The Platform

Saturday 9th April 2016

In March we saw a defining moment for the campaign to free orcas from captivity.

SeaWorld has made a historic announcement recently that it will end its breeding program. This means that the generation of orcas that are currently in the tanks will be the last. In their official statement SeaWorld said: SeaWorld has been listening and we're changing.  Society is changing and we're changing with it. 

The remaining orcas will continue to live in the tanks including Tilikum who was reported as being seriously ill from a lung infection.

The news demonstrates the power of people to drive change so clearly that it hopefully rewards those that take a stand, and encourages them to do this more often.  As one individual you can make a difference, with the petitions you sign, the products you buy and the behaviours you have.  Collectively, these all add up to an enormous wave of change. You can join a wave or start one, it feels good to be part of something that makes a difference.

It's not over for those campaigning.  Whales still held remain in conditions unsuitable, and SeaWorld has plans to develop a major attraction in Dubai, and as far as we understand, there are no restrictions on transporting the whales it has to other locations.  The campaign continues with the aim of releasing these beautiful animals into marine protected areas.  Many are unable to be released into the wild, but these MPAs would enable to live in controlled marine environments with space and freedom they are unlikely to have know since before capture, or ever if they were bred in captivity. 

If you haven't already seen it, we encourage you to watch Blackfish.  It's tough watching, and there will likely be tears from even the toughest of you, but honestly it will give you the drive to support this campaign and will make you incredibly proud of our fellow humans who lead this fight.  

You can keep up with Blackfish news here http://www.blackfishmovie.com/news and we'll be updating via this blog too or via facebook www.facebook.com/TheButterflyBank

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