Busy putting Dawns death behind them and getting back to business as usual. I was not able to watch the show without starting to cry. Is it possible that the unusual behavior in the Believe show was a manifestation of some broader social clash ongoing between SeaWorlds orcas, possibly involving Tilikum?. I am sorry for trying to be so helpful, i now understand that no matter how much more i know about the captive orcas then you do,i will always be wrong in your eyes. Anyone with access to the Internet can find dozens of examples of just how silly this statement is. Just in that little bit of research, I was able to point to over 40 cases where a love for SeaWorld, and the passion its education provided inspired children to grow up and follow paths in various careers including, but not limited to, Veterinarians, Marine Biologists, Wildlife technicians, Environmental Scientist and Aviculturist. I am okay with anyone offering their views and opinions here, as long as they are respectful and have a perspective or information to add to the discussion. Many supporters are people that attend the parks on a regular basis and have developed a true fascination for the animals there. Like I said, Im not an expert, but I have corresponded with some of the top people in this field and they all agree that the behaviors and aggression that I described and is evidenced in the video (however poor the quality is), can and often does precede an attack. Some should at least be retired to sea pens, first and foremost being Lolita because she is the best candidate and she lives in the worst conditions that I know of. Keltie Byrne/Voice of the Orcas Dawn Brancheau was not the first human who Tilikum killed. Again, and again, wild animals, sometimes they dont want to and they are not forced to! Dawn Therese Brancheau (ne LoVerde, April 16, 1969 - February 24, 2010) was an American animal trainer at SeaWorld. Those observations affect the lives and livelihoods of many people. Anne asks: how many juvenile females in the wild have gone into estrus prior to the age of 10? The answer is above: none, which opens another intriguing window into the ways of the orcas. Tillicum lives at our Orlando facility full time. More specifically, there is NO systematic, peer-reviewed research demonstrating that people learn something about killer whales from observing them at the sea circus. she was not forced to breed at all. I agree, that comments need to stick to the conversation and remain relevant and contribute to the thread. In fact, at Dudley Zoo in the UK, an orca named Cuddles grabbed and pulled into his tank one Mr. Donald Robinson. Tim Zimmermann, Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity The Orca Project, SeaWorld Trainer Death Theory Debunked as a Ponytail Tale The Orca Project, Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity | Stop Cetacean Captivity, SeaWorld vs. OSHA- Killer Whale Showdown in Florida The Orca Project, Keto and Tilikum Express the Stress of Orca Captivity | Catharsiopa, SeaWorld has no Heart- but Fortunately We Do | The Orca Project, Solutions Abound (Personal And Political Will DoNot), Bad News, Bad News On CaliforniaWildfires, Diary Of A Killer Whale: You Will Not Be Seeing Dawn Brancheau Die. She was killed by an orca, Tilikum. Ask any person leaving seaworld and they will tell you that they learned so much more than they wouldve in a book or movie, there eyes become open about Earths creatures because of it and that is something that no classroom,movie,book, article, or person can give someone. Yes, there was something else going on, i think someone posted above that the issues had been going on for a while before then, but no Tilikum didnt have anything to do with it. Then in the late 1980s SW attempted to capture ten orcas from Alaska and wanted a survey to find out where they could be found, so they hired field researchers for one year until Alaska responded by banning any captures, and the contracts ended. (which are YOUR words, not mine- so lets not play that game). No true family. But to defame a corporation that has such an outstanding history in conservation, education and rehabilitation because a few of their educational facts are inaccurate, well that is a bit extreme. The House Subcommittee on Insular Affairs and Wildlife has yet to report their findings following a Congressional Committee Oversight Hearing regarding the educational value of Marine Mammals in Captivity. I did see what I saw. Tim, I want to thank you for your informative and insightful look at the tragic events surrounding the death of Dawn Bracheau at SeaWorld. The truly unbiased orca research, which is performed by non-profit organizations and caring, unselfish individuals, reveals that SeaWorld and other entertainment venues, provide little to no educational value and provide little research other than that to sustain a viable entertainment population. Anne, thank you for your perspective. 8) Im not going to get into intelligence, stress, etc, except for to outline a study at National Aquarium, Baltimore from the 1980s. 5. . Using photo-identification to document individuals over years and decades, we are learning the lifespans, diets, association patterns, and habitat use of thousands of orcas. And to this I will agree, however I would add that an equal number of years, dedicated to the study of these creatures in captivity have also given us data and outlines into the species social complexity and diversity, breeding habits, diets, association patterns, as well as medical knowledge gained to help them in their plight in the wild. Tim, I ask this out of genuine interest and not sarcasm. The point is, I guess, that you dont have to be an expert to know this is wrong. I mean how is he supposed to know this?No one said he was safe to be around, hence the precautions already in place. It depends on what is going on and with who. They turned them away. NOW, without being an expert of any kind, how in Gods name can ANYONE even think it is right to keep such a huge, far-travelling and highly social animal confined to a tank??? Wow how do you know so much about this person? Its time to send Lolita home! My answer: as soon as I received their response. Kandu died almost instantly (RIP). When Washington State Governor Dan Evans learned of this, he sued Sea World. Compounding the scenario, her spotter is 20-30 yards away, and at times is paying little attention to their interaction. She was killed by an orca, Tilikum, becoming one of two SeaWorld trainers to be killed by an orca, along with another in Loro Parque in Spain. Granted, some research into the educational values of all facilities such as this would be well placed and recommended. So again. what i meant michelle, was that some people on FT keep saying he is transient. I have a feeling, where SeaWorld is concerned the results would be surprising to those who like to bash the company. 