To breed or not to breed? That is the question at the orca theme park run by SeaWorld Entertainment in San Diego, California.

The company won permission last week to build a massive new pool for its 11 captive orcas, twice the size of the existing one. But this came with the proviso that the park should no longer breed orcas there or transport in any new animals.

The ruling, by the California Coastal Commission, which assesses the environmental acceptability of projects along the California coast, leaves the entertainment giant with a dilemma: should it proceed with the $100-million Blue World Project that will essentially become obsolete once the 11 existing orcas die; or should it leave things as they are and continue its existing breeding programme?


Marine conservation groups hailed the ruling as a step towards an end to captive breeding. “This decision means SeaWorld can’t open this new pool and breed too,” says Danny Groves of the lobby group, Whale and Dolphin Conservation. “What you’re seeing slowly but surely is the world turning its back on captivity.”

The company expressed disappointment at the ruling. The 45-million-litre pool was intended to assuage critics of the park by providing the orcas with extra space. Spokesperson Fred Jacobs told New Scientist that SeaWorld Entertainment had yet to decide whether to challenge the decision in court, and whether to proceed with building.

But SeaWorld stressed that the situation in California has no bearing on its activities or breeding programmes at its two other orca theme parks in San Antonio, Texas, and Orlando, Florida. “We will continue to operate in Orlando and San Antonio as we always have,” says Jacobs.

Zoos and aquaria often exchange animals bred in captivity, but sourcing animals directly from the wild is becoming more difficult for them. Last year, 120 countries signed a resolution committing them to consider banning capture of wild dolphins and whales for display in zoos.

Image credit: David C Tomlinson/Getty