Activists say ending SeaWorld orca shows not enough

All of the parks have faced public scrutiny since the release of the 2013 documentary “Blackfish”, which questions SeaWorld’s treatment of the Orcas.

Following years of controversy, SeaWorld in San Diego will phase out its killer whale show next year. It is unclear if any changes will be made to its Orlando or San Antonio parks.

SeaWorld might phase out a few of their largest performers in the San Diego area. “But it’s not universal across our properties”.

“We are listening to our guests, evolving as a company, we are always changing”, said Seaworld chief Joel Manby.

“They want the orca experience to be activities the whales do in the wild”, Manby said.

“Killer whales at SeaWorld are healthy and thriving and through conservation and rescue efforts as well as significant work to advance the scientific understanding of orcas and other marine mammals, SeaWorld is a leader in protecting and preserving these species”, Kermes said. The company said in a teleconference, it will end its water arena spectacular featuring the most famous killer whale in the world. “They may simply be repackaging it so that orcas will perform more natural looking tricks in new choreographed acts”, Cowperthwaite says in a statement to The Hollywood Reporter.

Adding: ‘This move is like no longer whipping lions in a circus act but keeping them locked inside cages for life’.

The news came days after SeaWorld Entertainment Inc. reported third-quarter earnings missed Wall Street expectations.

The move, which follows a vote by the California Coastal Commission last month barring the park from continuing to breed killer whales, or orcas, in captivity, was announced during a webcast company presentation to investors and the media.

Last week, California lawmaker Adam Schiff said he planned to introduce a new bill that would phase out the captivity of orcas and prohibit their breeding, measures that would effectively spell the end of SeaWorld’s whale shows. On Monday Manby reaffirmed the company’s dedication to fighting the commission, calling it a “bad precedent not just for us but for all zoos and aquariums”.

Manby was hired in 2015, and is trying to fix the company’s fractured reputation with plans to accentuate the oceanic theme park’s beneficial side.