CONTROVERSY OVER KEEPING ORCAS
IN CAPTIVITY.
THIS IS NEWS 6 AT 6:00.
I'M MATT AUSTIN.
Lisa: I'M LISA BELL.
THE END TO BREEDING IS EFFECTIVE
IMMEDIATELY.
WE SENT A REPORTER OUT TO
SEAWORLD TO GET REACTION FROM
PARK GUESTS.
FIRST WE BEGIN WITH NEWS 6
REPORTER JUSTIN WARMOTH WHO
TAKES US THROUGH ALL THESE
CHANGES AND WHAT'S NEXT FOR
SEAWORLD.
THIS IS A LONG TIME COMING.
Reporter: IT'S A LONG TIME
COMING FOR CRITICS OF SEAWORLD.
SINCE THE DOCUMENTARY
"BLACKFISH" CAME OUT A FEW YEARS
AGO, SEAWORLD'S PARK ATTENDANCE
AND REVENUE HAVE BEEN DOWN.
THE C.E.O. THINKS THE MOVES
ANNOUNCED THIS MORNING WILL
CHANGE THAT.
JUST TODAY SEAWORLD'S STOCK HAS
RISEN MORE THAN 6%.
FOR DECADES, THIS HAS BEEN A
FAMILIAR SIGHT AT SEAWORLD
ORLANDO.
BUT THE DAYS OF KILLER WHALES
JUMPING INTO THE AIR, SPLASHING
GUESTS ARE NUMBERED.
SEAWORLD'S C.E.O. ANNOUNCED
TODAY THE PARK WILL NOT ONLY END
ITS PRACTICE OF BREEDING THE
ORCAS EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY, BUT
IT'S ALSO PHASING OUT THE
POPU
POPULAR THEATRICAL SHOWS BY
2018.
THE DEBATE OVER WHALE SHOWS IS
NOW OVER.
HOWEVER, IT'S CLEAR PEOPLE
ARE MORE UNCOMFORTABLE, WHETHER
IT'S THE MOVIE, LEGISLATION, ALL
THE ISSUES ARE AFFECTING IT.
Reporter: THE MOVIE HE'S
TALKING ABOUT IS THE 2013
DOCUMENTARY "BLACKFISH".
USING INTERVIEWS OF FORMER
SEAWORLD TRAINERS AND VIDEOS OF
WHALES ATTACKING PEOPLE, THE
VIDEO SUGGESTS CAPTIVITY CAUSES
PSYCHOSIS IN WHALES WHICH LED TO
THE DEATH OF DAWN BRANCHEAU IN
2010.
THE C.E.O. IS CONFIDENT THE MOVE
WILL CHANGE THE NEGATIVE
PERCEPTION OF THE PARK.
WE LOVE OUR ORCAS AND SO DO
OUR GUESTS.
I'VE BEEN HERE 10 MONTHS, THIS
IS THE FIRST DAY I'VE BEEN HERE
THE POSITIVE CHATTER ON TWITTER
ABOUT US AS A COMPANY OVERWEIGHS
THE NEGATIVE.
Reporter: AND P.E.T.A. HAS
SAID THEY'VE TAKEN A STEP
FORWARD BUT MORE MUST COME.
A NEW PARTNERSHIP BETWEEN
SEAWORLD AND THE HUMANE SOCIETY
WAS ANNOUNCED TODAY.
THE HUMANE SOCIETY HAS BEEN BIG
CRITICS OF SEAWORLD IN THE PAST.
Lisa: THANK YOU.
Matt: SEAWORLD'S ANNOUNCEMENT
IS GETTING MIXED REVIEWS.
MANY GUESTS SAY THEY DO AGREE
WITH SEAWORLD.
WHAT DID YOU SEE AND HEAR WHILE
YOU WERE OUT THERE TODAY?
Reporter: I WAS ABLE TO GO
INTO THE PARK AND YOU WOULD NOT
NOTICE A DIFFERENCE THERE.
THE ANNOUNCEMENT DIDN'T EVEN
IMPACT PARK GUESTS TODAY.
WHAT I DID NOTICE IS FROM THE
MOMENT I WALKED IN, FROM THE
ENTRANCE HERE TO THE SOUVENIR
CUP I WAS ABLE TO BRING HOME
WITH ME, THE ORCA WHALE IS STILL
A SYMBOL HERE AT SEAWORLD.
I SPOKE WITH MANY OF THE GUESTS,
AND THEY SAY IT'S ABOUT TIME.
WE'RE INSPIRED EVERY DAY AND
WE HOPE THEY INSPIRE YOU AS WE
ALL WORK TOGETHER TO CARE FOR
OUR OCEAN.
NOW, SIT BACK AND ENJOY THE
SHOW!
Reporter: THE KILLER WHALE
SHOW ONE OCEAN STARTED JUST THE
SAME AS IT DOES EVERY DAY.
BUT TODAY, THE FUTURE OF THESE
ORCAS AT SEAWORLD IS ABOUT TO
CHANGE.
THE THEME PARK ANNOUNCING IT
WILL NO LONGER BREED THE ORCAS
AND IT WILL SLOWLY START PHASING
THEM OUT IN SHOWS.
SHOWS DEON READWOOD IS GOING TO
SEE FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY.
WE'RE COMING BECAUSE OF THE
PEOPLE THAT WANT ME TO COME AND
MY DAUGHTER.
IF IT WERE UP TO ME, I WOULD GO
OTHER PLACES.
Reporter: WHY?
BECAUSE I FEEL SORRY FOR THE
ANIMALS.
I'M HAPPY FOR THE NEWS THIS
MORNING.
Reporter: SEVERAL SEAWORLD
GUESTS VISITING FROM ALL OVER
THE WORLD FELT THE SAME.
I WOULD AGREE WITH THAT TO BE
HONEST, YES.
Reporter: WHY IS THAT?
THEY'VE BEEN KEPT IN
CAPTIVITY.
THEY SHOULD BE OUT IN THE WILD.
GOOD FOR THE WHALES AND
EVERYTHING.
I GUESS IT'S THE RIGHT DECISION.
Reporter: BUT THE WOMAN WHO
LIVES HERE SIDES WITH SEAWORLD.
I BELIEVE THEY'RE TAKEN VERY
WELL CARE OF.
I SEE IT WITH MY EYES EVERY DAY.
Reporter: SHE BELIEVES IT'S A
DECISION THE THEME PARK HAD TO
MAKE.
MAYBE FOR THEIR SAKE, IT'S A
BETTER IDEA.
Reporter: SEAWORLD HAS NOT
SAID THE OFFICIAL DAY WHEN THE
THEATRICAL SHOWS WILL END IN
ORLANDO.
BUT BY 2019, THEY'LL HAVE THE
NATURAL HABITAT FOR THEM WHERE
PEOPLE CAN GET UP CLOSE TO THEM
BUT THEY WILL NOT BE PERFORMING.
Matt: WHAT A CHANGE.