SeaWorld Has Been Banned From Breeding Killer Whales

SeaWorld has been told by California Authorities that any breeding of captive killer whales is now banned. This calls into question the future of the park's popular killer whale attraction.

This comes after increasing pressure from protesters and the media against the ocean park.

In a statement SeaWorld said it was "disappointed" with the ruling.

"Breeding is a natural, fundamental and important part of an animal's life and depriving a social animal of the right to reproduce is inhumane", said SeaWorld San Diego Park President John Reilly.

Seaworld plans to build two new tanks for viewing and research after a $100 million expansion was approved.

The building project was approved "under a condition that would prohibit captive breeding, artificial insemination, and the sale, trade or transfer of any animal in captivity."

The commission received more than 120,000 emails from people about the proposed expansion, mostly from those opposing the project, said commission spokeswoman Noaki Schwartz.

SeaWorld has come under heavy criticism in recently years, particularly after the 2013 release of the documentary "Blackfish" which specifically criticized the company's orca programme.

"Blackfish" claims that whales in captivity become bored in their sterile environment which makes them aggressive towards their human trainers.

SeaWorld has called the film "false and misleading".

In August 2015, SeaWorld Entertainment reported an 84% drop in earnings in the second quarter of 2015, compared to the same period in 2014, and a 2% drop in visitor numbers.