Killer Whale Kills Trainer. What Should Be Done?
According to reports “a female trainer was killed at SeaWorld’s Shamu Stadium in Orlando, Fla., by a 12,000-pound killer whale that had twice before been involved in the deaths of humans, according to police and local media.” The trainer wasn’t a noob, because it was reported that she had 16 years of experience training killer whales. All she was doing was rubbing down the whale after a show and she got pulled into the water, was thrashed around, and subsequently drowned.
Stan is really upset by this. He is so upset that he believes this whale should be put down. Not just because of this one incident, but because it’s the 3rd death this whale has been involved in. This woman had family, and friends, like anyone else. He thinks it’s a shame that considering this whale’s past that this happened again.
Stan went as far as saying that he would put on a ninja outfit to take this killer whale out. It needs to be taught a lesson…ninja style? Either way, what do you think should be done in instances last what happened yesterday? Especially with the track record of such an animal? Should this killer whale be put down, or put back into the wild?
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34 comments
Load the damn thing up and release back in the ocean ! Or make sushi !
I think that being this is the whales third time that it has taken a life, maybe the owners should consider putting the whale back in the wild and let the circle of life take its course. It is as plain as day this is a problem whale.
Put the whale back where it belongs, the ocean!
If this was about a dog, it would have already been done. Get rid of the whale.
Hey Morning Mash-up, take the whale out of the show routine. You can’t put it back into the wild, humans have taken it out of the wild it wouldn’t survive. As for putting it down, this was a wild animal at one point or even if it was born in the park, they have instincts that take over. Respect the beauty and power and let it be in a tank that is only for viewing not for shows and tricks.
This is an unfortunate incident indeed, but the whale is not at fault, despite everything, it is a wild animal that was removed from it’s natural habitat with the sole purpose being the amusement and enrichment of humans. Let the damn thing back out into the ocean where it belongs, if we didn’t interfere with its life, it wouldn’t be interfering with ours.
Alright Stan. I’m gonna take you away from everything you know, put you in a little room, and start training you to do humiliating tricks that you don’t wanna do. Then, I’m gonna make you do those tricks 5 times a day, 7 days a week, for the rest of your life. I’m never going to let you out of said room, and you will die there, eventually, by yourself. Think about that before you say dumb shit about “goin’ ninja style on the killer whale”. The whale obviously is getting sick an tired of being treated the way it is. It is a living creature, just like you and should be treated with respect just like you would want to be. The whale did not choose to go to freakin’ seaworld looking for a job. You should really try to use whatever should be in that empty space between your ears and think before you speak. 90% of the time when you speak, you sound like an idiot.
It’s not “targeting” just humans. They also said that they have been using him for breeding- this naturally brings out wild instincts in wildlife.
Does anyone know if he was raised in captivity or in the wild? I think that should determine whether they should either put him in a safer enclosure or turn him into the ocean.
To Stanley T, Get your facts straight!! Yes Tilly has been involved in three human death incidents but as I am sure the trainer involved in yesterdays incident knew when doing her job, they are wild animals and have the ability to return to the natural instincts. The first incident Tilly was involved in occured in Canada in a small tank with two other whales, the second occured at Sea World Orlando and the gentleman who died, died of hypothermia. Tilly was only involved because the man jumped into his tank to take an evening swim.
As to the other 5 comments above, we cannot return an animal to the wild that has been in captivity because it would have no abilities to fend for itself. I agree with Brian that we should reserve a tank for Tilly that would be used for educational purposes only and not involve him in any of the shows any longer. He is a beautiful creature that we should love and admire for his beauty, strength and contribution to our childrens knowledge of things outside their everyday world. Thank you!
It is a KILLER whale! They don’t name them that because they’re gentle. And seriously, are you going to train a shark to do tricks? How about a bear? Just because they’re pretty to look at doesn’t necessarily mean they need to be an exhibition show at Seaworld. Let them swim in a tank and look at them that way.
