Share prices of marine theme park operator SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc. dropped to a record low on Wednesday, after the company reported weak earnings due to floundering attendance caused by negative publicity on its captive killer whales.

SeaWorld's shares dove by a third to $18.9, the lowest since these started trading in April 2013, according to a Bloomberg report. It added that the recent fall is a continuation of the descent in share prices of the Orlando, Florida-based company, which has lost 23% of its value since last year after the release of documentary titled "Blackfish" that raises questions on its handling of the orcas in its parks.

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The documentary prompted California lawmakers to propose banning killer whales in Seaworld's shows and a host of regulations for proper care of the animals. The negative media attention from these developments caused attendance to dwindle in California, SeaWorld said.

The theme park operator reported flat growth  in attendance in all its 11 parks, while revenues slipped by 1.5% to $405.2 million from last year. The company also warned that full year revenues will dip by 7%

The Globe and Mail quoted SeaWorld's communications director David Koontz challenging both the documentary and the proposed legislation against its killer whale show and treatment.

"It assumes there is something wrong with the current approach to keeping killer whales in human care. Nothing could be further from the truth," Mr. Koontz was reported saying.

"By seeking to ban killer whale performances in shows, the bill would actually jeopardize the health and well-being of our whales, both as individuals and as a group," he added.

To counter the backlash, the company has slashed prices and offered discounts to lure back customers. SeaWorld said it has also scheduled promotion activities during the holidays to boost its second half performance.  The company announced plans to develop parks in Asia, India and Russia with Australian media company Village Roadshow Ltd.

TagsSeaworld, killer whales