Orcas performing in SeaWorld San Diego (Picture: Getty)

Confusion reigns over whether or not SeaWorld is ending its killer whale show.

Yesterday, it was reported widely that the theme park would retire the show in a bid to reverse declining attendance figures, spurred on by the release of the documentary Blackfish.

In a statement, CEO Joel Manby said that the park would be replacing a ‘theatrical performance’ with a ‘new orca experience’ that focuses on ‘conservation’ and the ‘natural environment’ of the whales.

But this doesn’t mean that the shows will be stopping, it just means that they will be redeveloped so that the orcas don’t have to perform tricks on demand.




Instead, Manby claims that audiences will see ‘activities that the whales tend to do in the wild.’

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(Picture: Mike Aguilera/SeaWorld San Diego/ Getty Images)

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‘So they jump in the wild. They splash in the wild’, he said.

The change to the show will also only occur at the San Diego Sea World – where attendance figures have been hit the hardest, but it will remain the same at the parks in San Diego and Texas.

Speaking of the change, Manby said: ‘They want experiences that are more natural. And experiences that look more natural in the environment.

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‘It’s not universal across our properties.’

The change comes after SeaWorld was heavily affected by Blackfish – a 2013 documentary that extensively exposed the mistreatment of killer whales at the park.

Since then, the park has lost in excess of $25.4 million dollars – reporting second quarter profits of $5.8million (£3.75 million) down from 37.4million (£24.2million) a year earlier.

In a statement to Metro.co.uk, a spokesman for SeaWorld said: ‘Decisions on what the presentation will look like haven’t been made yet. The current presentation runs through 2016 and the change affects only our San Diego park.’