SeaWorld will phase out its "Shamu" killer whale shows at its San Diego location next year, the company announced Monday, amid pressure from animal rights groups like PETA and lawmakers.
The San Diego Tribune reported:
In its place would be a new orca experience debuting in 2017, described as "informative" and designed to take place in a more natural setting that would carry a "conservation message inspiring people to act." ... The plan to gradually phase out the Shamu show comes amid efforts at both the state and federal level to clamp down on SeaWorld by ending the captive breeding of orcas, which would effectively bring to an end the parks’ theatrical shows. SeaWorld has already vowed to fight a recent ruling by the California Coastal Commission to bar it from breeding its orcas as a condition of moving forward with the tank expansion projects.
SeaWorld Entertainment CEO Joel Manby said Monday that the company is putting its $100 million killer whale tank expansion in San Diego on hold. The announcement comes just days after Rep. Adam Schiff (D., Calif.) announced plans to introduce legislation that would phase out the display of killer whales for entertainment.
Lorena Gonzalez, a Democratic member of the California State Assembly, implied that SeaWorld’s decision Monday is not enough.
"Today’s acknowledgement by SeaWorld does not end our push to halt inhumane orca captivity and breeding practices, but it’s a step in the right direction," Gonzalez stated. "More importantly, SeaWorld’s announcement contradicts their earlier statements that the company could not be profitable unless orcas were forced to participate in these circus-like shows. ... Clearly, SeaWorld can move away from being a giant circus that harms animal life and still have a viable business model."
It remains unknown whether the killer whale shows at SeaWorld parks in Orlando and San Antonio will also be phased out.
SeaWorld has received increased scrutiny since the 2013 documentary Blackfish presented a negative perspective of the captivity of killer whales.