Whale show to restart a year after trainer was killed
January 14, 2011 by Fred HosierPosted in: Bizarre Accident of the Week, In this week's e-newsletter, Latest News & Views, Lawsuits, OSHA news, What do you think?
PDF Even after an OSHA fine, SeaWorld plans to restart shows with killer whales next month, almost a year to the day that a trainer was killed by one of the animals.
“Dine with Shamu” will restart Feb. 26 at SeaWorld San Antonio and in the spring at the company’s parks in Orlando and San Diego.
On Feb. 24, 2010, trainer Dawn Brancheau had just finished a show at SeaWorld Orlando with six-ton whale Tilikum when the animal grabbed her by the hair and pulled her into the water. Brancheau was killed.
OSHA issued a $75,000 fine against SeaWorld and recommended trainers never again be allowed unprotected contact with Tilikum. SeaWorld is still contesting that fine.
The investigation by OSHA showed SeaWorld trainers had an extensive history of unexpected and potentially dangerous incidents involving killer whales at its various locations, including the one in Orlando.
SeaWorld says there are no plans to use Tilikum in shows at this time, but that might change.
What do you think about SeaWorld’s decision to restart the shows? Let us know in the Comments Box below.
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Tags: Dine with Shamu, killer whales, SeaWorld
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January 15th, 2011 at 3:45 pm
SeaWorld is only interested in making more money. The cost of the Dine with Shamu is $49 per person. This is the same pool that Tilikum grabbed Dawn Brancheau and brutally killed her. He didn’t grab her by “the ponytail”, he grabbed her by the left arm and dragged her in. He didn’t mistake her “hair” for a toy. People like to call this an “accident”, however, Killer whales don’t do anything by accident. They are highly intelligent, sentient beings who otherwise would be living their lives in the wild amongst their family members. They hunt together, play together, forage, and rest while on the move.
Tilikum was captured from the wild and has been picked on, cooped up and treated as nothing more than a aquatic splashing clown and breeding stud for the captive industry for more than 2 decades now. The session Dawn had with him that fateful day went long and you can see from the footage he loses interest - and considering the Believe show at Shamu Stadium had to be ended early because of a “fight” going on between several orcas. Tilikum was surely agitated to the point where he, unfortunately, took his frustrations out on Dawn. It took them more than 30 minutes to get him to release her. Her injuries were extensive. Her left arm was completely taken off (as well as her skull cap), her spinal cord severed, her left knee cap, and breast plate crushed. This was not an “accident”. It was a display of “I don’t want to take this anymore!”
What most people don’t realize here is, the inhumane way Tilikum is treated now. He has been in isolation ever since February 24th, 2010. 325 days and counting. And, there are no plans to use Tilikum in the new Dine with Shamu show, initially, ‘they say’. That means he gets stuck in the E pool for even longer periods than he is now (since he gets ‘rotated’ on alternating days from there to the DWS pool). All this, and he never gets a toy to play with? For such an intelligent, sentient being - this is beyond cruel and inhumane. (Not to fail and mention; illegal by the Animal Welfare Act standards of keeping these amazing creatures on display.)
Tilikum has not been in the Believe show since this happened last year and he is kept in one of two pools, the E pool (the one with the covered awning), or the Dine with Shamu pool….alone. (Okay, I can hear it now, “He gets to go with Trua.”) I have seen one photo of this, and one small video. If he was kept with Trua now and then, don’t you think we’d see more photos plastered on the SeaWorld wall? Yes, they would be.
I know for a fact that Tilikum is kept alone, without toys, and only given basic husbandry interactions. I know because I see it week after week when I go there.
For anyone wanting to know more about him and his lonely life, read “Seeing is Believing, Tilikum’s lonely life after Dawn.” on The Orca Project. As an aside to the story, I have been back to see Tilikum no less than 20 times after this story was written and plan on going back over and over and over to keep showing proof of his condition and situation there.
On another sad note; while watching the “shows” (my sole purpose of this is to observe Tilikum when he’s all alone as the others are busy doing their ‘work’) is; SeaWorld introduces everyone else in “their Killer Whale family”, they never mention Tilikum. Very sad.
They need to retire him and put him in a sea pen in a coastal sanctuary where he can be looked after, interacted with, and taught how to be what he is meant to be — wild and free of concrete walls.
January 18th, 2011 at 9:42 am
Let the show go on! Eliminate the fine. The staff at the show knows more than OSHA about the potential for danger and death. If OSHA eliminated all potential ‘risks” we would have a very boring life! Men would never have walked on the moon. I am a strong supporter of OSHA but you cannot stop the adventures of life.
January 18th, 2011 at 11:22 am
Randel, OSHA has nothing to do with whether “the show goes on” or whether the trainers get in the water with the whales at this time. They have made no such rule to keep them out of the water, or keeping Tilikum isolated as they do. (You can read more about Tilikum’s pathetic life in my post above.) And, you can also go to The Orca Project and learn more about how captivity is killing these amazing beings off at an alarming rate.
