SeaWorld’s revenue drops again as public turns away from captivity
Following recent news of the death of a captive beluga in a tank at SeaWorld Orlando, and the announcement that visitors would no longer be allowed to feed dolphins by hand unsupervised, SeaWorld’s troubles continue after the company’s latest financial figures were released today.
The final quarter figures reveal a drop of $7.4 million, or 3 percent, compared to the same period in 2013. Total revenue for 2014 was down 6 percent from 2013, and attendance also fell, down by 2.2 percent compared to the fourth quarter of 2013.
The figures reflect the continuing public backlash against whale and dolphin captivity highlighted in the 2012 film, Blackfish. The documentary film revealed the darker side of the captivity industry, trainer deaths and injury, and the real fate of orcas held in small tanks for so-called ‘entertainment’.
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