Village Roadshow (owners of Sea World on the Gold Coast) shareholders will vote next Monday on a private equity takeover agreement, implemented by BGH Capital P/L.
The agreement headed up by BGH founders Robin Bishop, Ben Gray & Simon
has received much scrutiny from major interests such as Spheria Asset Management and New York-based Mittleman Brothers.
So too the pressure has been on from animal advocates both nationally and internationally, questioning the incoming companies willingness to put an end to the archaic practice of breeding and keeping dolphins for entertainment at Sea World.
Leading animal protection charities and colleagues of Advocating Wild, the World Cetacean Alliance and World Animal Protection, have both written to BGH founders ahead of Mondays vote, requesting the company prioritise a move away from breeding dolphins into the pens at what will soon become the only facility in Australia (and New Zealand) that persists with the outdated practice.
Dolphin Marine Conservation Park at Coffs Harbour in New South Wales has already announced an end to breeding at its facility and is currently working towards moving its remaining 3 dolphins to a sea pen sanctuary. Additionally there is currently a Parliamentary Inquiry in NSW that seeks to ban the practice of keeping cetaceans (dolphins, whales and porpoises) in captivity for entertainment.
Local and international community expectations are evolving.
Becoming more aware of animal welfare issues, the public is constantly and increasingly forcing change for captive animals, through lobbying governments and pressuring the travel and tourism industry to stop supporting commercial entertainment facilities that profiteer from wild animals.
The public are now, more than ever, preferring to see species in the wild in their natural habitats and global industry giants such as Virgin Holidays, Trip Advisor and booking.com are now listening and leading the charge. They’re raising the animal welfare bar, recognising sea sanctuary models, where non-breeding policies and retirement for currently performing or rescued unreleasable animals, are the responsible and ethical way forward.
BGH Capital, despite maintaining the current ‘old school’ Sea World management regime that to date has a woeful track record for transparency, accountability and any willingness to evolve, will have the opportunity to re-imagine Sea World. It has the chance to finally change the model and end the breeding of dolphins for entertainment in Queensland. Phasing out the cruel practice of keeping these species for entertainment in Australia once and for all.
Advocating Wild asks that our supporters please reach out to BGH Capital and ask them to finally end the breeding of dolphins at Sea World.
You can contact BGH here: https://www.bghcapital.com
The views and opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the authors.
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