SeaWorld accused of drugging killer whales and painting over injuries

Killer Whale Captivity
Killer Whale Captivity



A new lawsuit has been filed against SeaWorld which claims that the marine park drugs its killer whales and leaves them suffering from sunburn in tanks.

Grandmother Joyce Kuhl, from South Carolina, is suing the tourist attraction in Orlando for her money back and for millions of other visitors to be reimbursed following her visit in 2013.

The Orlando Sentinel reports that the suit alleges Kuhl bought a $97 ticket "on a false understanding of the conditions and treatment of SeaWorld's orcas, given SeaWorld's omission of fact regarding the treatment, longevity and well-being of the orcas."

It claims the chlorine solution is "many times stronger than household bleach" and that the tanks the orcas are kept in are like being confined to a single room for life.

Kuhl also accuses the attraction of keeping the animals in shallow pools for hours every day in the blazing sun, "essentially roasting" them and using zinc oxide to disguise their injuries.

This is the second such suit filed against the company in the last month.

According to The Guardian, a similar lawsuit was filed in California alleging the company is misleading tourists by claiming the killer whales are happy.

In February, a beluga whale that was on loan to SeaWorld in Orlando died after fracturing his jaw.

Nanuq, who was estimated to be between 31 and 32-years-old, was on loan from Vancouver Aquarium.

He entertained millions of visitors at the theme park and was a favourite with celebrities including Will Ferrell.

Nanuq recently fractured his jaw following an "interaction" with two of the three beluga whales he lived with and later developed an infection.

Nanuq was undergoing treatment for the infection at the time of his death.



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