SeaWorld set to end killer whale shows at its theme park by 2017

SeaWorld is to end killer whale shows at its theme park by 2017 citing customer feedback as the reason for the move in an announcement to investors.

The park in San Diego, California would offer a different kind of orca experience and focus on the animal's natural setting and behaviours, chief executive Joel Manby said.

The announcement on the changes comes days after SeaWorld Entertainment reported that third-quarter earnings missed investors' expectations.

The Florida-based company has seen revenues fall drop since the release of the documentary Blackfish, which criticised its treatment of killer whales in captivity.

SeaWorld’s Shamu stadium would be replaced by an “informative” experience designed to take place in a more natural setting that would carry a “conservation message inspiring people to act,” The San Diego Union Tribune reported.