‘Ghost SeaWorld!’
When sisters, actors, and influencers Jules and Hayley LeBlanc learned that SeaWorld literally sexually assaults animals and misleads compassionate folks into thinking the abusement park is all about “conservation,” they had one message: Ghost SeaWorld!
In the open ocean, orcas and other dolphins can swim dozens of miles a day in close-knit groups that work together. But at SeaWorld, these complex animals are forced to live in small, barren concrete enclosures with a maximum dive depth of 35 feet. 😰 In nature, they can dive 100 times deeper.
The animals at SeaWorld are obvi depressed and frustrated, and the company’s response is often to drug them so they won’t lash out. If learning this makes your jaw drop, you’re not alone—Jules and Hayley were shocked to find out, too.
The marine animals exploited at SeaWorld were either abducted from their ocean homes or bred into a lifetime of confinement. A female orca can live up to 80 years old in the ocean, but orcas at SeaWorld often don’t even make it to Jules’ or Hayley’s age! 😢 They frequently die before their late teens from unnatural causes like bacterial infections or a fractured skull. Over 40 of them have died on SeaWorld’s watch.
The bond that Jules and Hayley share with each other and the rest of their family is just like the bond that dolphins share with others in their pods. If you think SeaWorld cares about dolphins’ strong relationships, know that the company sexually stimulates male dolphins and forcibly impregnates the females with sperm. Some have been impregnated repeatedly—only to give birth to stillborn babies.
“Do you know how many people wouldn’t go knowing this information?”
—Hailey LeBlanc
As influencers, YouTube stars, and former gymnasts, Jules and Hayley perform in front of audiences by choice—and we stan them for using their platforms to speak up for animals. 🤩 But at SeaWorld, some of the animals are forced to perform while visitors gawk at them. The company imprisoned an orca named Kasatka for nearly 40 years and made her perform up to eight shows per day until she developed a chronic illness and died.
It’s not just orcas and other dolphins who are being exploited by SeaWorld. Sea lions, seals, and walruses trapped at these marine parks often sustain eye damage and even go prematurely blind because they’re forced to stare up at the sun to beg for food. SeaWorld even shipped penguins from California to Michigan via FedEx in plastic crates as if they were frozen food.
When people call out SeaWorld for its actions, it likes to say that “conservation” is a huge priority. But in 2021, only about .01% of its profits went to its conservation fund. 😡 As Jules says, “[T]hat’s what it comes down to. It’s money.”
Think about everything you’ve accomplished in your life so far. For the LeBlanc sisters, that includes showcasing their gymnastic talents, creating content, acting, singing, and modeling—and we can’t wait to see what comes next for them. But countless animals at SeaWorld have spent their entire lives suffering inside tiny tanks. Many of them have died, including about 400 pinnipeds (seals, sea lions, and walruses) and over 500 dolphins and whales.
What You Can Do
“There are so many other ways that you can enjoy animals rather than see them in a swimming pool.”
—Jules LeBlanc
Urging SeaWorld to send animals to seaside sanctuaries—where they could get the care they need while thriving in a large area of the ocean—is one of the biggest and simplest things we can do to help.
