A ban on the use of orca whales for entertainment at SeaWorld is being proposed by a California state legislator.
The move by Santa Monica Democrat Richard Bloom follows a controversial CNN documentary called Blackfish which recounted the 2010 death of SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau by an orca whale named Tilikum, a 12,000-pound bull, in Orlando.
The film challenged the concept of keeping killer whales for entertainment and implies Tilikum had been driven to madness by captivity, CNN said.
SeaWorld strongly disputes the allegations made in the film and called it grossly one-sided and the product of animal activists.
However, a Bloom statement described the proposal as “landmark legislation calling for comprehensive improvement to orca protection laws in California”.
He said: “It is time that we embrace that the long-accepted practice of keeping orcas captive for human amusement must end.”
There are no laws prohibiting the captive display of orcas, but there are federal laws governing the care, capture and research use of the whales, Bloom said.
SeaWorld also offers orca whale shows at a third site, in San Antonio, but the California legislation would apply only to SeaWorld’s San Diego park.
A SeaWorld spokeswoman criticised the bill and told CNN: “The premise behind this proposed legislation is severely flawed on multiple levels, and its validity is highly questionable under the United States and California constitutions.
“We trust that our leaders who are responsible for voting on this proposal will recognise the clear bias of those behind the bill.
“We engage in business practices that are responsible, sustainable and reflective of the balanced values all Americans share.”