An international whale expert says SeaWorld's revenue is being decimated as more people watch the documentary Blackfish.
Dr Ingrid Visser, a consultant on the documentary which aims to expose unsafe practices at the US-owned marine theme parks, says SeaWorld Entertainment is suffering as public opinion swings against it.
New figures reported by the LA Times show a combined 13 percent drop in attendance at the company's 11 theme parks over the first three months of the year.
"It's pretty obvious that SeaWorld isn't listening to reason and facts, so people are now voting with their wallet," Dr Visser says.
The figures were obtained as part of disclosure required when SeaWorld bought shares from its parent company.
The notice to the US Securities and Exchange Commission stated attendance for the three months to March 31 had fallen to 3.05 million, down from 3.5 million visitors in the same period in 2013.
SeaWorld pegs the lower attendance on the Easter holiday period falling in the second quarter of this year, as opposed to the first quarter in 2013. Dr Visser says this is not the case, and Blackfish is the real reason.
"It's just another demonstration of how people can make an impact. They're sending a very clear message that they don't agree SeaWorld should be keeping orca."
Dr Visser says Blackfish has now been widely viewed, and is not surprised public sentiment is beginning to swing against the parks.
"CNN has screened it over 20 times. It is also available on iTunes and Netflix and airlines are starting to show it too," she says.
"At least 50 million people have now seen the documentary."
In the ongoing fallout from Blackfish, SeaWorld has appeared on an annual public opinion poll which seeks to determine the 'worst company in America' for the first time in the poll's eight-year history, making it to the quarter-finals where it faces Chase Bank.
SeaWorld houses 23 orca at three parks, and has five on breeding loan.
Sea World on Australia's Gold Coast is not related to the US company. It houses dolphins, but does not claim ownership of any orca.
3 News
source: newshub archive