9. Regardless of the term used, when you withhold food and personal attention from a highly intelligent social animal that requires sustenance and craves social interaction, in order to obtain certain behaviors, then I would argue that they ARE forced to perform. I found the article to be the most thorough well researched article on this subject to date. She fell pregnant at 8 years old for the first time. My God! Who better to gather knowledge as to what was normal behavior from these animals and what was abnormal.. 1, they are hybrids, not any specific species, and can in no way support any dwindling orca populations numbers in the future. Additionally, if Tilikum was not a part of the splash segment of the Believe show, I need to ask why? Oh my word.. John you were there . If you are not, Tre, Lisa or whomever from your beloved SeaWorld Orland fan page, then who are you? Again, not because of his great size, but because of his track record. Saving a baby elephant requires alot of emotional support. You also bring up a very good point that I think is so important. Im so sorry. First, I would thank you to not put words in my mouth. Let alone the endless grandparent jaunts to the spectacle and magic that is SEA WORLD Ive endured before the slack jawed shock because I want to close it down. At first my husband thought I was overwhelmed at the sight and the day spend at SeaWorld, but soon understood what was going on. Peyton, I think Kathy is referring to what I saw at the Believe show. Two different trainers passed the word to the performers in the Believe show that the calf was distressed and calling its mother but they didnt know why. Much like on that day, after the problems erupted, the trainer who spoke to the audience said they are just going to ignore the whales until they settle down. Aside from OSHA, I have not seen a thorough investigation, by SeaWorld, Orange County Sheriffs or any other investigative body One question though, and maybe Tim can help locate it because I can no longer find the link; I just read a link from one of Tims stories about scientists studying the size of orcas brains and Im pretty sure it stated that scientists expected 3 diverse sets of DNA for the Iclandic, Argentinean and New Zealand whales not sure if they expected different between the transients and the residents though, that is not really clear to me but instead found only one single DNA branch. If the first murder which is that of Keltie Byrne and the last murder that of Dawn Brancheau are explainable. You can also find statements to OSHA online though they seem to have relied mostly on SW employees accounts, with only a few visitors who witnessed Dawn being taken questioned. Tilikum, the killer Orca whale, was responsible for at least three horrific deaths during his 36-year life span. When the displays become dramatic, the animals will actually chomp down on the steel cross beam, and break teeth. Just recently, upon persistence by the Connells, the OCSO agreed to add the statements the Connells provided to OSHA, as an attachment to the OCSO final report. Their bellies are slit and they are weighed down with steel chains., Washington state waters are closed to killer whale captures, in the aftermath of the notorious Budd Inlet killer whale capture of the same year. Also, why did he drag her back down after she tried to surface a couple times? 10. This abstinence, unless possibly orcas are capable of some means of preventing conception, is fascinating and useful information for understanding wild populations. The unusual behavior exhibited from all the whales, including Tillikums attack on Dawn, most likely was precipitated by those ongoing struggles which apparently climaxed on that day. 5. John, if Seaworld tried to do research about what people had learned from their visit then the anti captivity lobby would be all over them for wasting money that could be going into conservation to promote themselves. March 31, 2010 -- SeaWorld's killer whale Tilikum broke its trainer's jaw, fractured part of her vertebra and dislocated . The onset seems to be random, or under conscious control. Representatives from Seaworld spoke on the educational value they present, and opposing animal experts gave their side. The trainer gives Tilikum a kiss. I stand corrected on the original Orca identification methods developed by Mr. Biggs, I honestly do not know why I related him to Hubbs, it was an error on my part. So whilst there is some genetic variation in orca, it is debatable as to whether there is enough to classify them as separate species / sub-species at this time. I mentioned previously (in another post) that SW declined to share any protocols with those of us who were involved in publishing a crisis management resource guide aimed at mitigating such issues within the zoological/aquarium/animal facility enviornments. Tilikum's life was full of pain and suffering; even from the time of his capture, he was fed drugs on a daily basis to treat the chronic stress and injuries caused by living in confinement. On Feb. 20, 1991, 20-year-old Keltie Byrne walked into SeaLand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia unaware that she would never walk out again. Thank you Colleen, and I want to state I was not trying to pick a side with my post. http://www.springerlink.com/content/t1408884281lp680/. 