Death, Fines And Captive Animals: Is Sea Life Park Part Of A Bygone Era? 0 Many have fond memories of Oahu’s sometimes controversial marine animal park, but what will be its role in a changing business?
Evan Woodall, a locally born and raised Hawaiian fisherman, can still remember the awe he felt as he watched the dolphin show at Sea Life Park Hawaii over two decades ago.
In 2019, Woodall wanted to give his three young cousins the same experience. However, when the day at Sea Life Park was over, Woodall’s opinion had drastically changed.
“I’m never going back,” Woodall said.
As an adult, Woodall, 32, said he now understands the harm of captivity. The worst, he said, was seeing the tank holding moi, or Pacific threadfin.
“They had done a pretty good job of imitating the fish’s natural environment,” he said, “But all the beautiful moi, the fish most revered by the Hawaiians as the fish of the kings, were all quite noticeably sick.”
