is seaworld cruel to animals?

[josh.p.]

I am one of those obnoxiously difficult people when it comes to this issue. It's the reason I refuse to return to BG.

However, Seaworld (how was it possible that they were owned by the same corporation!) does a beautiful job, and I love to visit there.

In all honesty, I am a bit uncomfortable with the "acts" (and I always will be) but they in no way mistreat the animals. They are very dedicated to conservation, preservation and education. Did you know that you have to have a BA degree (usually in psych) to be one of the workers who is alongside the habitats interacting with their guests?

They take their animals very seriously.

I am the same. I'm not sure i'll even go back to busch gardens!

Their elephant enclosure leaves a lot to be decided... and they where doing this trunk swishing thing which made them look as if they hadn't had any stimulation what-so-ever.

Their tortoises where over-crowded and they mixed species too .

SG, however, i would definatley visit again. The blue horizons did seem to push me to my limits of seeing animals perform though.
I'd be much much more interested in seeing them perhaps perform some natural behaviors and have screens with good facts about them.

Although, I don't think they are cruel in the way that they train their animals, I just don't think they'd do it in the wild....

Their animal knowledge astounds me, and they have gotten killer whales to breed in captivity... I think that says it all really.