the killer whale attack at sea world

Has anyone else heard the 911 calls that were released today? Hubby and I are watching CNN and they released the 911 tapes. First...they ADMITTED she should NOT have been in the tank with that whale. (he has a history of killing people. not his fault...he's a WILD animal...he should be in the WILD not performing for peoples pleasure...poor thing) second...i just can not believe how calm she was! she's talking like it's no big deal.

what really baffles me is there is talk of putting the whale down! this "experienced" trainer KNEW she wasn't supposed to be in the tank with him in the first place. she ADMITTED prior to getting in that he was dangerous. he's a wild animal. he's not a tame puppy. he's a whale. i feel bad for the woman and her family but why would you put yourself at risk by climbing into a tank with a whale who has already drowned two others and injured two more?????  (and from what i understand her pony tail was dangling in front of his face...which is how they feed them sometimes. dangle fish in front of his face....)

[Jennifer1987]

I thought she was pulled in from the side of the pool?? What I heard was her pony tail touched some sensitive part of the whale.. and That drove him mad then.. Its crazy how people can blame the whale, hes a wild animal, heck its in his name "killer whale".. As much as it amazes me that they can train these animals it doesn't change the fact that at heart they are wild and their instict is to attack/kill/survive what ever way they can!!

I to have sympathy for the family of that woman, it was an awful death and I hope an eye opener to that industry!!! Things need to be changed.. or esle it is going to continue to happen!! It was such an unnecessary death!

[penswriter]

from what cnn said was that she was on a small shelf inside the tank kneeling in the water. her pony tail was dangling in front of him which i guess made him think food. grabbed her pony tail and did the killer whale thing. thrashed her around the tank (which i'm guessing is something that they do when they're going to eat.) before dragging her to the bottom. which caused her to drown.

i just don't understand why she would climb into the tank with him KNOWING she wasn't supposed to. it doesn't matter if she was a trainer for 1 day, 10 years or 40 years. she KNEW it was against the rules yet she still did it.

[Lonelymom]

LETS FREE WILLY!!

[Jennifer1987]

And unfortunately she paid the ultimate price!! Its crazy, i still dont know how these shows are allowed go ahead. I was watching a clip on you-tube and it was about a dolphin show, the two dolphins were doing their thing, jumping around and all that. Then two of the dolphins jumped out of the water doing a trick at top speet and went  smack into eachother, one was killed instantly!!! I mean come on... Is that not a form of cruelty???

I think these shows should be reviewed and changed if not banned completely!!!

Just my two cents worth!!!!

[margypops]

Yes it is Jennifer, several years ago I was asked to go with a Flotilla of sailing boats out towards Catalina Island , Green peace had been notified that Sea World were out with their boats catching Dolphins in the Wild and taking them back to their aquarian ...we sailed out towards Catalina and formed a Blockade across their bows so they could not move or catch Dolphins.... I only went one time , but many more blockades have happened to stop it. If  had my way I would stop them having any of these creatures there at all.,I doubt if people know when you go there and see them they have been captured as Babies from Mothers and taken back into a life of slavery and captivity .....

[penswriter]

i agree. these poor animals are ripped from their homes and forced to perform for people's entertainment. the one who killed the trainer was already 2 when he was taken from his pod. (which i guess is very dangerous b/c they're already set in their ways.) it just breaks my heart knowing that these people are tearing babies away from their mothers. they may only be animals but those animals carried their babies in their wombs and to have them stolen away is just...awful.

[Jennifer1987]

Is might sound like a dopey question, but is it against the law to take them from the wild???  Is there laws that say your not allowed do it??? If not I think there should be something done in regards to this! Its horrible! They look so misreable in those small pools!!!

[margypops]

I am not certain now but it didnt used to be,against the law ,  I know several years ago there was a lot of trouble about it Sea world in San Diego were in trouble ,I will see what I can find out,I do know a lot of activists were involved ,we moved to Flroida where I became involved with in trying to save the Gopher turtles the contractors were burying alive ....

