In 2013 a documentary called “Blackfish” premiered on CNN. Telling of the unknown horrors taking place behind the scenes at SeaWorld, “Blackfish” exposed the theme park for what they were doing: Making money on captured and mentally tortured orcas.

Separating them from their families, keeping them in quarters too small for animals half their size, solitary confinement and lack of mental stimulation drove the orcas crazy and even led to deaths of three SeaWorld employees. Almost three years later, the park wants to expand the tank for these orcas.

After “Blackfish” came out, I am surprised that SeaWorld is even still allowed to host orcas at their parks. Being incredibly inhumane towards the animals and hiding the fact that their treatment caused them to kill employees, SeaWorld should have been forced to close the orca exhibits altogether.

The proposed expansion of the tank would take the tank from 5.8 million gallons to 9.6 million gallons. With the passing of this proposal, many animal rights activists were worried that SeaWorld would start breeding orcas due to having a bigger tank. However, when passed it was stated that SeaWorld would not be allowed to breed any orcas in captivity.

“SeaWorld has admitted that it intended to breed even more orcas to fill the new tanks, but the commission’s action today ensures that no more orcas will be condemned to a non-life of loneliness, deprivation and misery,” said Ben Williamson, PETA spokesman, in a statement. “SeaWorld is a sea circus, and the orcas are its abused elephants.”

With 24 of the world’s 56 captive orcas, according to CNN, SeaWorld has parks in San Antonio, Texas; Orlando, Florida and the original park in San Diego, California. Eleven of the 24 orcas are in San Diego.

It is insane to think that a major corporation like SeaWorld can get away with being so cruel to animals. Not only are they getting away with it, they are being rewarded. They claim the expansion of the tank will help the whales they have now. But expanding a cage doesn’t make them free; it doesn’t bring their families back and it sure as hell isn’t going to make the years to come any better for these whales.

While enlarging the tank for the orcas there now would be a benefit to them, the whole construction process will cause the whales a great amount of stress.

With loud machines and construction going on the whales will become confused and uncomfortable. The last time a whale became uncomfortable at SeaWorld she dragged her trainer to the bottom of the pool.

Although the whales that are at SeaWorld now have little hope of seeing the wild, it is good that no more will be bred into captivity. According to “Blackfish” the whales bred in captivity at SeaWorld are only living 35-40 years while whales in the wild have similar lifespans to those of humans. That stat right there should have been the deciding factor in the debate over whether or not SeaWorld should be allowed to expand.

Giving SeaWorld permission to expand on the tank is just giving them a free pass. While admissions fell due to the documentary, the expanding of the tank will just attract more people.