SeaWorld Nixes Shamu

Following a media storm after the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld in Orlando several years ago, SeaWorld San Diego has announced that it will be bringing an end to its popular orca whale show starring Shamu.

SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby did not provide details on the new show set to debut in 2017, but it will reportedly be less about tricks and more about orcas’ natural behavior in the wild.

Manby also insists that this move was not made to appease critics, but rather it was motivated by what visitors to SeaWorld have indicated they want.

The $100 million dollar investment to make the change is apparently a risk worth taking, based on the park’s 17 percent decline in attendance last year.