[margypops]

There is a lot about the dolphins and the law , the Sea Shepherd is the boat that goes out to try to stop them taking dolphins ..they are in Panama at presant where they want to take a lot,of dolphins away, go to      eyeofthedolphin.blogspot,com/   I am sorry Jennifer theres some nasty treatment out there the Turtles are supposed to be a protected species, what happens is that the contractors carry on with their digging and when it is taken to court they just get fined a big fine thats how they get out of it , the Gopher turtles are huge, I have pics of them and their nests ...I thought I had protected a lot by calling 'fish and Game' who would come out and put up a huge sign saying they were protected species ,but the big bulldosers went in , then as I say the contractors go to court and the judge fines them ....

[Jennifer1987]

Thats desperate!!! Its just a fact of life I guess. But Im glad to see people are trying to protect them!! God loves a tryer!!!

[margypops]

well I dont know about a fact of life maybe a fact of death ..some folks out there still trying to dig them out I expect .So I hope that they take this killing of the trainer seriously  it must be appalling to be shut up when an creature is that size and bribed to jump around a small area in shows, just imagine if it was us , we'd go mad very fast ....

[margypops]

and actually in this case it sounds like a horrible accident and the whale thought it was food ....

[narla]

I hate the fact of birds in cages it would be like chopping our legs off.Can you imagine been able to fly so free then dumped in a cage,and bird owners say they love their birds,to me birds in cages should also be banned.

[PrettyKitty1]

Margy,

The whale knew what he was doing. He has done this in the past where he drowns people. And actually, that is how they kill other whales in the wild. He did not eat her. Whales are not known for eating human beings. Something triggered this behavior. He has been in captivity for two decades now. Which means he was caught in Iceland when he probably had already formed a family. Orcas are extremely social animals and get depressed if they don’t interact with other orcas. They keep Tilikum in a tank, isolated for up to three days because the other orcas in the aquarium will only accept him when they want babies. He is the only whale who is kept separated from the others and it has taken its toll on the poor thing. I’d say free Tilly.  He deserves it. But it doesn’t look like he will be released after two decades of being in captivity. Besides, he is 40 years old. They expect him to live five or six more years. So their reasoning is ‘Let the whale die under our care’

Do I agree? Heck no. It is clear that the poor thing has never been able to adjust to being kept in small tanks.

I hope tweety is doing better :)

[Jennifer1987]

LMAO, free Tilly!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[StormyRenee]

I don't feel that animals should be in captivity.  How would you like to be snatched from your home and put on display ? What do they think would happen...Humans are the crueliest of all animals.Guess we are not at the top of the food chain afterall....

“The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated”
Mahatma Gandhi....

[margypops]

We all agree on the inhumaneness of this Its difficult to know what would happen if he was free'd but I sure would, what else is there , you are right narla about birds , I knew someone had a large cockatoo it was so frustrated at being kept for many years in a cage too small that it pecked its feathers off , and bit any who went up to the cage ....it learned to hate in the end , how is that a good pet, why would you want to bother having one ...So back to tilly, I say free him ....and be an activist in saying NO to dolphins/whales being stuck in thesed nasty aquarians , the children woulnt care if they went to Disney instead and had some rides , its more fun anyway ...

[penswriter]

i've been reading that they don't want to release him for fear that no other ocra pod would accept him and he'd die from predators (sharks and what not).

poor guy never had a chance. I can understand zoo's. most zoo's have breeding programs (the one near me does) to help SAVE species from going extinct. that i can understand. they have plenty of room, are with other animals and are aiding in the survival of their species. not to mention they don't perform for crowds. we just watch them and how they act. but sea world...there's no reason for sea world. dolphins, whales, seals, sharks should be left alone. they're not going extinct and they weren't created for our entertainment.

