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One the world's top travel companies is ending its tours many the planet's top animal attractions. STA Travel, which provides holidays, flights and accommodation 2.5 million students a year, has decided it will no longer organize tours places where animals are not free. This means it will not arrange elephant rides or trips the Tiger Temple Thailand, as well as tours to SeaWorld Florida and California. The company said it would only go to places it knew were good animals. Many STA customers complained the tours to some places, so it started to review its animal tours. A company spokeswoman said: "We take this seriously and listen carefully to feedback animal welfare experts."

SeaWorld was disappointed with STA's decision. It wanted STA to see the high standards animal care both SeaWorlds. It also said activities animal rights groups may have made STA make this decision. A SeaWorld spokesperson said: "There is no higher priority SeaWorld than the safety our employees and guests and the welfare our animals." STA said it would look more places that have animals. It said: "We are very much the beginning of this journey. It is really important we do it time, understand what the issues are and work with organisations that really understand those issues." The animal rights group PETA says animals such as dolphins all suffer theme parks.