Established in 1964, SeaWorld is an aquatic themed park which provides its visitors with close encounters with marine wildlife like belugas, dolphins, and orcas, also known as killer whales.

According to the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, SeaWorld holds the vast majority of the world's captive orca whales which appear in shows. These performances are the current cornerstone of SeaWorld's entertainment model.

Orcas are highly intelligent, social animals. In captivity, they are deprived of the interactions they would normally have within their pod family structure. They often have stunted lifespans and numerous health issues while being forced to perform behaviors and tricks they would never exhibit in the wild. These impressive animals are almost constantly in motion, can dive as deep as 195 feet, and travel as far as 100 miles in a day, a range which no tank or aquarium can offer. Deprivation of natural habitat and social bonds often causes the whales to display aggressive behaviors unheard of in the wild.

SeaWorld's exploitative practices cannot be allowed to continue. Boycott SeaWorld until the company ends its policy of captivity for whales and other cetaceans.

The documentary Blackfish highlights the plight of orcas kept in captivity for the purpose of human entertainment. Using the death of SeaWorld Orlando Head Trainer Dawn Brancheau as a catalyst, the film creates a larger discussion about SeaWorld's practices and the ethics of keeping orcas in captivity. Already, the documentary is making headlines and has influenced Pixar to change the ending of Finding Dory, the upcoming sequel to Finding Nemo.