SeaWorld is getting rid of emergency lifting floors in its deep water killer whale pools at all of its parks, starting with Orlando. The floors were installed for safety after an orca killed a trainer in Orlando in 2010.
SeaWorld spokeswoman Aimée Jeansonne Becka said these lifting floors aren’t needed because trainers no longer get in the deep pools.
“These were some prototype deep water lifting pools that were installed about four years ago and they were intended to allow deep water desensitization training for the killer whales and because we’re no longer doing that, we’re going to continue with our in-water desensitization training in the medical pools," said Jeansonne Becka.
She said this work to get orcas acclimated to trainers and their environment will continue in the more shallow medical pools.
SeaWorld won’t say how much the decision will cost.
Earlier this week SeaWorld Orlando stopped ‘in the water’ beluga experiences. The company said these interactions are under review as a business decision and that people can still see belugas up close in their Wild Arctic tour.