Earlier this week, SeaWorld President & CEO Joel Manby announced the historic announcements happening at SeaWorld, including ending orca breeding, introducing new, inspiring and natural orca encounters, and launching new partnerships to protect oceans and marine animals. "We’re creating a new vision for SeaWorld that will help us deliver on our mission that every guest who walks through our doors will be inspired to take action to help protect wild animals and wild places.When SeaWorld opened its doors more than 50 years ago, killer whales were feared and even hunted. Now, they are among the most beloved marine mammals on the planet thanks, in part, to the inspirational encounters we’ve provided to more than 400 million guests." Said Manby. The new vision for SeaWorld reflects changes in society and SeaWorld’s evolution with those changes, including ending killer whale breeding, new inspiring natural orca encounters, and new partnerships to protect oceans and marine animals. "While these decisions represent a shift in our business, they do not change our core values and purpose: to protect animals in the wild and inspire our guests to join us in this critical mission." Last Generation of Orca ShowsAs posted on their website, SeaWorld officials say that the times have changes, the killer whales currently in their care will be the last generation of killer whales at SeaWorld. The company will end all orca breeding as of today. "We always put the health and well-being of the whales first. We have the leading veterinary and scientific experts in the country to advise us on how to do this in a way that puts the health and well-being of the whales first. We love our whales and so do many of our visitors and this is about doing the best thing for our whales, our guests, our employees and SeaWorld. " SeaWorld has not collected an orca from the wild in almost 40 years, and the vast majority of the orcas at the parks were born under human care. These orcas have never lived in the wild and could not survive in oceans that include environmental concerns such as pollution and other man-made threats. The current population of orcas at Seaworld – including one orca, Takara, that became pregnant last year – will live out their lives at the company’s park habitats, where they will continue to receive the highest-quality care based on the latest advances in marine veterinary medicine, science and zoological best practices. Guests will be able to observe these orcas through the new educational encounters and in viewing areas within the existing habitats. "The work we do at SeaWorld is critical for the protection of animals in the wild, especially marine mammals. The work done by zoological facilities like SeaWorld is critical for the protection of animals in the wild, especially marine mammals. To that end, SeaWorld has committed $50 million over the next five years to be the world’s leading marine animal rescue organization, to advocate for an end to the commercial killing of whales and seals and an end to shark finning.”
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