General Chat

Much as I feel sorry for the trainer and her family. Whales arent meant to be doing tricks in tank's to amuse people.
The same goes for all living creatures forced into performing.


Killer Whale Drowns Trainer At Seaworld Show
Wednesday, 24th February 2010 21:30

A killer whale has dragged a trainer to her death during a public performance at the SeaWorld amusement park in Florida.

Dawn Brancheau, 40, was giving a lecture in front of hundreds of people after a display at the Shamu Stadium in Orlando when the whale is said to have pulled her in.

"She was rubbing the killer whale's head, and (it) grabbed her and pulled her in," said Chuck Tompkins, Corporate Curator of Zoological Operations at SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.

Media reports have said the whale grabbed her by the waist, thrashed her about and pulled her underwater in front of an audience of visitors.

Seconds after the incident, sirens went off and SeaWorld employees rushed in to evacuate the audience.

"We don't know what was going through the killer whale's head. It just got done doing a wonderful session with Dawn... his behaviour was great... that's the reason that she was rubbing his head," Mr Tompkins said.

"We don't have any other specifics yet. This is a terrible, terrible situation that's happened, it's a tragedy.

"Our greatest sympathy goes out to her family."

Dan Brown, president of SeaWorld Orlando, confirmed Ms Brancheau had drowned.

He said she had been one of the park's most experienced trainers, having worked there for 16 years.

The Orlando Sentinel said the whale has killed before.

Tillikum, known as 'Tilly', was blamed for the drowning of one of his trainers in 1991 while he was performing at Sealand of the Pacific in Victoria, British Columbia, the newspaper said.

He was then sold to SeaWorld in 1992 and in 1999 was involved in another death when authorities discovered the body of a naked man lying across his back.

Authorities said the man, who had either sneaked into SeaWorld after it had shut or hidden until past closing time, probably drowned after suffering hypothermia in the water.

A former SeaWorld employee told the Sentinel Tillikum is usually kept apart from the other whales and trainers are not allowed to get into the water with him because of his past.

When we went to one of the sea worlds' in the san diego, I think,area, circa 1990 apparently one of the whales previously had rammed its tank companion, another whale, and killed it, they are not known as killer whales for nothing,!

Like you I feel for the family but with the past history of this whale was it really the best thing to have him on show. I wouldn't suggest turning him loose as he now has been captive and trained for far too long to return to the wild.
A case of over confidence in him as he had behaved well. A bad and sad move.

Any of you watch the film 'Orca the killer whale? with Charlottte Rampling and Richard Harris. I think it was in the 80's it was out.

I was watching the news Marion and one spokesman said that the show before had not entirely gone to plan as two of the whales were not obeying and whooshing around the pool, and it was decided to remove the trainers..... seems to be a case of one saying one thing and another having a different point to make.......the truth must be somewhere in between........

they showed the whale with its dorsal fin flopped over and this man said that it was a sign of it being irritable......a bit like a cat swishing its tail..... I don't know enough about it to sort out fact from fiction......

Annie I know what you mean. It's us going to see these shows that keep them going ;((
Same goes for circus's,. animals are banned here as far as I know,but not that long ago I think there were 7 tigers suffocated during a 20 mile trip. Russia??

Marion

Moonchild.. the poor thing was maybe having an off day and got P'd off


Marion

I went to see the Shamu show "Believe" last year in Seaworld - the first time we got wetter than if we'd dived in the pool ourselves.:o))

The trainers have a fantastic relationship with the animals. If an animal dont want to do a trick...it doesnt !

These animals have been in captivity for years & wouldnt survive life in the wild. Also many of the orcas are born in captivity.

However, they are still animals with instincts. Who knows if the orca used the trainer like a plaything in the water (like a cat with a mouse) causing the trainer to die.

The trainers know the risks with working with those animals, and its so sad that the worst has happened :o((

I totaly agree marion xx

Mildred,I agree they would not survive if let free. It's just a pity they have to keep them for human pleasure in the first place.

Joan... wasnt there a whale grounded recently and there was concern over it's fin being floppy.
I maybe saw it in a tv programme .



Marion

I agree Marion - shame for the woman and her family but I just feel don't mess with nature

Another thing is, they cant possibly know what goes on in their minds.

I wondered if the whale was just playing a game, after all they don't drown if they go under water.

Seeing it on the news tonight I realised that she was in the show that we saw in 2008. I have to admit that the whales and other animals always appeared to be actually enjoying the shows, but most of them are bred for it not captured from the wild. I guess they may be having a re-think, wouldn't fancy being a trainer at the moment.

You can only mess with nature so much. Steve Irwin proved that.

Horrible for her and her loved ones.

But ultimately animals retain their instincts whether they live in captivity or in the wild to a greater or lesser degree xx

Ann ..I dont suppose they will ever know if it was playing or not.

Muffy.. its a wonder Steve Irwin lasted as long as he did lol


Marion

they are saying on the news at ten
its killed two other handlers

but it wont be put down

I'm glad it's not being put down.
Unless they found it had something wrong with it that caused it to 'Turn' but then who can blame the poor creature, it's bound to have grumpy days like the rest of us lol

Absolutely agree.

No need to use OUR justice on an animal that is being kept in un natural conditions xx

I have been to sea world and I remember they did a little show where a child was taken out of the audience and was with a women presumed to be the childs mother she was taking photos the whale then jumped from the water taking the women with them, it was all staged of course and everyone laughted and clapped, when I heard the news about the incident it cross my mind the audienced may of thought it was again staged and whooped with laughter and clapped as this women was being drowned thinking it was again staged.

Makes you think Hayley.
I bet there have been a few near misses we dont hear about.

Marion