Last ever orca show at SeaWorld San Diego

SeaWorld parks have been criticised for their orca shows

SeaWorld San Diego will do its last ever killer whale show this weekend.

The amusement park announced in March 2016 that it was no longer breeding orcas and would stop making whales do tricks at its amusement parks.

It's all come about after SeaWorld faced lots of criticism from people who say keeping the whales in captivity is cruel and unnecessary.

The chain had another big setback when One Direction's Harry Styles urged his fans not to visit their parks. In October 2015, Californian authorities banned SeaWorld from breeding animals in captivity.

SeaWorld say many of the criticisms aren't fair and that they carry out vital research with the mammals. In announcing the closing of the shows, SeaWorld CEO Joel Manby said , "We are proud of our part in contributing to the human understanding of these animals. As society's understanding of orcas continues to change, SeaWorld is changing with it."

SeaWorld announced in March 2016 that it was no longer breeding orcas and would stop making whales do tricks at its amusement parks.

What will happen next?

SeaWorld also has big water parks in Texas and Florida which will also be stopping trick shows soon.

They say a new show "Orca Encounter", will open in San Diego from summer 2017 which won't be a theatrical show, but will focus on the animals themselves, their exercise and their overall health.

In the meantime, SeaWorld San Diego say they will still have an temporary orca presentation in an underwater viewing pool.