[margypops]

I have always felt sad about this, I think it is good to put in a written protest ,or an e-mail, thing is he would at least have a chance in the Ocean,  he will either be put down , and that wont be good or he will be like thisin a tank,  probably going mad ...I dont know so much going on with these creatures,putting it in writing does help,I have laways protested , sometimes we win ..most times not but at least you try ...You know I do believe what I said above if you took kids to all the other wonderful places like Disney and The many others round the country they wouldnt feel deprived..want to see a whale take a look out in the ocean off California they are there happily playing in the Ocean, I see Dolphins a lot they have followed my boat right into Catalina harbor..Its a fine sight ...

[mami1323]

I wrote on another forum about this.  I'm just afraid that since these whales are in capitivity for so long and are given food and don't have to hunt for their food, wouldn't they die in the ocean?  Or is it just a natural instinct they have to hunt?

[MissmyAngel]

That is so sad about poor Tilly. He is obviously frustrated. He isn't accepted by the other whales in the tanks and is being kept alone for a lot of the time, except for breeding purposes. Sea World doesn't want to give him up, because he's made them a lot of money by breeding him out! Geez!
In the article I read, it says that he was a part of the show in Sealand, but they closed down because of bad publicity when he killed someone else. That is when Sea World bought him.

[margypops]

Nasty isnt it when we see it written down like this , maybe time for another protest lest they replace him if he goes...Public opinion does matter, they wont like the bad publicity ,it costs them money , I am going to see if there ia a protest being signed anywhere , to at least stop them aquiring more .If that Sealand closed downbecause of bad publicity problem is the place is so popular its up to Folks to find another source to see whales and Dolphins maybe a trip out on a boat view them in the wild .

[Jennifer1987]

The audience must be tramutised!!!! Imagine seeing that happen!! Id have a freak attack!!! Wonder if any of them would protest to have it shut down? I sure as heck would!! There were kids there, they must have been terrified.. Imagine the caous!!!!!!

[PrettyKitty1]

It is absolutely disgusting what mankind has done to these animals....I am disgusted.

[specialmom]

All very true. It is amazing though that an audience keeps showing up.  It is like elephants in the circus.  You know it is not the right thing and you feel terrible for the elephants but it is the favorite  part of the show for many.  So when they can still  make money from it, they will continue to do it.  

[specialmom]

Maybe letters would help----------  I always think when something is on my mind like this that taking some type of action feels better than doing nothing.

[Jennifer1987]

Speaking of the elephants in a circus a local fella where I live worked in a circus and travelled around with them. he was attacked and badly injured by an elephant!! Practically ripped apart! The elephant was the innocent party in this case, was frightened and scared!  
Poor guy is called elephant-man now by the locals! But hes damn lucky to be alive!

Its so cruel!!!

[margypops]

Yes I do believe that written or e-mailed protest help somewhat, and boycotting these places of course. Sometimes one can find groups that are making bigger protests like Peta does ...

[ChitChatNine]

I wonder how many in the audience will sue for emotional issues witnessing this.  Especially the kids - nightmares, etc.

C~

[margypops]

Yes they should in my opinion It must have been terible I saw a nasty thing happen to an animal when I was 5 year old , it has stayed with me all my life even though I have put it aside, it pops back up when I am under presssure ...Hey have to tell you, PETA is involved they had protests outside Sea World yeasterday, to free the Whales, I am hoping this movement will get bigger, anyone can do their bit by e-mailing a protest to Sea World.com ot going to PETA and posting a protest with them ...

[mami1323]

The sad thing is that I used to love sea world.  Its when you get older that you realize that these animals our suffering for our own entertainment.  You do tend to forget, just like the elephants specialmom.  I still go to the circus but know that they make these animals perform.  Does anyone remember the unicorn controversy?  When Barnum and Bailey's circus surgically implanted the unicorn on the horse.  They were hit with crazy boycotts and animal rights groups attacking.  

[margypops]

I understand how the extremist activists feel but I couldnt go that far I would rather do it quietly and write the protests and make sure I am heard that way or dig out the tortoises .as was possible . I do understand how passionate they can get when their protests go unheard ..we did get animal fur stopped remember that was by the protests its all faux fur now and more endangered animals around .Imagine the Chaos if we didnt have PETA and Greenpeace ,

[Judy246]

I live in Chicago and the trainer that died in this whale incident has her service at the parish where I work here in Chicago. It was at St. Rita of Cascia, Chicago, IL..southside. There must have been 100's of cars. It was very sad and interesting that although she died in Fl. Her family had her wake here in Chicago.