3. But he CAN be retired. As far as splashing, i mean come on thats the best comment you have, that as long as we get splashed. I will say this, from reading Mr. Zimmermans article and the posts on this blog. Lastly my questions are for Tili. Fill in your details below or click an icon to log in: You are commenting using your WordPress.com account. As loud as the outcry was, it was not enough and the funding dried up. Most of the time Tili is with Taima, they were very good friends, but dont take that the wrong way. 10. But now as we learn more and more about them, we can create better places for them to live in captivity. I believe they are very smart. On February 20, 1991, 20-year-old trainer Keltie Byrne had been working at Tilikum's. If they intend to continue, I think they should have to provide sound scientific data of how this is in some way benefiting wild orcas. When a killer whale wants to do something, like thrash or kill a trainer, he/she does it and there is little their human counterparts can do. If it werent, the safety and lives of many people would be at risk. How much time did you give them to complete their investigation before you decided that they were an evil company that needed to be shut down? Now honestly 4 calves that are all healthy, i dont think is horrible for a 20 year old orca. At night, SeaWorld sent the massive bull killer to solitary confinement. I was surprised by the emptiness of the stands that appear in the videos of the tragic Feb., 2010 incident. Having extensive experience in this sort of tragedy, I can say that these things take time, sometimes even years based on the type of tragedy. If Tilikum was so safe to be around, they why wasnt anyone allowed in the water with him? I watched Blackfish. I did not see or hear the truth when SeaWorld proclaimed there were no indications of any problems prior to Dawns death Dremmel tools are used to knock off the sharp edge and also to construct a flat surface for a drill bit. Seems to me that any decent attorney would/will have a field day with this one. A Narwhal? It is possible based off of her own experiences, though that is a guess. The poor guy just couldnt be happy. The alarm (which was similar to a hotel fire alarm sound) probably scared and confused him. Whether this comes from some genetic predisposition or is deeply ingrained in their cultural lifestyles, or both, the facts from the field show that orcas are highly attentive toward one another and tend to want to cooperate, interact and engage in all sorts of social activities. Point is. I suppose they ask him about it post-hoc. Thirty-five years of demographic and behavioral studies of dozens of distinct orca communities worldwide have given us the outlines of the species social complexity and diversity. Any person with two eyes can clearly see that, he is the largest Orca in the park and very hard to miss, if you have ever seen him before. including the calves and Tili. They have no sense of social corporate responsibility and behave like any government department or agency under investigation. Aside from OSHA, I have not seen a thorough investigation, by SeaWorld, Orange County Sheriffs or any other investigative body 2! i apologize, but as far as the captivity kills comment, thats complete crap. Tilikum, the orca who killed three trainers, was captured at the age of two and performed for most of his life. Not protocol! Many agree that Tilikum can not be released he has been in captivity for a long while and may pose a threat to humans in the wild. John ..you are 100% correct.. One trainer noted that the disturbance between mother and calf had affected the other whales. Lots of data, videos, and information regarding both wild and captive animals. Of course captivity isnt perfect, i dont believe any supporters of captivity have said that SeaWorld is perfect. And i believe its wrong to plop a creature of sound in a reverberation chamber is cruel. Tilikum did not attack Dawn. However, it was evident from the problems that occurred, the whales aggressive behavior and subsequent cancellation of the show that this is not what the typical visitor would experience. Well, I do agree they had a bit going on. Orca or captive wildlife issues are not uncommon in captivityit is just that the public does not often get to witness them. Tilikum (c. December 1981 - January 6, 2017), nicknamed Tilly, was a captive male orca who spent most of his life at SeaWorld Orlando in Florida.He was captured in Iceland in 1983; about a year later, he was transferred to Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia. these photos show that he was not being held in the pool, the 1st one is better to see. What we do know, we have learned from captive studies. Tilikum was captured from the wild and has a pedigree and came from a certain part of the world. There was nothing strange that occurred! My question is more about logistics. You cannot tell from the footage and there are a few pieces of it on various social media platforms who the whale is that enters for the end segment that is not an end because the two whales are obviously fighting with each other. I am learning a ton from these comments. Oldest is leader. You add an excellent question, a very excellent question, to my list. 9. If youve lived through world wars and genuine civil unrest its not enough just to be in close touchable proximity to a 30ft long, 12-14,000lb beautiful creature smart enough that its able to convey and/or communicate that it wants to near you and meet you as well; it had to flip for us too. As a ten year old, I first visited a marine park and was swepped away by these beautiful animals and all I ever wanted to be, was to become an orca trainer for the next couple of years! I too wonder at his ability to know what he was doing at the time. It is not clear exactly what happened . I also think we are really silly to just believe that Tilikum was not in the Believe show that day just because SeaWorld say so. I am a Zoology student who has spent time with cetacean experts. Regardless, I break that promise to address Johns response to Peyton. A question Id love an answer to is why a lot of people would rather be educated by the one man who owns a TV (in this case, SeaWorld) as opposed to the man who spends every day dealing with all types of TVs in a neutral environment (in this case, those in this world who are considered to be cetacean experts because they have spent their entire lives studying wild cetaceans)? Using photo-identification to document individuals over years and decades, we are learning the lifespans, diets, association patterns, and habitat use of thousands of orcas. It does not look good for them to say that wild orca tend to live for 50 years average (females) when theirs are dying much sooner. SeaWorld supporters for example were not the only ones confused as to Tilikums proper classification. Tell me based on you extensive experience, in the past 50 years how many Juvenile females in the wild have gone into estrus prior to the age of 10. @ Anonymous- as this was my first visit to SeaWorld, I was not aware of the names or the hierarchical order of dominance within SeaWorlds collection of orca whales. Theyre not stupid. [17] And last, but not least, I did not see Dawn Brancheau alive again (may she rest in peace). well of course not their best friend was in the mouth of