The citations, which the amusement park told the newspaper it
would appeal, come as SeaWorld is still dealing with fallout
from the 2013 documentary "Blackfish" that was critical of its
practice of keeping the killer whales in captivity and using
them for entertainment.
The Division of Occupational Safety and Health at the California
Department of Industrial Relations issued the citations this
week with fines totaling $25,770, according to the Times.
Reuters could not independently verify the report.
SeaWorld could not be immediately reached for comment, but a
representative told the Times that the citations demonstrate "a
"fundamental misunderstanding of the requirements of safely
caring for killer whales."
At least three lawsuits have been filed against SeaWorld Parks &
Entertainment in recent weeks saying ticket holders were
defrauded by claims that the animals are healthy and
well-treated, allegations that the park denies.
(Reporting by Curtis Skinner in San Francisco; Editing by Toby
Chopra)
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