Everyone loves to see exotic animals, no matter what they’re doing. People line up at zoos just to watch tigers eat, polar bears swim, and animals generally doing animal things. Most animals don’t even get to do some special show, but the whales at SeaWorld have always been different. The centerpiece, the thing that gets people in the doors, and the very logo of the company have been the whales. That’s possibly changing very soon. SeaWorld is ending their “theatrical” killer whale show in San Diego.
SeaWorld has been through a lot of controversy in the wake of the documentary Blackfish. Since then, calls for SeaWorld to end its use of killer whales have been growing. In particular, the state of California has been at the forefront of protesting SeaWorld’s use of animals, hence the change. SeaWorld will be keeping a killer whale display, but it’s going to be something a little less… Las Vegas and something a little more… Animal Planet.
“We start everything by listening to our guests and evolving our shows to what we’re hearing, and so far that’s what we’ve been hearing in California, they want experiences that are more natural and experiences that look more natural in the environment,” CEO Joel Manby told investors Monday, the San Diego Tribune reported. “… But it’s not universal across our properties.”
So, at least for now, orca trainers aren’t out of a job.
Tags: joel manby, sea world, seaworld, seaworld san diego, seaworld ends killer whale shows, seaworld san diego ends killer whale show, killer whales, orcas, seaworld whale exhibit changing, seaworld ending theatrical whale show, animals, animal shows