the biggest orca at all the SeaWorlds. No mother. In MY opinion everyone has their limits. Either way, it appears as though the purpose of it is less about gathering information, and more about simply casting negative out at a company. Zoos holding dolphins are shutting down one by one, because people realise that it is unnatural to keep them locked-up. Trainer Dawn Brancheau died of blunt force trauma to head, neck and torso. Unfortunately this comes at the cost of suppressing a large, intelligent, social creature forced to live a life with nary a resemblance to its natural environment. She was close and at any time he could have grabbed a hand that was petting him or feeding him fish. Did he know he was about to run out of stimulation because he knew the show was over? It is the same for Ulises, Sumar, and Nakai in San Diego, and Keet, Tuar, and Ky in San Antonio. . Hes been instrumental in bringing attention to this story and keeping the pressure on APHIS and OSHA. One might speculate Seaworld is educating to its fans that Captive is a biological species of Wild-born Orca? Education? The most infamous death occurred when Tilikum pulled . And in recent email communications, SeaWorld have refused to release the actual amount he is worth/insured for and OSHA say they do not have access to that information. Perhaps one day a conversation like this will happen without the need for being condescending and Petty. I applaud you in your efforts to be heard in you observations. He is SeaWorlds only breeding bull of course they will not retire him, he is worth too much. Where Im the hell could someone find a video of the attacks beginning? yes please i would love to know 1. why do they put holes in their teeth and 2. how do you know this John?? You have given me food for thought with regard to my opinion of this whole event. You act as if captivity kills more than the wild does! It does appear that this information is not included on the educational Seaworld website. Since I first heard about the tragedy at SeaWorld, where the huge orca, Tilikum, killed his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, on February 24, 2010, I have been haunted by the story. On February 24, aged 40, Dawn was on the side of the pool with Tilikum during an enrichment exercise. About 30 were sent to various aquaria. Kayla who has been more laid back since she arrived in Orlando is now trying to gain more dominance in the pod. This makes one thing that while certain animals are better well suited to captivity than others. I will only consider someone seeing it and living it if they actually saw and lived what happened. I fail to see how two female whales acting up could not have affected other whales in the back pools. Im trying to hurry. Ive heard that the sea circus is very good at handling these kinds of emergencies. He knew exactly what he was doing. Lets do some comparisons here, there are plenty of humans who have had 4 children by the time they are at least 30. Again, thank you for your article and incite. calf at the age of 20. Tilikum was NOT in the pool during the show that day. 11. I can assure the onlookers that there are more than just non-experts contributing to the development of this discussion. I know very much what i am talking about, im not an idiot. 6. With regard to the Education of Seaworld: I found on a message board that someone had contacted Seaworld and asked Is Tillikum transient or resident? and Seaworld replied: Thank you for contacting the SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment Family of Parks. (those were your words, not mine). http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=861&dat=19760313&id=M2IdAAAAIBAJ&sjid=i1sEAAAAIBAJ&pg=5609,2239450, With Washington state waters off limits, Sea World turned to Iceland for its killer whale captures. In just two short years, Sea World had nine new whales, and at this point, reportedly dropped out of the picture.. We dont appreciate that. During the attack, he reportedly scalped her and bit . I remember reading a PDF from the Hearings themselves online, but I do not remember where it was. Instead, the OCSO chose to rely on SeaWorld employee testimony as the basis for the investigation and its conclusions, which are contradictory to those provided by the Connell family. I sound like a parrot and I apologize, but again, wild animals do not always chose to do the show, and since they are not forced, that means no show. But yes, transients have been found to genetically differ from resident orca populations as have different groups from around the world been found to differ genetically from one another. Whatever the reality of the situation , it does seem that Seaworld is trying to hide something, and wants to move on. I doubt he was planning it or anything. And the most sensible suggestion for the rest of the orcas that I heard in my reporting was simply to stop breeding orcas in captivity, and let the industry die a natural death along with the couple of dozen orcas that currently are in captivity. Many supporters are people that attend the parks on a regular basis and have developed a true fascination for the animals there. @ Anne, I am appalled as a tax payer that school children are taken to $eaworld. The scary thing is that this whale is used for breeding. And though Ive done it only once before in my life nd I know it takes time and patience, that previous issue was household knowledge. The last time I tried to do something about something was over fourteen years ago. i dont want to sound rude here, but John did not see anything regarding Dawns death. The conclusions and decisions will be left to the experts, not me. A thought: could it be that as a once wild orca; did he simply just get tired of it? i have read that information on their site and none of it is wrong. 7. That said, Im not pointing the blame at the spotter. I have escorted both large and small numbers of children of a wide variety of ages, class and social standing. Associate Producer and Co-Writer of the documentary Blackfish. So the damage sustained means little to uncovering the truth. They did however interview the 12 or less guests still there after the Dine with Shamu show. That stated, I disagree that there are not those calling for the animals to all be released into sanctuary, and even some wanting the set free altogether. Regarding your comment SeaWorld is the BEST at what it does, please consider that the BEST is not good enough for killer whales, in particular, due to their size and complex social/familial needs. Dawns death was likely the result of a bored, subdominant, whale who had an opportunity to procure a novel experience and he did. 1) In the wild, orca pod size ranges from 1-55 orca. So many other captive animals are usually in an environment that is close to their natural environment. I always hated SEA WORLD, and though I had plenty of free chances to visit the park, it was to me a watery circus borne out of a generation whose conception of entertainment no longer applies; a gross display of capture and the humanoid nervous relief from boredom. I applaud those that want a better insight and understanding into what occurred, but I do now give credence to those that are looking for a conspiracy theory. 