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.
