New York, New York — The parent company of the controversial Bay Area amusement park, Six Flags Marine World, will be confronted by animal advocates at its annual shareholders meeting in New York City on Monday. At issue are the company's attempts to import orcas and endangered Asian elephants, its recent reinstatement of a performing dolphin show and its poor record of animal care.

The Six Flags Inc. annual meeting will be held on Monday June 10, 2002 at 10 a.m. at the Hotel Intercontinental (212/755-5900), 111 East 48th Street, New York, New York.

Two representatives from In Defense of Animals (IDA), a California-based advocacy group, will enter the meeting on behalf of several Six Flags shareholders to express their concerns about the amusement company's treatment of animals. They will be urging the company to phase out animal exhibits in favor of successful and profitable roller coasters and theme rides.

"The Six Flags corporation has turned back the clock at many amusement parks by actively acquiring new animals for its dolphin, whale and elephant shows," said Elliot Katz, DVM, IDA president. "These intelligent and sophisticated animals do not belong in amusement parks where they are held in vastly unnatural conditions and reduced to circus performers."

"It's high time Six Flags phased out its animal shows in favor of the roller coasters, rides and other non-animal attractions that have made the majority of its parks a success," added Mark Berman, Associate Director of the San Francisco-based Earth Island Institute (EII).

IDA and EII object to several recent Six Flags actions, including the reinstatement at the Six Flags New Jersey park of a traveling dolphin show canceled eight years ago because of humanitarian concerns. They also vow to continue to oppose the attempts of Six Flags to acquire an orca whale from Argentina for its Ohio Worlds of Adventure park, and import two endangered Asian elephants from India for display at its Marine World park in Vallejo, CA.

The groups will also highlight what they believe is Six Flags' poor animal care record. Two former Six Flags Marine World employees have signed sworn statements attesting to animal abuse, beatings and neglect at the park, and an attitude by Six Flags management that placed profits ahead of animal welfare. At least 23 animals have died at Marine World since Six Flags took over management in 1997, including a baby elephant, both of the park’s orcas (killer whales), two dolphins, a sea lion and a dozen kangaroos and wallabies.

In addition, the U.S. Department of Agriculture has found animal housing facilities at the Six Flags New Jersey facility to be "deteriorated," "rotting," "cracked," and in "disrepair."

"With such a small percentage of its 38 amusement parks displaying animals, Six Flags can easily develop a plan to eliminate antiquated animal exhibits and lead the company to a future free from animal exploitation and abuse," Katz concluded.