Ex-SeaWorld trainer exposes 'cruel' orca shows and calls Jet2holidays to boycott

05 October 2023 , 18:06

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John Hargrove has spoken out against SeaWorld's cruelty to orcas (Image: Corbis via Getty Images)

A former marine animals trainer has asked a travel company not to support marine life shows.

John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld worker and orca trainer, has written a letter to Jet2holidays' CEO, Steve Heapy, urging the company to stop selling tickets to marine life shows. In his letter, Hargrove expressed his firsthand experience and concerns about the conditions in which orcas and other marine animals are kept in these facilities.

Hargrove highlighted that the living conditions for orcas in marine parks are often inadequate, leading to both physical health problems and psychological distress. Being confined to concrete tanks can cause orcas to develop ulcers and infections, and the stress from these conditions can lead to aggressive behaviour.

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The sign at the entrance to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida (Getty Images)

Hargrove shared a specific incident where a captive killer whale, Keto, killed a trainer in 2009 due to frustration and lack of enrichment. Keto, a captive killer whale at Loro Parque in Tenerife, killed trainer Alexis Martínez on Christmas Eve, an incident attributed to the frustration and lack of enrichment faced by orcas in captivity, leading to aggressive behaviour.

Hargrove specifically called out Jet2holidays for selling tickets to Loro Parque in Tenerife, where the incident with Keto occurred.

Steve Heapy, chief executive of Jet2.com and Jet2holidays (Birmingham Post)

Despite Jet2holidays describing the park on their website as "an absolute must for animal lovers," Hargrove and other supporters argue that these attractions exploit orcas for human amusement and that such animals should be in their natural habitat—the ocean.

Mr Hargrove wrote: "I wanted to share my firsthand experience as a former senior orca trainer at marine parks in the hope that you’ll conclude, as I did, that these facilities cause orcas a world of suffering and are not worthy of your support."

Lolita, a captive orca whale, during a performance at the Miami Seaquarium (AP)

"Most [orcas] develop ulcers, and all of them develop infections due to their living conditions," he noted, adding: "I urge Jet2holidays to be on the right side of history by ending the promotion of attractions that exploit orcas for human amusement. Orcas and other dolphins belong in one place and one place only – the ocean."

Hargrove has thrown his support behind a PETA campaign, which has garnered support from nearly 45,000 people, including prominent figures like Morrissey, urging Jet2holidays to stop promoting marine parks and live animal shows. The Mirror has contacted Jet2 for comment.

Vassia Barba