SeaWorld’s ‘unusual’ response to orca documentary

That’s the message the company sent to the media last week when it preemptively lashed out at the makers of the documentary “Blackfish” prior to its release.

The documentary conveys that orca whales—the high-flying stars of SeaWorld’s shows—suffer “physical and mental distress” in captivity, according to a MediaBistro report. The film’s tagline is “Never capture what you can’t control.”

Here’s the official trailer:

SeaWorld sent several media outlets a point-by-point response to the documentary a week before its July 19 release. The New York Times labeled the move “unusual.” The list of “assertions” focuses on the lifespan, births, and treatment of captive whales, as well as the accidental drowning death of a trainer.