Ok, it is tragic that this mammal was involved in another human death. I agree that if this were a dog, it would have been put down already. From everything I have read, it appears that the concern is more to keep him alive as a sire rather than issue the death sentence. No one will know if this was a deliberate attack or simply an accident with a trainer. He is a wild animal that has managed to survive in a tank. Releasing him to the wild is not an option. Killing him does not seem an option either. We will just have to accept that the admission price just went up at SeaWorld to keep this bull alive and in his own tank.
The whale is not the problem. The same whale killed a trainer in Victoria, BC Canada in the late 80’s – she was dressed in a orange wet suit and the whale thought she was a ball so played with her like he is trained to do. You’d think after the second killing in Texas they would have worked to release him back to where he belongs, in the ocean like they did with Keiko……….. IT IS NOT THE WHALES fault. They are WILD animals who WE thought we could train to do tricks and make millions for over paid executives.
The whale is not the problem. The same whale killed a trainer in Victoria, BC Canada in the late 80’s – she was dressed in a orange wet suit and the whale thought she was a ball so played with her like he is trained to do by the trainers and he killed her. He didn’t know what he was doing was wrong, anymore then he did yesterday. You’d think after the second killing in Texas they would have worked to release him back to where he belongs, in the ocean like they did with Keiko……….. IT IS NOT THE WHALES fault. They are WILD animals who WE thought we could train to do tricks and make millions for over paid executives.
Melissa is one of the only ppl that posted factual info. The whale can’t be put in the wild after living in capativity. The accident did NOT happen during a show. No one is allowed in the water with this whale because of what happened in Canada. When a male whale gets older they are unpredictible. The death to the one man has nothing to do with the whale. He was said to be mentally unstable and after the park closed he jumped in the tank naked and was found dead the next day due to water temperatures. The whale had nothing to do with that death. This was an accident I believe you can’t blame anyone. The trainers know the risks when working with these animals. It’s very sad and I know her family is hurting and so is her Sea World family and we shouldn’t be so quick to judge when we don’t know things first hand. You can’t believe everything the media says.
I agree with everybody saying they should put him in his own tank. Yes thats true if a dog kills one person it will be put down. It’s the law. But this is a WILD animal not domestic and you can’t put it in the wild because of reason said above. So it’s really the only option.
Well said Melissa. Maybe one day we will stop taking animals from their natural habitat and using them for our own entertainment at their expense. Take that money from Sea World admissions and put it towards rescue operations and sanctuaries for injured or displaced animals and then maybe I’ll start going to Sea World. Oh, and hey, leave the morning mash up alone – they’re just entertainers too. Only, I have a feeling they’re not paid in fish and don’t jump through hoops for applause. Id ont’ know – maybe they do! LOL
I’m from Orlando and honestly with how frequently those animals perform for tourists I’m impressed that so few human casulties occur. But that might be due to trainers doing their part and knowing their animals limits. With this whale I think it should be kept in captivity since it’d die in the wild, but in a non performance capacity that way people can enjoy the whale from “far away.”
I believe we have taken the animal out of its natural habitat, and like any wild animal (NOT DOGS WHICH ARE BREED TO BE PETS) But taken out of the wild to be used as entertainment to humans, THERE is no reason for the whale to be put down, they knew the whale reacted negatively if someone were to fall in the water unexpectedly, yes its tragic for the trainer who died and has family, But she choose that job for a reason, she knew..it was an accident…If I died doing what I love to do, I would hope the world would not punish my job for killing me… The whale belongs in the ocean, they aren’t raised to be pets, they are trained for our entertainment… They should keep the whale..and let it do what it has been trained to do… I’m sorry for the loss of the trainer… But really… Do you see the Crocodile hunter wanting us to kill the sting ray that killed him?? NO HE DIED Doing what he loved to do…a tragic accident… the whale should not be punished for having wild instinct that the SEA WORLD has been aware of for many many years..
