SeaWorld Entertainment has filed a lawsuit in San Diego Superior Court against the California Coastal Commission in response to an October 2015 decision that would ban SeaWorld San Diego from breeding its killer whales.
SeaWorld went before the Commission to get approval to build a new habitat for the whales at their San Diego theme park. As a condition of approval, the Commission barred SeaWorld from breeding killer whales or transferring them to or from the San Diego park.
SeaWorld has since put the habitat expansion on hold, but stands by their assertion that the Coastal Commission has no jurisdiction over animal breeding.
In the lawsuit, SeaWorld claims that “the condition forces SeaWorld to either agree to the eventual demise of its lawful and federally-regulated orca exhibition, or withdraw the permit application and forego the effort to enhance the orcas’ habitat, improve the opportunities for scientific research, and enrich the visitor experience,” adding that “the orca exhibit is the cornerstone of the San Diego Park.”
The Coastal Commission has not commented on the petition except to say that they stand by their decision.
Source: San Diego Union-Tribune