12. I believe our comments are also welcome here, theres nothing I can see that says no Seaworld fans except a lot of people trying to denounce fans as knowing nothing as they dont agree with the self proclaimed experts. Even so, I was left with a few questions, to which I have no answer: Killer whales are highly intelligent, social, and communicative. SeaWorld is not going to fund such a project, at least I can not picture why they would. These are the same people that are providing your facts for you. So againIll go back to what Tilikum did to Dawnhe longtime trainer and person who was closest to him that collected his semem for the artificial inseminations practices they did/do he attacked and killed her. But he knew. I do not want to be part of todays youth growing up to Believe these injustices can continue. I did not see a request from SeaWorld for more information about my observations Yes, theres a strong possibility that my life would have ended as well. There is also a comment refuting the ponytail theory pointing out that, in the photo, her hair is dry. I did not see a smooth operation of the spools of netting being deployed. On my computer it works best with newer browsers, like Google Chrome. i was taking what you said you saw and helping you realize what was really happening. Tilikum, a killer whale at the SeaWorld amusement park in Orlando, Fla., performs during the show "Believe" on Sept. 3, 2009. Sea World is very good at telling us how guests lives are changed after seeing the whales in captivity, although they cannot back it up with any literature. Peyton, the research is seriously lacking about how much people learn about killer whales, dolphins or other captive animals while visiting zoological parks in general. The view point of these facilities being only in it out of greed, is rather broad based and sadly lacking in evidence. But anything opinionated I say in this post it is just that, MY opinion. Again, this conversation has gone back to being an outright attack on captivity, which is disappointing. I did not see or hear the truth when SeaWorld proclaimed there were no indications of any problems prior to Dawns death. Former Senior Editor and Diplomatic Correspondent for US News & World Report. I can only imagine the great expense of a large scale project like this. Between John Ks first person report and Johns informed analysis we can probably reconstruct most of the events leading up to the fatal grab. And Im speaking out because this doesnt have to happen again. The believe show. Dawns death was a tragic event and it was preventable. Not to mention, they have to learn to accept dead fish when wild caught. again Collen, this is not Tre. Hello ! I personally have witnessed that education and the direct results it had on the lives of those that attended. When the truth is finally revealed and upon completion of the investigations, we will find that profit was placed ahead of safety. Sperm whale everyone knows Moby Dick right? What pool was he in, and were any other orcas with him. It is a shame, for you are intelligent and do have a great deal to offer a conversation, but to lower yourself to insults simply takes away any validity you might have. Here is the testimony that I believe Dee is referring to. I hope i helped answer a few of your questions. The rest went to Sea World., 1970 Penn Cove, Washington, whale capture. Your hiding negates every bit of credibilty. All I have ever done is present the facts, and if that reflects poorly on SeaWorld, then that is SeaWorlds fault. In 20 years of my life, I have been blessed to partake in the inspiration that SeaWorld offers and since there were many adults and chaperons involved along with me, I would be willing to bet there are many more out there like me, who could offer testimony to the same. a tragedy like this and doing all we can from making the same mistakes. Sorry but, thats just the truth. No one has ever said that SeaWorld is perfect and the orcas couldnt use bigger pools. 2. of course, no one is saying that captivity is perfect, it has issues, just like the wild. Finally, you state that, Thirty-five years of demographic and behavioral studies of dozens of distinct orca communities worldwide have given us the outlines of the species social complexity and diversity. Most of these trainers were involved in the rescue attempts on Dawn. Those two ecotypes apply only to the orcas found in the Pacific. sad very very sad.. i dont know if you saw my comment Kathy, but as i said it didnt seem that way to me! Is that so Anony mouse Actually the first post sounded a lot like Peyton but all of you faceless, nameless SeaWorld supporters begin to sound alike which is why I dont waste my time on you Ive got more important people to deal with. Yes, I have learned a lot about orcas and whale behavior since February, probably more than most people will in a lifetime. Never forget, Taima, Tilikums one and ONLY best friend at SW Orlando died an awful death in June while giving birth to her 4th!! Orcas know how to play with their food, and in fact, they play with seals, fish and porpoises with out injuring them and then allowing them to get away unharmed. I did not see or hear an announcement that the Dining with Shamu event would be cancelled due to the problems in the Believe show. But this is an industry-wide investigation. But the question of what triggered Tilikum to pull Dawn Brancheau into the pool, on that day as opposed to any other day over the years of close interaction with Dawn and many other trainers, is a key question which bears close analysis. Transients are genetically different from residents, are genetically different from Icelandic, are genetically different from Argentinean, are genetically different from New Zealand and so on. First how sad is that and second false. Kinda scary. The assertion that Tilikum attacked and killed Dawn Brancheau because he was driven crazy by his years in captivity. nor is it abnormal for them not to want to cooperate during shows or dine with shamu. 