Between the fallout from the Blackfish documentary, mounting sentiment against its orca shows and the practice of keeping whales in captivity, and declining attendance at its marine life parks, SeaWorld faced a Shamu-sized crisis.
In March 2016, the theme park company took bold steps to address its predicament. It announced that it had ended its killer whale breeding program and that the animals now under its care would be the last generation. SeaWorld also said that it would modify its orca shows. And it announced an unlikely partnership with one of its former critics, the Humane Society, to work together on rescue efforts, conservation, and other animal welfare matters.
For a company that based its identity and built its brand around killer whales, the obvious question is: Now what? With its announcement of new roller coasters, rides, shows, and other features coming this year, SeaWorld offers a sense of its new vision and how the parks will evolve.
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