SeaWorld has a whale of a problem.
Shares of the theme-park operator — home to beloved killer whale Shamu — tanked more than 34 percent Wednesday after the company slashed its full-year forecast and second-quarter results fell far short of expectations.
SeaWorld, owned by the private-equity giant Blackstone, said attendance at its parks has been hurt by the debate over its treatment of captive orcas.
Attendance at its namesake parks plus two Busch Gardens locations rose a paltry 0.3 percent to 6.6 million compared to the same period a year ago. Attendance in the second quarter last year, however, declined 9 percent.
“The company believes attendance in the quarter was impacted by demand pressures related to recent media attention surrounding proposed legislation in the state of California,” chief executive Jim Atchison said in a statement.
The company has been under fire from animal activists who argue it’s wrong to keep orcas for the amusement of audiences.
That message was hammered home in last year’s “Blackfish.” In October, millions watched the controversial documentary on CNN, which focused on Tilikum and the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010.
The film led a California state lawmaker to introduce a bill in April that would ban the use of orcas for public performances at the parks.
Last month, Southwest Airlines ended its long-running promotional partnership with the parks, which began in 1988, because of the backlash over “Blackfish.”
The decision came after Change.org gathered some 30,000 signatures for a petition calling for Southwest to end the deal.
SeaWorld said Wednesday it now expects revenue this year to fall 6 to 7 percent, while its previous forecast called for a slight increase.
The shares were down 34 percent, or $9.61, to $18.54 at 2 p.m. in New York trading.