SeaWorld will pursue legal action against a California state agency's decision to ban captive breeding of killer whales at its San Diego theme park.
SeaWorld says the California Coastal Commission's decision oversteps federal and state laws governing animal welfare.
The ban is a condition of the commission's approval of SeaWorld's plans for a $100 million expansion of its orca tanks in San Diego.
"To say this is a dubious decision with no legal basis is an understatement," said Joel Manby, president and chief executive officer of SeaWorld.
The expansion is part of SeaWorld's Blue World Project, which calls for similar expansions in Orlando and San Antonio.
SeaWorld has been under fire since an Orlando orca killed a trainer in 2010 and the documentary "Blackfish" suggested the whale's treatment contributed to her death.