[margypops]

So sad and sad for her family, I guess she was doing the job she loved ..they say that , I do hope they let him free but somehow I doubt it , I expect the Notoriety will bring paying visitors in droves ...

[Jennifer1987]

Im just watching "when good pets go bad" and boy is it deadly.. They're not even pets, they are wild animals that are kept locked up!! And what amazes me is the trainers are "shocked" when they get attacked..

So far a woman got attacked by a killer whale cause she was taking a ride on his back, a man got his head biten bu a crocodile (in fairness he did put it in there lol), a dog got ate by a 10foot bowa constrictor, and a circus manager got attached by a bear and an elephant went mental and attached a trainer......

One woman had a pitbull dog trained to attack anyone she wanted.. Wow he did somw damage and was put down!!!

Its just so so sick to watch, but the people doing this documentary said its wrong and are trying to do something about it!!!

Im sicken watching this :-(

[StormyRenee]

Why are we surprised at what animals do? Whats suppose to set us apart from the animals is our superior intelligence and that we have a conscience.(which I have doubts about both)But do these things really make a difference ?Humans commit horrible crimes everyday that are the eqivalent to are so-called wild animal counterparts....More often worse...Animals do not abuse their children.Animals do not commit murder just for the sake of killing...
If a human abucts a child or anyone for that matter.Holds them captive aginst their will.Forces them to perform acts that they do not want to do.With the use of cattle prods and only heaven knows what else. If the human kills the abductor and flees it is considered heroic..... Even if the abductor is not killed ,maybe he/she is caught by the police and punished for their crimes.....
See where I'm going with this.....

[Jennifer1987]

Im not surprised what what animals do, I would expect them to do all what they did on that show last night! Its the humans that tic me off... There surprised faces when they realised they had just been attacked by a WILD bear makes me laugh!!!

I dont think I understand where you were going with that post???

[margypops]

So guys we put our money where our mouth is and we peacefully protest ...we dont ever visit Zoos and Sea world we get the word out about them ...we keep our ear to the ground and we make ourselves heard...... Join Peta  they may seem over dramatic but its about saving innocent animals, they do good work ..

[StormyRenee]

Sorry Jennifer....I was refering to the animal as a person and putting them in the place of someone who has been abducted....Because thats basically what we do to them...

I was trying to prove a point. Humans commit horrible acts of violence aginst animals everyday.Horrible violent acts!And nothing happens to those vile things that commit those acts. But  If those same people  were to commit those same acts aginst humans that are done to the poor defensless scared animals what would happen? That person would be punished to the full extent of the law. Animal abuse laws need to be made stricter. Murder is Murder!
I have been putting my money where my mouth is for years...If enough like minded people band together great things can be accomplished....
The circus is one of the worst offenders too.They are notorious for abuse.
This is something that I am very active in.I do whatever it takes to support the cause....Even little things can make a difference if enough people do them.
I only use animal cruelity free products and I do not eat any meat. Peta is a great organization.But there are also local groups in your areas  that need help too. Sending money is great but most of these groups need people. The work may not be pretty but cleaning kennels,working with animals  and doing what ever else the animals need makes a difference you can actually see. These places need towels,blankets,toys,food.Even things like  pens  and printer paper help .....
Not only  put your money where your mouth is like MaryPops said....Please give of yourself aswell......

[Jennifer1987]

Oh I get you now!!!! Thats actually a good way of putting it!!! Its true unfortunately! These animals have no voice, the only way to express themselves is to attack!!!! Its sick that we as humans allow this to take place!

[StormyRenee]

StormyReneetor...LOL I love that.....

[Jennifer1987]

Lol, sorry!!! Didnt realise that lol......  Its the way it went into the thing lol!!!!