SeaWorld San Diego To End Orca Shows

The SeaWorld theme park in the US state of California is to phase out controversial public displays by killer whales, its chief executive has said.

Joel Manby announced that 2017 will be the last year of the show in San Diego.

He said that the move was part of a strategy that seeks to reverse falling visitor numbers at the company’s 11 parks across the US.

The company has faced intense criticism by activists who say keeping the whales in captivity is cruel and unnecessary.

Its shares have halved in value since the release of a critical documentary film two years ago.

Dramatic displays by killer whales are the centrepiece at three parks operated by SeaWorld, in California, Florida and Texas.

SeaWorld as a world was heavily critized by the film ‘blackfish’ released in 2013, the film sought to expose the problems that forced captivity was causing the animals, such as deformities and psychotic breaks.

Since then, SeaWorld has lost 50% of it’s market value. Activists against the company range from Politicians to Popstars, CEO’s to comedians – All with the backing of the general public.

In October, Californian authorities prohibited SeaWorld from breeding animals in captivity, calling into question the future of the park’s popular killer whale attraction.