CEO: SeaWorld Employees Posed As Animal Rights Activists

ORLANDO, FL — Allegations made last year that SeaWorld employees were posing as animal rights activists to spy on PETA operations have been confirmed by the theme park.

SeaWorld’s CEO Joel Manby released the results of an “independent outside counsel” finding during the company’s Thursday earnings call. “The Board has directed that the company’s management team end a practice in which certain employees posed as animal rights activists in connection with efforts to maintain the safety and security of company employees, customers, and animals in the face of credible threats that the company had received,” a statement issued by SeaWorld said.

Last year, PETA accused Paul McComb, a San Diego SeaWorld employee, of spying on them. Manby confirmed Thursday that McComb was placed on administrative leave during the investigation, but has since returned to work.

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“We recognize the need to ensure that all of our security and other activities align with our core values and ethical standards,” Manby said in the statement. “As always, the security and well-being of our employees, customers and animals remain at the forefront of our business practices.”

PETA has long objected to SeaWorld’s use of certain animals in shows at its parks. It has undertaken an extensive campaign related to SeaWorld’s killer whales. While it attempted a lawsuit to end what it called SeaWorld’s “slavery” of whales, a federal judge threw the case out in 2012.

In 2014, the animal rights group placed a billboard inside the San Diego International Airport that depicted an orca with a man, meant to be SeaWorld’s former CEO, in its mouth. PETA was turned down by Orlando International Airport officials when it requested to buy space to place a similar billboard in that facility.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority denied the ad sale because of a policy that bars public issue ads, the reported. That policy was put into place following the incident in San Diego. In a more recent campaign against the theme park, PETA has taken issue with artificial insemination of orcas.

SeaWorld has announced that it is phasing out the use of orcas in shows in San Diego. No similar plans have been announced for Orlando.

It remains unclear how many employees may have posed as activists.

In its earnings report issued Thursday, SeaWorld Entertainment announced 2015 annual revenues of $1.37 billion, down slightly from 2014’s $1.38 billion. Total park attendance for the chain, which includes SeaWorld Orlando and Busch Gardens in Tampa, was 22.47 million, up over 2014’s 22.40 million.