Seaworld Thesis Statement

Research Question: Instead of closing SeaWorld’s doors, how can SeaWorld repair their image?

Thesis Statement: Closing SeaWorld’s doors would be unjust, however; SeaWorld can repair its image by providing excellent care for its current residents and by shifting the business model from entertainment to rescue, rehabilitate and release at all locations.

Annotated Bibliography

“Seaworld Reinvents Itself in Face of Growing ‘Blackfish’ Scrutiny.” All Things Considered 11

Nov. 2015. Opposing Viewpoints in Context. Web. 13.Dec. 2015.

This broadcast is an interview by Greg Allen. Allen is speaking with SeaWorld

CEO, Joel Manby regarding SeaWorld San Diego. In 2017, SeaWorld plans to

eliminate the killer whale show and go with a more natural

exhibit. Manby states
that it will be focused in a more natural setting and will have a strong
conservation message. This will only take place if SeaWorld is still permitted to breed its killer whales and the changes that he speaks of will only take place
at SeaWorld San Diego. This broadcast provides imperative information from the
CEO of SeaWorld; Joel Manby.

This high profile source will put this new and

natural SeaWorld San Diego on hold until certain breeding requests are met. I can

use this broadcast in my research paper to illustrate the recognized need for

SeaWorld to revamp their business model and the new and improved plan

still needs to be addressed. This needs to happen at all parks and regardless if

they have the power to breed killer whales or not.

San Antonio Express. (2013, August 26). Previous Animal Deaths at SeaWorld San Antonio.

Retrieved from http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local/item/Timeline-Previous-anmial-deaths-at-SeaWorld-San-23412.php

This timeline shows the animal deaths at SeaWorld San Antonio from 1991-2013.

It lists the name of the animal, type of animal, cause of death, and the year that the

animal died. This timeline is unbiased. The timeline was compiled by San

Antonio Express News researcher Julie Domel and The Orca Project. The Orca

Project is a non-profit organization. This timeline is a vital resource to my

research paper. This timeline is only for the SeaWorld located in San Antonio

and only dated 1991-2013. Majority of the deaths would not have happened

if
the animals lived in their natural habitats. I have found a more in depth timeline
that gives detailed information regarding deceased orcas in all SeaWorld parks. I
did not include it in my annotated bibliography because it is found on Wikipedia.

I did not think we could cite Wikipedia. I am still in the process of locating the

same timeline from Wikipedia, but from a scholarly source.

Wall, T. (2012, April 26). Mosquitos Killed Two Killer Whales. Discovery News. Retrieved

from http://news.discovery.com/earth/mosquitos-killed-two-killer-whales-120426.htm

The main focus in this article is the two killer whales that died from mosquito

bites. Kanduke died at age 25 in the SeaWorld Orlando park. Taku died at age 14

at the SeaWorld San Antonio park. Both died from diseases that are caused from

being bitten by a mosquito. This is unheard of in the wild, but orcas in captivity

spend an unusual amount of time at the surface. It also states that the whales also

sleep at the surface and cannot escape the mosquitos in their small enclosure. This

article is unbiased. Tim Wall is a contributor for Discovery News. This article

will be beneficial to my research paper. By enlarging the enclosures and making

them more natural, the killer whales would be able to swim freely and have room

to escape. These larger and more natural enclosures must happen at all

SeaWorld
parks, not just SeaWorld San Diego.