SeaWorld San Diego Phase Out Killer Whale Show; 'Blackfish' Damaged Company's Image!
SeaWorld San Diego, Calif., announced Monday, that they are ending their killer whale attraction by the end of 2016 in efforts to reinvent the brand, reports CNN Money.
"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," said Chief Executive Officer, Joel Manby.
"But it's not universal across our properties," cites The San Diego Union Tribune.
The company has been in the center of animal cruelty claims and attendance has been declining. To replace their traditional Shamu show, SeaWorld will be reinventing their Orca experience.
SeaWorld's plan is to replace the show in California where whales jump, dive and splash guests to the trainer's demands to an experience where the focus is on the whale's natural environment, reveals The Guardian.
Orca theatrical performances will continue at the company's other whale parks; which are in Orlando, Florida and San Antonio, Texas.
In 2013, "Blackfish" a documentary co-produced by CNN Films, badly damaged SeaWorld's reputation. Criticism from PETA and lawmakers were generated.
The film focused on the death of a trainer who was dragged and drowned by an aggressive bull whale. It also showed alleged mistreatment of the killer whales in the company's parks.
Visitor numbers dropped to 17% in 2014 and Joel Manby has warned investors that the number is continuously falling.
Celebrities including "Jack Ass's" Steve O, Harry Styles and Matt Damon have protested and pushed anti-SeaWorld messages to the youth across the world, which happens to be the company's target market.
"My understanding is that SeaWorld may not be stopping the orca show at all," answered Gabriela Cowperthwaite, creator of "Blackfish."
"They may simply be repackaging it so that orcas will perform more natural-looking tricks in new choreographed acts," she added. "I hope I'm wrong and that this is not simply a slick rebranding."
SeaWorld executives said they will aggressively remind visitors to their marine parks its longstanding efforts to rescue stranded and injured animals.
