Gerardo Mora/Getty ImagesSeaWorld announced Thursday it will stop breeding killer whales, following years of pressure from animal rights groups and supporters, effective immediately. But what does this mean for visitors?
In addition to ending its breeding program, SeaWorld is phasing out its signature killer whale theatrical stunt shows and will replace them with "new, inspiring, natural orca encounters" that will focus on "orca enrichment, exercise, and overall health," the group said in a statement. The change will be implemented in its San Diego theme park in 2017 and in its parks in San Antonio and Orlando throughout the next two years. SeaWorld had announced its San Diego plans last year.
"It doesn't sound like they're actually phasing out their killer whale shows at all," former SeaWorld trainer Sam Berg said on the Today show.
The orcas who still live at the theme parks will remain there for the rest of their lives. A killer whale can typically life in the wild from 50 to 80 years, according to the National Marine Mammal Laboratory. There are conflicting figures regarding the lifespan of orcas in captivity, which is typically lower.
"We have one whale today that's 42 years old, we have one whale that's just, hasn't been born yet," SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby told NBC News investigative correspondent Ronan Farrow, as seen on the Today show. "There will be no more new orcas."
For years, animal rights activists and supporters, including celebs such as Pamela Anderson, Steve-O and Joanna Krupa, have criticized the company over its treatment of its captive mammals, who take part in stunt shows seen by thousands of people every day at SeaWorld theme parks.
In 2015, the group launched a "SeaWorld Cares" campaign to set the "record straight on false accusations by activists who oppose whales and other animals in zoological settings," but criticism continued. In February, SeaWorld announced that while attendance rose slightly over the past year, the company suffered a loss of $11 million in the fourth quarter. Amid news about the whale breeding program, SeaWorld's shares rose as much as 6 percent Thursday morning.
Public opinion of SeaWorld also decreased after the release of the 2013 documentary Blackfish, which focused on Tilikum, a famous orca held by SeaWorld who involved in the deaths of three people during his time in captivity. Last week, the company announced the whale has a drug-resistant bacterial lung infection and is dying.
"I would never admit that the care of our animals was poor," Manby said. "There are a lot of factors that have changed people's opinions. Film is one of them."
SeaWorld also announced Thursday a new partnership with the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS), one of the group's biggest critics.
SeaWorld's plan to end its killer whale breeding program marks "a major step forward toward a humane economy in which corporations respond and adapt to public concerns over animal welfare," HSUS said in a statement.
"Today's announcement signals that the era of captive display of orcas will end and that SeaWorld will redouble its work around rescue and rehabilitation of marine mammals in crisis and partner with us to tackle global threats to marine creatures," said HSUS President and CEO Wayne Pacelle.
Following SeaWorld's announcement, many animal rights activists have called on the company to release the orcas living at the theme parks into coastal sanctuaries. The group says whales raised or born in captivity are like to die in the wild.
"We feel it's a very risky environment to do that," Manby said.
He said in a HSUS statement, "SeaWorld takes seriously its responsibility to preserve marine wildlife. As one of the largest rescue organizations in the world, we will increase our focus on rescue operations—so that the thousands of stranded marine mammals like dolphins and sea lions that cannot be released back to the wild will have a place to go. Together with HSUS, and with our 20 million guests and 20,000 employees we can build an army of advocates to protect animals and wild places."