Audiences at a live show at the SeaWorld Shamu Stadium in Orlando, FL got more than they bargained for this afternoon when a killer whale jumped out of the tank and grabbed hold of a trainer at the start of a performance. The trainer, an experienced female employee, was pronounced dead by the time the Orange County Fire Rescue arrived at the theme park.
According to one audience member, the trainer had just finished telling audiences what they could expect to see during the performance when the whale came up from the water and grabbed the woman at the waist. "He was thrashing her around pretty good. It was violent," the spectator explained. At that time, the sirens went off and the audience evacuated the stadium.
Despite their name, this particular breed of whales isn't known for attacking humans, but the facilities have had a couple incidents with Tillikum, the whale in question, including the drowning of a trainer in 1991 that the whale was blamed for. Officials stated that due to his violent behavior, 'Tilly,' as he was nicknamed, was kept in isolation away from other killer whales and that trainers were not allowed in the water with him.
Animal rights groups have long criticized theme parks such as SeaWorld for keeping these animals in captivity, claiming it makes them dangerous and more likely to snap.
- "Captivity is abusive to these animals. And the abuse mounts up. And when these animals snap -- just for a minute -- they're so big and can be so dangerous that it's like a shotgun," said Russ Rector, a former dolphin trainer in Fort Lauderdale. "It does an incredible amount of damage in just a moment."
A spokesperson for the Occupational Safety and Health Administration confirmed that an investigator has been sent to the facilities to research the conditions and situation further. Today's remaining shows have been canceled, but as of now, the SeaWorld Orlando park is still open for business.
What's your stance on establishments like zoos and aquariums? Is it SeaWorld's fault for keeping these animals in protected, isolated environments, or was it just a fluke accident?
Read the full story with more details at the LA Times
