A water park in Tenerife home to six of SeaWorld’s orcas was caught off-guard by the latter's announcement that it will cease the breeding of its killer whales, calling reproduction “an inherent right of all the animals”.

Loro Parque, popular with British tourists to the Canary Island, said a breeding plan in captivity was required by the Spanish government and that is “one of the principal functions and obligations of the zoological park to ensure that the right to reproduction is respected”.

It said that preventing the animals from breeding while “under human care is an action that goes against the very cycle of life and well-being of the animals”.

Loro Parque in Tenerife is a popular tourist attraction Credit: Fotolia/AP

As users on social media wondered what would happened to the orcas on loan to Loro Parque, a statement released by the park said that it would respect SeaWorld’s decision and "incoporate the changes following the guidelines that SeaWorld will be establishing in the United States".

@SeaWorld Congratulations for deciding to end your AI programme for orcas. Will you also stop breeding orcas in Loro Parque? — Kathleen Haase (@Orcakaty) March 17, 2016

@SeaWorld does this apply to the orcas at Loro Parque too? Will you stop breeding them as well? After all Seaworld owns those orcas too — theblackestday (@xblackestday) March 17, 2016

This week’s announcement by the American water park operator was greeted by animal rights activists as a victory, as SeaWorld also said it would be ending theatrical shows with the whales. The move comes after mounting pressure over the treatment and condition of the whales, as documented by 2013 film Blackfish, after which Seaworld saw its visitor numbers plummet.

Criticism intensified last week after the company announced that 35-year-old Tilikum was gravely ill from a bacterial lung infection and may be dying.

SeaWorld saw visitor numbers drop after the release of Blackfish Credit: Getty

However, it does not seem to be a move anticipated by the Tenerife water park, which said it received word of SeaWorld’s decision “with surprise”.

“We would like to emphasise that the objective of our presentation of the animals has, for a long time, been profoundly educative,” its statement continued.

“Will we continue with our commitment to education, research and conservation, as it is the obligation of a modern zoo.”

An orca in Tenerife Credit: Fotolia/AP

Loro Parque’s website advertises orca shows three times a day, in addition to performances from sea lions and dolphins.

The park received six orcas on loan from SeaWorld in 2006. Since then there has been a number of births at the park, and deaths, so that the number of orcas remains six.

Loro Parque, like its American cousin, has had its share of controversial incidents involving the whales, including the 2009 death of 29-year-old trainer Alexis Martinez, who was crushed to death in the jaws of Keto, an orca.

Ingrid Newkirk, president of People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), said: “SeaWorld has taken a step forward but more must come. PETA urges kind people everywhere to keep campaigning strong.”

WAP is fighting the abuse of elephants across the world

In another shake-up of animals involved in the tourism industry this week, the World Animal Protection group (WAP) announced it had secured the support of more than 100 travel operators in efforts to halt the abuse of elephants for entertainment.

The companies, including the Travel Corporation, Intrepid Travel, TUI Benelux and Thomas Cook Northern Europe, are based around the world.

WAP said the cruelty endured by elephants and other wild animals at tourist attractions was highlighted recently after the death of Gareth Crowe in Thailand, who was killed by an elephant.

Those who have signed up agree not to send their customers to venues where they can ride elephants or where the animals are forced to perform.

Alyx Elliott, head of UK campaigns for the charity, said: “World Animal Protection wants to see this cruelty stop – but we also need to think about what happens to the animals already captive at these places, and what the future might hold for them.

"That’s why we are working hard to find tour operators who are prepared to go the extra mile and invest in transforming existing elephant camps into humane, safe sanctuaries – places where the animals are free to live and behave as naturally as possible, if they can’t be released back into the wild."