SeaWorld San Diego to End Killer Whale Shows

SeaWorld officials announced Monday that they plan to phase out the killer whale shows at its San Diego park following public criticism surrounding their treatment of orcas. The documentary film “Blackfish”, which came out in 2013, further highlighted the controversy surrounding SeaWorld by focusing on Tilikum, one of the park’s captive orcas.

PETA said in a statement that an end to SeaWorld’s “circus-style” shows is “inevitable and necessary”, but the captivity of the animals is what denies them of “everything that is natural and important to them”.

Joel Manby, the CEO of SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, has made the announcement that its San Diego attraction will be stopping the famous orca shows.

The announcement has done little to placate campaigners, especially as there are now no plans to change the orca displays at SeaWorld’s two other main aquatic theme parks in Florida and Texas.

SeaWorld, in the U.S. state of California is to stop using killer whales in their shows.

SeaWorld has always been criticized over the captivity of the orcas, which critics describe as cruel.

Manby said, “Now, we’ve been doing a lot of this quietly ourselves, but we’re making it a part of our brand going forward”.

Last month, the California Coastal Commission approved a SeaWorld proposal to build a $100 million expansion to its orca enclosure at its San Diego park.

The company has said it plans to challenge that decision in court. With that said, Manby confirmed that the theatrical “One Ocean” show of the killer whales would have to take its final bow in 2016.

The park at San Diego is the company’s second biggest and features its famous “Shamu” killer whale show.

California Congressman Adam Schiff, D-Burbank, has said he’ll introduce a bill to prohibit trade in killer whales, block their capture in the wild and outlaw the breeding of captive orca. Also, the orcas will continue to be held and bred in captivity, a key charge of SeaWorld opponents.

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