I think that the whale has shown repeated failure to be a show animal. The animal should be retired, put down, or released into the wild. These whales many of whom have been breed in captivity and kept in tanks are as domesticated as dogs… and we put dogs down after the first time they kill…
We are talking about a Killer Whale…. not a dog!… maybe someone should learn a lesson from this and maybe release him back into the ocean??… after he killed the first person you should release the whale… who ever owns the Whale is an idiot… if i had an animal that killed 2 people I wouldnt keep it because its clearly going to Kill again!…. this isnt Willy from a disney movie… its a pissed off 12,000lbs Whale whos stuck in a bowl.
I say fire up the grill !!
Honey, we’re having whale tonight!!
I think that this whale should have been released back into the wild long ago. I’d say after the first incident, MAYBE it could be taken as an accident, but three times–come on people! He belongs in the wild at this point–I don’t think he deserves to be killed since in 1983 this particular whale was captured off the coast of Iceland and was wild to begin with, so it’s just his nature..he’s WILD. Yes it is horrible what happened, but they need to just release him. And if they don’t release him, and euthanize the whale then it’s just going to start more controversy. Just let the thing go!! I will be at Seaworld in Florida the end of May–so I’m hoping I don’t have to experience an encounter like this one..may even feel strange just being THERE.
Keep him in t he tank for people to see him and not in the shows where he’ll be exposed more directly to the trainers. He can’t go back to the wild; he won’t survive there. What he did, he did out of instinct. In the end, he’s a wild animal and you can never be too sure he won’t react when he’s having a bad day.
This whale can not be put back in the wild, he would die. You can’t expect a whale who has been in a friggin’ tank for 26 years to return to the ocean and know how to survive! Let him live in peace, not only that the 1st person he killed was like 20 years ago, he was a young WILD whale who didn’t know any better! The 2nd person who died with tilly commited glorified suicide. You jump NAKED into a Tank with a 12,000 lb whale in the middle of the night, and not tell anyone? sorry you deserve to die. COMMON SENSE people.
Put the whale back in the wild! That’s where they belong. Trainers, especially her, know that their is always risk when dealing with wild animals.
Thank you guys for all your comments…little harsh Ray Ray. I’d like you guyz to give me your thoughts to my comment; on this tragic accident on www. facebook.com/morningmashup
Re: What I Said This morning…
As a Parent I automatically put my self in her Parents shoes and felt ATTACK ANIMAL!!! I spoke what I felt…not thought, u guyz clearly did think about this; Thank you for caring enough to share. Wishing Peace and Love to the Parents, Family & Friends of Dawn Brancheau R.I.P
It’s a “killer” whale….risk factor…..but it should be disposed of…kinda like a cheater. Once a killer whale always a killer whale.
Ok, They are keeping the killer whale for shows is what i heard .I was reading an article and it said the woman who died did what she wanted to do, so basicly She died doing what she wanted to do.
Just keep the whale for viewing even though its the 3rd death that has happened with the one whale,They cant put it back in the wild, he’s been in the tank for 26 years how in the world would it surive!
It just goes to show that sometimes things can go awfuly wrong, keeping a wild animal captivity isnt a good idea sometimes. Maybe this whale is tired of being where he is and doesnt feel the need to do the same routine day after day none the less in the ocean where he would have been free and wouldnt feel the need to go an attack. I think this woman death is just another tragedy and a lesson to be learn about wild animal hence the name KILLER whale. I dont think it should be killed cuz it wasnt our right to take it in the first place.
they should let him go in the wild killing one person was bad enuff but 3?
My question to Stan is how did the whale get into captivity…I don’t believe the whale was given a choice. Remember it is a wild animal FIRST.
I would like to post my response to the Whale story…sorry I am just getting around to this…here are my thoughts:
First, Ray Ray, the mere fact that you could not express your thoughts in a positive manner without dissin’ Stan is pathetic. While I agree with your whale comments, you should find better ways to express your communication on these types of topics.
It is ok express your differences, but not at the expense of others! Your comments to Stan were unnecessary!
Now about the whale, I think the whale should be returned to the Atlantic Ocean. Killer Whales are instinctively survivers of the water. Although the whale has been in captivity, it will go back to “what it knows”…how to survive in the water.
Its not funny that she died, but Stan putting on a ninja suit to take out the whale?? Odd.
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