School children have set up a petition calling for SeaWorld to stop keeping orcas in captivity.

The Year 6 pupils at Bushey Heath Primary School decided to set up this petition after learning how to letter write during their English classes.

Within less than a week the petition has now got more than 1,000 signatures with an aim of getting at least 2,000.

Vanessa McClure, the Year 6 teacher, said: “The children got so passionate about this we decided to set up the petition.

“We have now got support from animal rights activist.”

The children learnt that orcas in the wild have an average life expectancy of 30 to 50 years—their estimated maximum lifespan is 60 to 70 years for males and 80 to over 100 for females.

The average age of death for orcas who have died at SeaWorld is 13 years old – one of the main reasons behind the petition.

The breeding of orcas at SeaWorld, in Florida, is under scrutiny following a recent documentary called Black Fish.

To sign the petition visit.