Gerard Julien, AFP / Getty Images
According to details released by SeaWorld to CNN, Dawn Brancheau, 40, had just completed a session with killer whale Tilikum in front of a crowd at the Orlando theme park. Although she was standing outside the pool, Brancheau's long blonde ponytail was in reach of the whale, who grabbed it in his mouth and pulled her underwater.
Cited as one of the park's "most experienced animal trainers" in a letter posted by SeaWorld CEO Jim Atchison on the company Web site, Brancheau had always dreamed of working at SeaWorld, In an interview with Brancheau's mother, the New York Daily News reports that the trainer had fallen in love with killer whales 29 years before on a family vacation at SeaWorld and said "I wanna be a Shamu trainer." She'd worked at SeaWorld since 1994, with the orcas since 1996, putting on frequent shows for the public.
Tragedies like these make it clear that although theme parks are an amazing way for us to interact with and better appreciate these fascinating animals, there are serious dangers and concerns about keeping wild animals in captivity.
Brancheau's death is still under investigation, although park officials have confirmed she was held under water for an "extended period of time," and witnesses told CNN affiliates they saw Tilikum violently shaking the trainer's body, forcing her shoe to fly off.
The whale has his own dubious history. In February of 1991, he was involved in the first ever death of a human caused by a captive orca. Along with two female orcas, Tilikum attacked trainer Keltie Byrne when she fell into their tank at Sealand of the Pacific. By September of that year, Tilikum was up for sale.
Purchased by SeaWorld, he was moved to Orlando, where in 1999 he was involved in yet another death -- this time of 27-year-old Daniel Dukes, who the New York Times reported hid in the park after closing and somehow ended up in the killer whale's tank. That's where he was found the next morning, dead and hanging on the back of Tilikum.
Other captive killer whales have had mishaps with humans, including an attack on a trainer at SeaWorld's San Antonio, Texas park in 2004 that left the man unharmed, and another in 2006 at SeaWorld San Diego. The latter sent the trainer to the hospital after he'd been dragged underwater by a female orca who was supposed to be allowing him to dive off of her nose during a show.
SeaWorld has announced it is still committed to Tilikum, noting on their site, "We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change. We are still reviewing this incident and will evaluate the situation and make a decision accordingly." The parks remain open, with the whale shows suspended.
What do you think Paw Nation? Do you believe that parks such as SeaWorld improve animal lives by protecting endangered species and educating the public about the importance of saving them? Or does this tragedy underscore the need to not have wild animals in captivity at all? Share your thoughts in our comments section.
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Without "Flipper", and the Sea World experience, wild marine animals would be in greater danger than they are now. Do you really think that some pugilistic "greenpeace" person could actually draw people to his cause if it weren't for the experiences afforded by captive animal shows? I have been to Sea World many times, and have taken the "back stage " tour. I have seen nothing but good coming from their programs, nursing wild animals back to health, providing research data for those wishing to sustain wild populations. Yes, Sea World makes money off of the animals; but the cost of maintaining them is huge. I never regret the price of admission to Sea World.
My take on this: if a Great Dane were to jump on me in play, he would probably kill me. I"m sorry to say, but I believe the trainer was a little too over confident and wasn't paying attention to the clues this animal was presenting. People who work with wild animals must always be on guard.
Is there any possibility these types of mammals are becoming increasingly agitated due to the INADEQUATE SIZE of the tank in comparison to the actual size of the mammal itself?
I went to Sea World 20 years ago and had the time of my life, so that is why I can say I've grown to realize that it is Wrong to keep such huge intelligent animals in a bath tub size environment for human education and entertainment, and then to keep breeding more, when it is not possible to return these orcas to the wild, but to furnish more orcas for another Sea World venue. That is were Sea World crosses the line, using orca to make more and more money and not in the preservation of the species. I would rather see these creatures in their natural environment.
Anyone that works with any type of animal: wild, domestic, farm, knows that they are taking a risk. Animals have bad days just like people do. I'm sure that the trainer was aware of the dangers, she was experienced, and it was her passion. I think Sea World does a great job with the animals, and helping the injured and/or orphans. Without places like these the general public would really have no idea about marine life.
The whale was doing what animals do. Unfortunatly, someone had to die. Yes it is a nice way for humans to get "up close and personal" Maybe more precautions should be taken to ensure The safty of both the animals, and their trainers. Maybe the whale thought the Pony tail was a rope, after all they are trained to react to seeing ropes.Lets let the memory of this great trainer live on, as she would want it too.
You can't blame the whale for being an animal. Sometimes as humans we tend to forget that we are not necessarily superior to animals. This trainer (I am very sorry she lost her life) was doing what she loved. She better than the general public knew what she was doing.
The whale should not be killed. There are probably better procedures they could put in place.