‘Orca Prisoners’ Urge TUI to Sever Ties With SeaWorld

For Immediate Release:

3 December 2018

Contact:

Jennifer White +44 (0) 20 7837 6327, ext 222; [email protected]

‘ORCA PRISONERS’ URGE TUI TO SEVER TIES WITH SEAWORLD

PETA Campaign Calls for Travel Group to Drop Abusement Park From Its Itineraries

London – Today, two shackled and chained “orcas” with signs proclaiming, “TUI: Stop Selling Tickets to SeaWorld,” and “TUI Profits From Orcas’ Misery,” stood outside the travel group’s Luton headquarters to urge it to stop giving a financial lifeline to SeaWorld, the world’s most notorious marine park. The demonstration marks the start of PETA’s national week of action, during which protests will be held in more than 15 locations across the UK.

Photos are available here and here.

“If TUI hopes to maintain a shred of credibility with animal-loving British holidaymakers, it must stop profiting from orca abuse,” says PETA Director Elisa Allen. “PETA is calling on the company to join Thomas Cook, STA Travel, and numerous other travel providers in rejecting SeaWorld’s orca prisons, where highly intelligent marine mammals have no choice but to swim in endless circles.”

While orcas in the wild form complex relationships, work cooperatively to find food, and traverse up to 140 miles of ocean every day, those at SeaWorld are housed in incompatible groups in tiny tanks and have even been given the drug diazepam to manage stress-induced aggressive behaviour. Forty-one orcas and countless other animals have died on SeaWorld’s watch – far short of their natural life expectancies.

Since the launch of the campaign last month, almost people have written to TUI urging it to stop promoting SeaWorld. Earlier this year, following intense pressure from PETA, travel giant Thomas Cook announced that it would stop selling tickets to all parks that confine orcas in the name of entertainment.

For more information, please visit PETA.org.uk.

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