Earlier this year, SeaWorld announced that it was expanding its killer whale habitat after taking heavy criticism regarding orca mistreatment.

Now, the organization People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) has filed a complaint with the US Department of Agriculture against the company for its alleged mistreatment of dolphins, walruses and whales.

PETA officially filed the complaint with the USDA, which oversees and inspects SeaWorld facilities, on Monday. The complaint was based on observations by veterinarian Heather Rally, who reported that the animals are engaging in adverse, confinement-related behaviors.

“During my first visit to SeaWorld, I personally observed several dolphins who were aggressively chasing, ramming and attempting to bite one another,” Rally, who works for PETA, told a reporters at press event on Tuesday.

The veterinarian said among the many negative, unusual activities that she saw was walrus, by itself, swimming in tight circles and only stopping to regurgitate its food – then eat it again.

“Several of these animals were also suffering from extensive pathological abnormalities of the skin, including lesions, defects and unusual patterns of discoloration, as well as scars and rake marks from being bitten from other animals,” Rally said.

In a statement to the NBC affiliate in San Diego, where one SeaWorld park is located, the company said PETA’s accusations of mistreatment or cruelty are “groundless.”

The company went on to question PETA’s credibility and described the filing as nothing more than an attempt to gain publicity at the expense of SeaWorld’s reputation. A representative for the company told the NBC station that SeaWorld is currently accredited by two professional zoological associations and operates in accordance with all state and federal guidelines.

SeaWorld’s treatment of animals was put under the spotlight by the 2013 film “Blackfish,” which focused on the alleged mistreatment of orcas. The company decried the film’s accusations a false, but announced in August that it would be expanding its orca habitat.