‘Sea World Drive’ Signs Are Free Highway Ad for Whale Prison — PETA Wants Road Name Changed to Orca-Friendly

For immediate publication:
July 2, 2024

Contact:
David Perle 202-483-7382

San Diego –

SeaWorld reportedly owes San Diego more than $12 million in back rent and fees, so why does the city continue to give the company free advertising in the form of a road named after it? In a letter sent this morning to San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, PETA calls on him to change the name of the road leading to the infamous to abuseFree Corky Drive amusement park, offering to pay for new signage and host an event to tell the story of Corky, the world’s longest-held captive orca. The offer comes in the wake of worldwide outrage over the death of Lolita, who, like Corky, was taken from her family in the wild. After Lolita spent decades locked up in the Miami Seaquarium, plans to relocate her to a seaside sanctuary came too late.

“Corky spent more than 54 years in tiny concrete tanks where she watched her babies die one by one, and now she has nothing to do but swim in endless circles,” says PETA President Ingrid Newkirk. “PETA is calling on the City of San Diego to promote Corky’s freedom over her cruel imprisonment at SeaWorld by renaming this driveway ‘Free Corky Drive.’”

PETA — whose motto is, among other things, that “animals are not ours to use for entertainment” — emphasizes that every animal is someone and offers free Empathy Kits to people who need a lesson in kindness. For more information, visit PETA.org or follow the group on X, FacebookOr Instagram.

Below is PETA’s letter to Gloria.

July 2, 2024

Dear Todd Gloria

Mayor of San Diego

Dear Mayor Gloria:

I am writing on behalf of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals—PETA, which has more than 9 million members and supporters worldwide, including more than 60,000 in the San Diego area—with a proposal that better aligns the city with the times: Please change the name of the controversial “Sea World Drive” to the compassionate “Free Corky Drive.” This move would help Corky the orca, a reluctant resident of San Diego for decades, and right the historic injustice of promoting her cruel captivity.

After the worldwide outrage over Lolita’s death at Miami Seaquarium, all eyes are on SeaWorld to do the right thing before another animal dies in a tiny tank. Like Lolita, Corky was ripped from her family and oceanfront home and has known nothing but misery for more than 50 years. She’s had no life beyond swimming in endless circles in a concrete tank. Experts are already working on a seaside sanctuary in her home waters, where she could dive deep, swim longer distances, and maybe even communicate with her family — and “Free Corky Drive” could help her do just that.

Meanwhile, the “Sea World Drive” signs are free advertising for SeaWorld — which only helps the company continue to imprison animals — as well as an endorsement of its abhorrent treatment of animals. SeaWorld allegedly owes the city more than $12 million in back rent and fees, which is another reason it shouldn’t benefit from this free advertising. California has led the nation in protecting orcas, becoming the first state to ban cruel orca breeding, and now San Diego has a chance to lead the way for orcas by replacing that park promotion with a name that honors and helps Corky.

It’s time for Corky, the world’s longest-held captive orca, to regain some semblance of a natural life in a coastal sanctuary. We’re happy to contribute to the cost of new signage and host a Free Corky Drive unveiling event to tell her story. Thank you for considering. We look forward to hearing from you.

Kind regards,

Tracy Reiman

Vice President