![]() He declined to "speculate" on why the USDA would then cite the facility in January.Īndre Bell, a USDA spokesperson, told National Geographic that the agency “takes the welfare of animals very seriously.” SeaWorld “completed all relicensing requirements, which include a relicense inspection to demonstrate full compliance with the and associated regulations,” Bell said in a statement. “With respect to the USDA, we are and have always been licensed in good standing and have a strong and important relationship with the USDA.”Īfter publication, Fields amended his statement to say that SeaWorld had turned over all requested records to the USDA in December. “We meet or exceed regulatory, accrediting, and industry standards,” Fields said in an email. In a statement, SeaWorld spokesperson Ken Fields said the park has “exceptional animal care” and touts its certifications and accreditations from American Humane, the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums, and the Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Nonetheless, the USDA reissued SeaWorld Orlando’s animal exhibitor license-a move that constitutes “a blatant violation” of the Animal Welfare Act, which stipulates that facilities may only have their license reissued if they are in full compliance with that law, says Delci Winders, director of the Animal Law Program at Vermont Law School. In January, the USDA cited SeaWorld and issued the facility an official warning for failing to furnish the requested information. The USDA also requested that SeaWorld provide more information-including water quality data and specific animals’ medical records and daily logs.īut SeaWorld failed to hand over the records. When inspectors with the USDA, which enforces the Animal Welfare Act, visited for an announced relicensing inspection in December, they cited SeaWorld for this incident, as well as for chlorine readings that exceeded the maximum level. It’s not uncommon for animals- including marine mammals-to display aggression in captivity, studies show. Three days later, SeaWorld staff found Rascal on the side of his pool, bleeding from “many deep rake marks” that were “warm to the touch” on his face, fins, and body, the report noted. Department of Agriculture noted in a December report. The 25-year-old dolphin was prescribed pain medication, but he was not separated from his group after this October 2022 incident, inspectors with the U.S. ![]() Scar tissue indicated these attacks had been going on for a while. ![]() Nearly a third of his body was covered in both superficial scrapes and deeper cuts-injuries he’d sustained from other Atlantic bottlenose dolphins in his pool at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida. Trembling and unable to lift his tail, Rascal the dolphin was struggling to swim.
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