Sacramento, CA—Naomi Rose, Marine Mammal Scientist for the Animal Welfare Institute, issued the following statement in response to today's hearing on AB 2140, regarding orca captivity:
"We are pleased to see that the committee will further review this issue and help ensure SeaWorld finally comes to the table. The science is clear—holding killer whales in captivity is harmful to the whales and to the trainers. The interim study mandated by the committee will provide further evidence of the need for this bill. We look forward to participating in this effort and excited to return next session to pass this bill into law."