The fine for “willful negligence” is appropriate. And considering it was only $75K - it did nothing but embarrass them with a little public humiliation. Because, guess what, they were willfully negligent by allowing Dawn to get that close to Tilikum — who should be retired to a sea pen. He’s frustrated and he spoke out loud and clear that fateful day.
I’m sorry, “You cannot stop the adventures of life”? By having killer whales act like aquatic clowns for your entertainment? That’s absurd. Killer Whales were not put on this earth to be treated as a commodity. They were put here to foam wild and free. And at SeaWorld and other marine parks world-wide, they are doing nothing more than “dying” to entertain you.
Colleen
January 18th, 2011 at 2:38 pm
Thanks Colleen for an insider’s view to what is really going on. I can’t get your comments out of my mind since reading them today and it makes me so sad. Poor Tilikum would probably commit suicide if he could just to escape the prison he is being kept in, all because he was forced to do something unnatural to begin with. I doubt very much that Dawn, if she were with us today, would approve of the treatment Tilikum is now receiving. I will read the Orca Project write up to learn more.
The general public only gets the sanitized story that SeaWorld would like us to read. You have exposed the dirty laundry that, if known, would turn a lot of people off to ever attending any show put on by SeaWorld. I personally won’t go to any circus events because I disagree with making wild animals perform for human enjoyment. The same goes for SeaWorld. What is natural about making whales jump through hoops or letting humans ride on their backs? I did attend a show at SeaWorld many years ago and now that I am an adult and realize what goes on behind the scenes, I would never do it again. Although it won’t change everyone’s mind, the word about the current treatment of Tilikum needs to be spread. Perhaps more people will then vote with their wallets and boycott the new show. In the mean time, what can be done to get Tilikum retired to a sea pen? It sounds like you are close to the situation. What can the rest of us do to help?
January 18th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Colleen - I don’t know where you get your info but you seem well-versed and passionate about this. It has always been my belief that “man” has no right to confine wild animals against their will. In some cases, such as healing/recuperation, is fine, but these animals need to be in the wild where God meant them to be.
Your insight into what prompted Tilikum to kill is somewhat chilling. The lesson is these animals don’t belong in captivity and it should not be a surprise when their instincts kick in and they hurt or kill someone. Places like SeaWorld play the odds that it won’t happen 9,999 out of 10,000 shows. It’s sad for all involved when it does. Keep your passion. It’s refreshing.
January 25th, 2011 at 12:20 pm
There is another Orca in Miami that needs to be set free as well. She was captured in the Pugent Sound 30 years ago and can still identify with her POD. Her tank is barely big enough for her. Very sad that we as humans pay to see such cruelty.
January 25th, 2011 at 2:33 pm
I need to correct my information… Lolita was captured on August 8, 1970 in the Pugent Sound and has been performing at the Miami Sea Aquarium ever since. Her tank is painfully small for her size and the owner of the aquarium refuses to release her back to her POD which is still active in the Pugent Sound. She recognizes her Pods calls still. She is the oldest Orca in captivity. All the others that were captured with her are now dead, but Lolita has a very strong will to live. It is only fitting that she be allowed to die as a free creature.
January 25th, 2011 at 3:27 pm
I’m not sure why my other post didn’t pass moderation. It was in response to the two folks who addressed me. I do hope you consider posting it now.
@Sheraloh - I go to see Lolita/Tokitae often. Please visit my blog on The Orca Project (if you haven’t already). She definitely needs to be retired.
Also, there was a great paper just published by two former trainers at SeaWorld Orlando. You can find that by Googling, Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity. Again, at The Orca Project, and you can find it in the Huffington Post.
Kind regards,
Colleen
January 25th, 2011 at 5:30 pm
Colleen: I got your message that did not make it to the posting here. I watched a Utube video of the capture and story of Lolita. It was about 45 minutes long, but so informative and heart wrenching. I sobbed as I watched the video. Keeping such a large beautiful creature like an Orca in a tank, any tank, no matter the size is a crime against nature.
While I feel sorry for the young woman that died, I also feel great pain for the Killer Whale as well. I believe we need to pressure our elected officials to outlaw the capture of these highly intelligent animals (dolphins as well) to be used for the entertainment of humans…..
I saw Keiko when he was moved to the Oregon Aquarium before being transferred to Greenland (I think). You could see the pain in his beautiful eyes.
Come on people…. make a difference, do something.
September 29th, 2011 at 1:51 pm
Colleen, Thanks for getting the truth out there.
September 29th, 2011 at 4:38 pm
What can we do to make a difference and get these animals released. It is better that they live a short free life than a long tortured life. As I said before, I feel bad for Dawn and her family, but these aquariums need to step up and release these animals. What a shocking example they set.