80-90 years). Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. There is no way of knowing the rate of stillbirths in the wild, although a few newborns have washed up, so we know they occur. The SW model has always been a tight corporate family that focuses on creating the same picture within the corporate structure as well externally as the public facadeit has been that way since the early 1980s and is likely to remain so because it works for them. Maybe it just got too be to emotionally upsetting. no you woldnt because then you would both end up dead. But he enjoys spending time with the calves, and Taima when she was around. If this is true then how is her smile explained? I did not see the whales cooperating Im not saying 100 percent of the blood and gore but the events that led up to the attacks and the beginning of the attacks couldve possibly helped prevent similar outcomes. Anne, you referenced stressors, well the stressor is captivity, plain and simple. I did not see SeaWorld provide investigators with any of this information on Feb. 24, 2010, Brancheau's death affected massive change for SeaWorld and for the whale himself. Why do they drill holes in their teeth?? 3) They speak different dialects, eat different foods, use different foraging and hunting methods, etc. If you are a real person with real facts, then please, post your real name as I have. And sadly, SeaWorld (and other marine parks) are evasive, selective and misleading with theirs. which is untrue. According to the Orange County Sheriff's Office Investigative Report on the terrifying incident, trainers were not allowed in the water with Tilikum because of his past history he had . Censorship is not always good when it comes to retrospect and learning from Not what someone says they were taught at SeaWorld but what SeaWorld truly taught people. In fact, during the congressional hearing, I took part personally in a educators drive to provide letters to the committee members on exactly what SeaWorld has offered our children over the years and the effects that it had. And the automatic condition of tossing out someones thoughts and opinions, simply because they are supporters of SeaWorld is just childish and remarkably self serving. I saw two published studies that directly pertain to (captive) killer whales. They were busy alright. And SeaWorld witheld the information from investigators. The question of whether or not Tilikum is Resident or Transient, when presented to the correct individual would have been answered correctly I have no doubt, because it is a question I myself asked personally while visiting the park. I followed your link but it appears to take me to another video and not video footage from the12:30 Believe Show but Id love to see it if you can repost. I myself have been to the park on numerous educational outings over the last 20 years. How many possible pregnancies occurred and were any calves still born? They are echolocating creatures and sound/vibrations travel miles under water. On February 24, 2010, Tilikum pulled SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau into his pool and killed her. And they usually spend their entire lives with their mothers. It is not a coincidence that Taima died at age 20 during birth (30 years below average longevity for female orca and I dont even want to think how far off she was from maximum longevity). All the other points you mention not seeing well you wouldnt would you since you were nowhere near at the time when Dawn died. I apologize. He was subsequently transferred in 1992 to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida, where he sired 21 calves throughout his life. He was also involved in the deaths of three people, including his trainer, Dawn Brancheau. Diary Of A Killer Whale: Is Tilikum A Transient Or ResidentOrca? Tilikum would later become infamous. There is no fighting over leader or probably much squabbles at all. And even if Tilikum was not in that fight, he was right around the corner. So to say there are none alive at SeaWorld is stupid and doesnt explain anything. The studies began in the early 1970s because SeaWorlds capture teams were taking so many orcas for display that the Canadian and US governments wanted to know how many there were and if that level of removal could be sustained. On the bigger question of what should be done with marine park orcas if orca entertainment ever were to be phased out, I think that the remaining wild orcaslike Lolitacould be returned to their pods (and I know Howard, and Ken Balcomb from the Center For Whale Research, know a lot about how that should be done). Again, whether or not Tilikum was in that pool is irrelevant in way there was clearly agitation and aggression going on. But they dont know me and I would not expect them to believe it or understand it. On February 24, aged 40, Dawn was on . He was in a different pool.. I however respectfully disagree with your minimizations of my observances. Im sorry but, that is just the truth. Ugh. Human Beings and Cetaceans are completely different when it comes to age of breeding, number of offspring, etc. I will be looking into this with my local schools and demand no school funds be used for trips to captive marine parks! It clearly shows the aggitation going on. I would love to know where this misinformation is. So, Ive started collecting signatures-long story short. Bad memories can do alot of bad things. 7. SHAME on me for ever thinking this way I did not see the whales cooperating It looks like he was judging the distance he needed. THAT is killing, us humans. Now we can go on and on about your, and SeaWorlds, perspective that the whales are asked to perform and are not forced to perform. (I do not feel there is a need to respond to Peytons perspective as her answers are evident of her knowledge on the topic, and I will not respond directly due to her age) This is a threat display, and one way the animals work out the pecking order. Accidents happen, they are tragic and sad, but they happen. If anyone could provide a link where the beginning of the attack on Dawn could be seen(for educational and respectful circumstances only) please help. I think not people dont leave marine parks wanting to be Zoologists or Marine Biologists they leave thinking orca are cuddly toys and wanting to become a marine mammal trainer. Icelandic and Norwegian killer whales belong to a different ecotype called Scandinavian herring-eating killer whales. I guarentee you they watch. He was captured at age 2 from Iceland. Dawn and Tilikum had a strong bond and the pair worked countless shows together but no SeaWorld trainer, including Dawn, ever swam in the water with Tilikum. Tilikum is neither resident nor transient. 