Amid growing controversy surrounding Seaworld's orca whales, they have finally vowed to stop orca breeding.
Since the release of 'Blackfish', a documentary that puts orca whale captivity in a very negative light (see the trailer below) the shows and captive breeding program at SeaWorld seem to have lost their charm.
As SeaWorld put it in a statement about the decision to stop breeding orca whales, attitudes are changing:
We're changing because attitudes about animals under human care have evolved and we need to evolve with them. And make no mistake: we have all played a big part in why society has evolved on this issue.
When we opened our doors more than 50 years ago, killer whales were feared and hunted. Now, orcas are among the most beloved marine mammals on the planet. One reason why is more than 400 million people came to our parks and fell in love with our whales.
So in many ways, SeaWorld faced the ultimate paradox. Our whales are one of the biggest reasons people visit our parks. At the same time large animals like orcas under human care were a growing concern for many people. The world changed -- and today SeaWorld is changing with it.