SeaWorld CEO Declares End to Kissing, Dancing for Killer Whales
- Revamped shows will emphasize natural behavior of orcas
- Theme-park operator facing change, competition from Disney
Patrons watch Orcas from the underwater viewing area at the Shamu Up Close attraction at Sea World in Orlando, Florida, on Jan. 7, 2014.
Photographer: Joshua C. Cruey/Orlando Sentinel/MCT via Getty ImagesSeaWorld Entertainment Inc.’s killer whales will no longer pose, dance or kiss each other in performance, Chief Executive Officer Joel Manby said in an interview, providing new details about how the theme-park operator is adapting to new animal-friendly policies.
SeaWorld’s orca shows will only emphasize actions the animals do in nature, such as communicating with each other and beaching themselves to hunt for food in environments that resemble South America or the Northern California coast. Manby is betting the more educational approach can lure visitors in an increasingly competitive environment when it can no longer promise leaping 10,000-pound beasts performing musical revues.