Seaworld has been lieing to its customers and abusing its animals for years. The compelling 2013 documentary, Blackfish, exposed much about Seaworld that was previously unknown to many. Orcas in the wild live anywhere from 80 to 100 years, but orcas in Seaworld generally only live to their teens or twenties. Setting these orcas free is the right thing to do. The aquariums orcas are held in at Seaworld are only about 1/10000 of the size of their natural habitat, the world's oceans. They usually swim many miles a day in the ocean. At seaworld they're forced to repeatedly swim in circles.
Not only is setting the orcas free the fair choice for them, it's the right thing to do for humans as well. There are no documented deaths of humans killed by orcas in the wild, but orcas are linked to many deaths in captivity, including the tragic death of an experienced trainer at Seaworld Orlando in 2010 by the killer whale Tilikum. Tilikum was forcefully taken by Seaworld from his family in the 1980's, and had since been subjected to starvation, depression, and was even forced to breed with other orcas.
The tragedies can be avoided. All Seaworld had to do is stop capturing orcas. They belong in the ocean. Not in some bathtub-sized aquarium.
