Emperor, Arctic Rescue, and Electric Eel can be found at SeaWorld San Diego, with the first two being added in the past three years alone.

The 2013 documentary film Blackfish, produced after a SeaWorld Orlando trainer was killed by one of the park's orcas, led to initial decreases in attendance, profits and the company's share price.

[4][5] It was announced later in the same year, that SeaWorld would build their first park without killer whales and outside of the United States in Abu Dhabi.

[7] When the underwater restaurant concept was deemed unfeasible, they scrapped those plans and decided to build a park instead, and SeaWorld San Diego was opened on March 21, 1964.

[8] With only a few dolphins, sea lions, 6 attractions and 22 acres (89,000 m2), the park proved to be a success and more than 400,000 guests visited in the first 12 months.

[10] By this time, the founders of the company had captured a few more species of animals, including a killer whale that was brought to the new facility.

The Walt Disney World Resort in Orlando, Florida opened near the end of the second operating season of SeaWorld Ohio.

In May 1987, Robert Maxwell's British Printing and Communication Corporation (BPCC) made an unsolicited bid to acquire HBJ.

[12] HBJ defended itself from the hostile takeover attempt by going deeply into debt to make large cash payments to shareholders.

Soon after the sale was final, Busch sold Cypress Gardens to the park's management and closed Boardwalk and Baseball.

[22] In 2016, SeaWorld admitted that it had been sending its employees to pose as activists to spy on animal rights organization PETA.

The Orlando park is also home to the original Journey to Atlantis, a intricately themed water coaster by Mack Rides.

[35] In May 2014, SeaWorld announced renewed plans to build a park in the Middle East, but did not specify a timeline or specific location.

[36] On December 13, 2016, SeaWorld announced that it would open its first overseas theme park on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE in 2022.

[42] SeaWorld's main attraction is its killer whales, several of which are housed in 5.8-million-US-gallon (22,000 m3) tanks (equivalent to nine Olympic sized swimming pools)[43] that are each known as Shamu Stadium.

However, this trait has been witnessed in the wild and a prominent theory proposes this phenomenon can occur when any orcas live in relatively warmer conditions.

[48] In February 2010, an experienced female trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, Dawn Brancheau, was killed by killer whale Tilikum shortly after a show in Shamu Stadium.

[55] In the aftermath of the release of the film, Martina McBride, 38 Special, REO Speedwagon, Cheap Trick, Heart, Barenaked Ladies, Trisha Yearwood, and Willie Nelson canceled scheduled concerts at SeaWorld parks.

SeaWorld spent $15 million on an advertising campaign countering the allegations and emphasizing its contributions to the study of whales and their conservation.

Wild killer whales may travel up to 160 kilometres (100 mi) in a day and critics say the animals are too big and intelligent to be suitable for captivity.

[58] The plans to increase the size of the tanks in San Diego were put on hold in October 2015 after the California Coastal Commission ruled that the work could only go ahead if they banned captive breeding, which would eventually lead to end of killer whale shows at the park.

[62] On March 17, 2016, SeaWorld announced the end of their breeding program, which signifies the last generation of orcas in captivity in their care, though Takara was still pregnant at the time.

[67] In February 2020, SeaWorld announced a $65 million settlement with investors who alleged that the company had deceived them about the documentary's effect on park attendance.

[68] SeaWorld operates its conservation program in cooperation with the Department of the Interior, National Marine Fisheries Service and state agencies; its rescue and rehabilitation program was developed to comply with the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973.

[69] Since its inception SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment has rescued and helped more than 40,000 animals, including ill, orphaned or abandoned and injured manatees, dolphins, pilot whales, sea turtles, and birds.

While acknowledging the value of these programs, critics and animal rights advocates have questioned SeaWorld's balance of conservation and education alongside the commercial activities of its theme parks.

[75] Groups concerned for the health and safety of SeaWorld's captive killer whale population have asked for the animals to be released.

"[78] Since 1993, there have been no permits issued to facilities in the United States to import dolphins acquired through drive hunt methods.