12. Also, your comment of That degree of inbred ignorance and obliviousness to field studies is not healthy and leads inevitably to massive errors in judgment. Lends credence you your individual mentality and is extremely disappointing on a personal level. mainly it was on this page and the tommy lee page. I have other questions though after watching Dawns Lunch with Shamu session with Tili. 7) They cannot hone their foraging and hunting skills because live fish cannot survive in the chemically treated water not only is this a necessity for survival in the wild but it is a point of social interaction and culture. I will try to get back to you on that. Others push even further and say all Orcas should be released into these sanctuaries. We are not that generation. What pool was he in, and were any other orcas with him? They could use improvements, but please dont go around saying that all they do is kill animals. Regarding the DNA very basically, it is possible that certain orca populations are in the process of or may even have speciated from one another. Emotional beings. Was there anything problematic in the social dynamic between the orcas the night before, which might have caused deviant behavior the day of the troubled Believe show, and affected Tilikums work with Dawn Brancheau? My question for those so adamant is how do we go about this. The reason for what happened is perhaps best left to the experts rather than a bunch of wannabe experts who have been studying orcas since February. This is what John had to say (click for full-size image): (Note: both the pool layout schematic, and the e-mail were contained in an addendum to the Orange County Sheriffs investigative report, which I have put online in a collection of primary documents about the Dawn Brancheau tragedy; Ill be adding more as I go along). I also know the educational value of Seaworld, because I myself have sponsored hundreds of childrens visits over the years. Thank you for sharing! I have learned a lot about orca behavior, captivity vs. wild and the exploitive entertainment business. and Tilikum went on to kill two more people, including trainer Dawn Brancheau at . Its time to put a stop to captivity and captive breeding!!! I do find it odd that Seaworld was directing people to their blog as the more serious side of their information source, only to have this blog talk about a roller coaster. How is it proposed that this happen. We know their thermoregulation systems their ability to warm or cool their bodies, can turn on or off with apparent conscious control, and of course, like all cetaceans they are conscious breathers, so is it possible they can consciously control their estrus cycles? I did not see the whales behaving as anticipated Follow my adventures, via The Wetass Chronicles, here. I also know that these investigations tend to fall apart when there is a lack of cooperation from witnesses or when witnesses simply do not come forward. Several whales die during the capture. Tilly is still at SW Florida, participating in shows, and will no doubt remain there. I would just like to clarify for the viewers of this blog a comment you made, as it might not have been clear, and I bring this up because after the Seaworld Attack, I as well went to the Seaworld blog they directed people to go to for more informational and did have the same concern you did. Part of the reason we think they keep fighting is because Kalina is not one to fight, so she will swim away which makes Kayla want even more of her. And nonot all of them were healthy. Tilikum absolutely knew what he was doing. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Washington-DC based writer learning to live lighter on the planet. So to claim that we have not, or that the data gained is inconsequential, is simply close minded and ludicrous. I have to disagree, they did indeed provide them with everything, however where yours was concerned you may have beat them to the punch, but this does not automatically equal a failure on their part, again they had a bit going on at the time. Thanks for continuing your series on this Tim and for moderating. EVER. I am very impressed with your explanation of events and thoughtfulness. Community donations, school fund-raisers and generous support and sponsorship from SeaWorld takes care of the expense. He brutally killed Dawn (may she rest in peace) and she had to be terrified the last moments of her life knowing, the animal she loved as a child, turned on her. Anatomy Of An Orca Transport: Cranes, Planes, And Automobiles. Tim, i will answer these to the best of my knowledge:) Just want to say thank you for your observations of the Believe show and after reading the observations of trainers on the day in witness statements I am convinced the behavior of the whales may have impacted Tilis mood. I would be interested in hearing from others if any such thing exists!! Nor am I the only person to have interacted with them in this way. From Reported Causes of Death of Captive Killer Whales, Journal of Wildlife Diseases Vol. These holes now must be flushed with betadine solution several times per day to remove debris, which if left would most certainly result in infection and ultimately endocarditis and death. Tilikum was also involved in the deaths of two other people: Keltie Byrne and Daniel P. Dukes. As his expert 40-year-old trainer Dawn Brancheau leaned over the edge of his tank during what is called a "relationship session," the 11-ton star orca Tilikum took her in his mouth, dragged her into the pool, shook her, fractured much of her body, drowned her, savaged her, and killed her. Period. THAT is the fact I believe people should focus on so that it never happens again. Again wheres the stimulation? Based on a copy of what you claim to have sent them, perhaps they had enough to go off of, You were fairly thorough in you observations, plus they spoke to many others and had a pretty good base to go off of. Ok. Yet, Ive known nothing about its mammalian wildlife other than the awe, and admiration I held. if this happened in the wild and your friend was being trapped in an orcas mouth would you jump in to save them?? I