There was opposition at SeaWorld this morning as the park is hosting thousands of trainers during this year’s International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association Conference.

Protestors stood outside of the park in what they’re calling a living photo exhibition to bring attention to claims of the parks’ dolphin drive hunts and deplorable conditions they argue trainers have no idea they’re getting themselves into.

News 13 spoke with protestors, and also got the response from SeaWorld.

One woman sat in a kiddie pool, with her arms chained and mouth taped, to protest what these demonstrators argue are deplorable conditions for marine life at SeaWorld.

Sunday’s demonstration is timed with the park’s week-long hosting of the IMATA Conference. Animal activist Jana Wiggins says she owns a successful business and urges SeaWorld and its trainers to revisit their business model for something more beneficial.

“A true type of conservation business model where they’re actually building sea sanctuaries. People can still go and they’ll pay a lot of money to go see these animals in the wild,” explains Wiggins.

Although an on-camera interview request was declined by SeaWorld officials, a park spokesperson issued this statement:

The protesters’ claims and accusations are without merit. While the protesters spend their time and resources seeking publicity, SeaWorld this week is preparing several rehabilitated rescue animals, including members of two endangered species, for return to the wild.

During the protests, a pickup truck drove back and forth playing the documentary “BlackFish,” which is critical of the parks’ treatment of killer whales.

Demonstrators say not enough is being done and that’s clear in the growing support of protests like this one. 

Wiggins explains they’re also protesting the method of dolphin drives, which she says happens from the beginning of September through March.

“This is how they go out and drive the dolphins in while they’re doing their migration. They slaughter them in the cove and the pretty ones are kept to be sold to marine parks,” said Wiggins.

A spokesperson from SeaWorld provided us with this response regarding that method.

As we have said hundreds of times, SeaWorld is opposed to the drive hunts in Japan and elsewhere. No animal in our collection is from a drive hunt.