SeaWorld announced on Thursday that the marine parks would be putting an end to their orca breeding program, making the killer whales currently in captivity the last generation. The decision was applauded by many after SeaWorld faced heated criticism for its treatment of the whales, which was highlighted in the 2013 documentary Blackfish. It also just so happens that President Obama's Supreme Court nominee Merrick Garland played a small role in SeaWorld's decision to shutter the whale performances for good, The Chicago Tribune reports:
In 2014, the federal appeals court judge issued a ruling that effectively banned SeaWorld from allowing trainers to swim with orcas during performances. In a 2-1 ruling, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, of which Garland is the chief judge, upheld a regulatory safety finding against SeaWorld in the drowning of trainer Dawn Brancheau, who in 2010 was pulled underwater by an orca named Tilikum during a live performance in Orlando. [The Chicago Tribune]
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