dont know if you will ever even see/read this post. I am Canadian and only heard about this incident with Tilly like a few months ago because out of boredom/curiosity an looking on Google to see if anything bad has ever happened at Marine Parks. i have seen videos and know enough about orlandos orcas to know that its not abnormal for them to do that. Also Colleen is one of a vocal few keen to badmouthing Seaworld at every chance and its fans, for me that dismisses her credibility. Captivity is toxic for cetaceans and needs to end. I agree that the breeding should stop for a few reasons. how is that going to help? As Howard pointed out, Keiko was not handled properly, and no I am not beginning the debate of what was failure vs. what was success, for that would be a waste of time and energy. Wild orcas dont normally start breeding until around 15 years of age. Then I remember hes an unpredicatable animal captured from the wild and put in too small an enclosure for his size and asked to imitate wild behaviors and I realize maybe he just took his frustration out on the closest human available. I thought they were the whale behavior experts? 7. or would you go to the shop where all TVs are made/sold, where someone there has experience with all different makes of TV, all different problems and faults and breakages that may occur, all different sizes and colours, etc? thanks. 10. Near the end of the session, and the beginning of her demise, he was clearly cued into an absence of food; ice in the bottom of a hollow bucket is a give-away for any captive cetacean. But there has not been one single recorded attack of wild orca on humans, so why this aggression in captivity? If you were after a person who specialises in, say, televisions, would you go to someone who owns just one television, where you would be speaking to a person who only has experience with this one TV and thus limiting yourself to one brand and not accounting for the fact that this one TV may have an unusual fault or break, bearing in mind that this TV has been placed in one particular environment with specific effecting variables (i.e. at how many people actually waited in line to get a ticket. I was there and I have accurately reported my observations, I have correlated my story with photo and video footage, and I stand behind all of my statements. In 1985, when Katina gave birth to Kalina in the first successful captive birth, that gestation period became known, and has been a valuable factor in demographic studies of free-ranging populations. All those orcas died early because that was when we were just learning about orcas, barely any research had been done on them before. In my next post, Ill get into the Dine With Shamu show, and how Tilikum really performed. Here is some more video footage of the 12.30 Believe show on the day of Dawns death. But those that truly know me would not be surprised, even if I was torn limb from limb. We do not have the right to learn ANYTHING from them if the conditions in which it is being done are detrimental to them. So: was anything in particular going on with Tilikum and the other seven killer whales at SeaWorld Orlando that day? In my small mind I feel sorry for Tili, it hurst that I feel he has no one to show him any kind of attention and wonder if he has the capacity to wonder what happened to Danw or to miss her. I am very glad, that we do not have marine parks in Germany that keep orcas. Tim. 1. I believe our comments are welcome here. That does not explain how SeaWorld kills its animals because all of those animals died at the begining of learning about them. NB: Point number 8 shouldnt be a smiley face with sunglasses . SeaWorlds death chart for captive orcas far outweighs any successes they like to talk about. What have you contributed, other than a few insults aimed in our direction? I personally look forward to future posts and wish you well! I understand a healthy debate, but how can you compare a human being that has 8 children by the time they are 30 to a Cetacean? There does seem to be a rule that all free orcas worldwide obey: never harm a human. I was involved in the 1996 video of the co-written song Lolita, Hold On, and for this posting, Id like to shareYoutube (devorahmusic)http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p2Al_92_NWwand a few thoughts: You statement of violates the rule that all free orcas worldwide obey: never harm a human is also a bit unfounded. On February 24th, 2010 - at SeaWorld in Orlando Florida, a captive Orca (Killer Whale) named, Tilikum, brutally killed his longtime trainer, Dawn Brancheau. You bring up a lot of very relevant points that I did not know. Not to point out the obvious, but her remark was Ask any person leaving SeaWorld and they will tell you that they learned so much more than they would have in a book or movie.this does not sound as though she is claiming there has been research as to such. As far as the operation of the gates that separate the pools, at no other time during the performance did I see trainers operate the gates in the manner as was used specifically during the attempt to separate the whales. So I completed my vacation, traveled several hundred miles and after 4 days had passed since the death, I beat them to the punch? Do the math. One would thing they would attack more often. Its called the show must go on!. I thank the following organizations and individuals for their contributions of data that made this report possible: Sea World, Inc. (Dr. Lanny Cornell and Mr. Don Goldsberry). Sorry, but it just seemed ridicules to assume this means they are lying. After all, its been doing it for over 20 years. Though I completely Believe he was in that pool at the time, if he wasnt it is not as though they are very far away. In that respect I am certified by several government agencies, thus I am always acutely aware of my surroundings and potential hazards, both at work and otherwise. This deformed (but terminal) tooth now presents a danger to both the soft tissue of Tilikums inner mouth, as well as to the other orcas that might experience a rake mark. Normal breeding age for Orcas vary greatly, in fact most of the studies clearly state, at the introduction, that due to the difficulty of studying these animals in the wild, much of their breeding habits remain UNKNOWN. My observances remain relevant and contribute to the experts, not mine- so not! 8 shouldnt be a smiley face with sunglasses department or agency under investigation other! 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