Should Bindi Irwin Partner With SeaWorld US?

[icyfroth]

BINDI Irwin has been caught up in an animal welfare controversy in the US by partnering with marine theme park company SeaWorld.

The 15-year-old Queenslander outraged animal rights groups when she announced on the top-rated US morning TV talk show, Good Morning America, she would be working with SeaWorld to encourage “kids to change the world”.

The promotional opportunity comes as SeaWorld fights an image problem brought about by the award-winning film documentary Blackfish, which probed the treatment of killer whales at the company’s parks.

“The Irwin family has been exploiting animals for years, so it comes as no surprise that Bindi has agreed to become SeaWorld’s latest shill,” PETA senior vice president of communications Lisa Lange said.

“But plastering her face on SeaWorld’s website won’t cover up the fact that orcas, dolphins, and other animals are suffering in SeaWorld’s tiny tanks after being ripped from their families.”

Bindi, daughter of the late Steve “The Crocodile Hunter” Irwin, said she was “excited to be carrying on in Dad’s footsteps” and urged viewers to log into seaworldkids.com.

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I'm a bit torn on the subject. I'd like to see her be able to work in her field of knowledge and expertise, but I think Steve would not have liked her part of cruel animal exploitation. Isn't that kind of what zoos are about, though, including  Australia Zoo?

Also her paycheck would help boost the family income. I've heard  Australia Zoo is not doing so well.

[azureline**]

I think she should do whatever she and her mum think is right for her.

Changing the world via children is a good thing.

[the*scarlet*pimpernel]

I think she should lay off the caffeine

[icyfroth]

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@the*scarlet*pimpernel wrote:

I think she should lay off the caffeine

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who?

[*pepe]

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@icyfroth wrote:

I'm a bit torn on the subject. I'd like to see her be able to work in her field of knowledge and expertise, but I think Steve would not have liked her part of cruel animal exploitation. Isn't that kind of what zoos are about, though, including  Australia Zoo?

Also her paycheck would help boost the family income. I've heard  Australia Zoo is not doing so well.

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most zoos these days have steered away from having the animals perform cutesy tricks, their enclosures mimic their natural habitat as much as is possible in a zoo and they are breding for the longevity of endagered species and generally try to do the best for the animals.

places like seaworld on the other hand are all about entertainment for tourists who really should know better than to create the demand for dolphins and whales etc to be kept in captivity.  Its just plain cruel.

[azureline**]

Sadly, while ever people buy tickets to go there, it will continue.

[kilroy_is_here]

If a small number of captive whales and dolphins can introduce thousands of people to a specie s and raise it's profile to a point that that species is saved from extinction via other far more damaging practices then it's a a small price to pay .
PETA spend so much time and energy protesting against every possible thing in an attempt to make them selfs relevant that they have missed the the opportunity to actually be relevant , working to raise education through these types of ventures can have a massive impact on the survival of a species Steve Erwin knew that hence the showmanship and Australia zoo

[icyfroth]

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@kilroy_is_here wrote:
If a small number of captive whales and dolphins can introduce thousands of people to a specie s and raise it's profile to a point that that species is saved from extinction via other far more damaging practices then it's a a small price to pay .
PETA spend so much time and energy protesting against every possible thing in an attempt to make them selfs relevant that they have missed the the opportunity to actually be relevant , working to raise education through these types of ventures can have a massive impact on the survival of a species Steve Erwin knew that hence the showmanship and Australia zoo

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I'm inclined to look at it that way as well.

[cherry*135]

Who would carry out and fund the extensive Rescue & Research for marine life that Sea World does at present if they no longer exist?

I haven't been to Sea World QLD for awhile. I have been to Sea World US. In the dolphin show there the dolphins were only performing for a very short smount of time in the session. They had human acrobats entertaining as well, with short outings by dolphins in between.

[freshwater-2]

PETA is about stamping out the incredible cruelty to animals worldwide, especially for  the fashion industry including dogs being  skinned alive.in Asian countries.  If you can withstand stomach churning evidence, visit their website.

Seaworld and the like are about making money using wild captive animals for entertainment, not education.

At least Steve Irwin concentrated on animals in their natural habitat.