… Read More
As you look back over the years, what do you think SeaWorld has done right, and then what could they have done better in dealing with PETA, the HSUS regarding the orcas?… Read More
Why is say that important to you?… Read More
Well, I think it’s important because, again, it goes back to, if you’re playing a sport like rugby, you have to support each other to win. And if you don’t support, I don’t want you on the team. And so I support them simply because they work hard for their… Read More
Can you relate what SeaWorld and other marine mammal centers have done for the advancement of killer whale husbandry and the science of studying these animals?… Read More
All of the places that have held killer whales and cared for killer whales over the years have done a tremendous job of adding to the literature. We’ve, again, gone back to fill in those pieces of the puzzle that weren’t known. When we first started talking about killer whale… Read More
I don’t believe my management style has changed since the day I got in the fish house. As I’ve gotten older, I’ve probably lost patience a lot quicker. I’ve learned how to sort of mellow out a little bit now, but that was just simply because I would get frustrated… Read More
They wouldn’t ask, “Why are we doing this?… Read More
Why are we moving this animal?” Or, “Why should I give it this fish?” Or, “I can’t do that.” Or, what was worse, I’d hate it when somebody would say, “Well, we always do it this way.” And I’d say, “Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, I don’t wanna hear that. That’s… Read More
Yeah, exactly. And then, at the corporate level, we had somebody that was sort of in constant in each one of those little buckets. They’re not little. So they would have dotted lines to everybody else at the parks. But it was a nice spiderweb, ’cause it worked well. Everybody… Read More