Seaworld Announces Plans To “Phase Out” Killer Whale Show For Good

SeaWorld intends to phase out its controversial killer whale show next year at its San Diego park. The San Diego Union Tribune reports that the move was announced as part of comprehensive strategy unveiled on Monday, following continual criticism about their treatment of captive whales. A new "informative" show which will carry a "conservation message inspiring people to act" will take the show's place from 2017, according to a document in which SeaWorld Entertainment CEO Joel Manby and other senior executives will unveil their vision for the company. The plan to phase out the show comes after efforts from the state to clamp down on SeaWorld's captive breeding of orcas. The 2013 documentary Blackfish, which centered around the treatment of the whales at the show, exposed the problems with the sea-park industry. In October, a $100 million expansion for the killer whale cages from the California Coastal Commission was approved, but future breeding of the animals was banned, an initiative they vowed to fight against at the time. It is still unclear as to what will happen in the Orlando and San Antonio parks.