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SeaWorld trainer killed by killer whale

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Sadly there doesn't seem to be any parole for revenue earners like these... It's a crying shame to see them treated this way IMHO:(



Couldn't agree more.
Unfortunately Keiko's release sowed that their chances of survival out in the wild would be pretty slim if none due to several factors. Their resistance to diseases is diminished, they won't have the foggiest idea how to hunt or communicate with their wild brethren. A crying shame indeed.


"I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food."

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you are welcome. My friend was absolutely torn apart by it, so, I spent a lot of time last night counseling him. It's all apart of life. and death. It's unfortunate, but it happens. And I agree with those who say that the animals shouldn't be in captivity.
If you disbelieve everything because we cannot certainly know all things, we shall do much-what as wisely as he would not use his legs, but sit still and perish because he had no wings to fly.-JL

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For all of you that think they should not be in captivity:

What you don't know is that because we have them in captivity, they are not extinct.

Up until the early 60's, killer whales were shot at every opportunity. The US navy took the greatest role, by shooting hundreds of them near Iceland. Further, the first killers that were captured in the 60's and 70's had bullet scars. As late as 1973, the US Navy printed in a diving manual warning that killer whales "will attack human beings at every opportunity."

It was not until 1966 when Namu was taken into captivity that people's attitudes started to change. When he was brought in for display in Seattle, people soon learned that there were highly intelligent and normally docile with humans.

Since the 80's there have been several births at Sea World. There is now 2 generations of offspring at one park (Grandma, Mother, Daughter). How much of a chance of survival do you think they would have when they have never been in the wild?

Those at Sea World do everything in their power to keep them healthy and happy. They are not just property there, they are truly family. This is difficult for the average person to understand. When you work with animals and develop a close relationship with them, you develop a strong bond with them. So, for people to say that they are abused while being trained is BS. The whales at Sea World are to the point where some could say that they are spoiled rotten.

What I know about Tilikum is that he won't be put down. That would go directly against the culture at Sea World. I would even say that Dawn would not want to see that happen either.

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Since the 80's there have been several births at Sea World. There is now 2 generations of offspring at one park (Grandma, Mother, Daughter). How much of a chance of survival do you think they would have when they have never been in the wild?



That does NOT make it right. Survival at the price of freedom is not justfiable. - Would you like it? Would you rather live in prison or take your chances on the outside?

(.)Y(.)
Chivalry is not dead; it only sleeps for want of work to do. - Jerome K Jerome

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Don't you see the point that I was trying to make? They all would be dead if we did not have some in captivity to educate people with.

Even marine biologists who go out to sea and study them every day admit that they know very little about them compared to land animals.

Further, I ask you to justify humans having any animal in captivity such as your dog.

Have you ever scolded you dog for doing something wrong? If you are like most, you probably have. The animals at Sea World are NEVER disciplined. If the trainers had the practice of doing so, it would be impossible to work with the animals at the level that they do, let alone at all. Further, there would certainly be more injuries and fatalities.

Those who are against having them in captivity keep using the word "prison". You show me a prison where the "prisoners" are spoiled.

The only area that I can compromise on, is I wish that SeaWorld had the facilities to provide more space for them. I don't think this is out of the question. With time, you will see this happen.

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Sea World (and Zoos and Circuses too) are just modern equivalents of organ grinders panhandling for change with a live monkey on a leash.

When I was a kid I played a lot of hooky from school. (Catholic school so it was a self preservation move.) But unlike my friends doing the same, who'd play stickball or sneak into the peep shows on 42nd street, I'd spend the day alone roaming the great halls of the American Museum of Natural History. It was right around the corner from my home in New York City. I loved the dioramas featuring all the world's great animals and the full scale giant blue whale they had hanging over my little head. I devoured every word on the adjacent plaques explaining how and where they lived, what they ate, etc. Sure, some of these animals were stuffed specimens, but at least they were truly educational to the millions of people who saw them and were totally out of their misery.

On the other hand when my parents would drag me to the Central Park Zoo on a weekend I hated it. I never saw a happy looking animal in a zoo. And when these "businesses" use conservation as an excuse, well, it's very similar to the same reason outlaw motorcycle clubs do charity work. Plus Evolution dictates millions of species will die off, like so many have, so preserving some, especially just to make a buck, is a straw man argument.

As an aside eventually public places, like museums, art galleries and such eventually adopted a no-unaccompanied minor rule during school hours to combat us hooky players. So I'd just wait outside for a teacher with a class on a field trip who were similar to my age. Then I'd just tag on to the last kid and breeze right in past the guards. This was essential practice in developing my Ninja skills that served me later in life when I started B.A.S.E. jumping . . . LOL!

NickD :)

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This was essential practice in developing my Ninja skills that served me later in life when I started B.A.S.E. jumping



Now your secret is out! Next time I see a group BASE jumpers walking past the authority to the site, I'll just quickly walk behind them, and they'll never catch me :P
Trapped on the surface of a sphere. XKCD

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Even marine biologists who go out to sea and study them every day admit that they know very little about them compared to land animals.



Behavior in captivity bears very little resemblance to behaviour in the wild. yes they may breed, may take care of their young because they are genetically programmed to do so.

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Further, I ask you to justify humans having any animal in captivity such as your dog.


A dog is a domesticated in animal, as in formed over tens of thousands of years to live as human companion. Orcas are not.

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The only area that I can compromise on, is I wish that SeaWorld had the facilities to provide more space for them. I don't think this is out of the question. With time, you will see this happen.



With real estate becoming more of a luxury rather than a commodity I don't see this happening any time soon.


"I love cooking with wine. Sometimes I even put it in the food."

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because we have them in captivity, they are not extinct.



So you're saying that it was OK for humans to put Orcas in captivity so that humans did not kill them all in the wild?



In a way, Yes. It is highly likely that they would be extinct or close to it is humans did not have some in captivity. It is a fact that after the first one (Namu)was captured put on display and had human interaction people realised that they were not the savage beasts that they had been portrayed to be. It did not take long before there was enough public support to reverse the general attitude that they need to be killed off in the wild.

Even today 40 some years later, those in captivity help those in the wild. Look at the public outcry over the US navy's use of high energy sonar. Do you think people would care at all about some "fish" getting hurt if they never knew what they were like?

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Eh, not really. If I recall correctly they originally got that nickname from being observed in the wild hunting seals. Apparently when they "thrash" it's quite ferocious. Also... wasn't there an incident involving a group of Orcas making a quick snack out of some seals that were being released back into captivity a number of year ago?
"If this post needs to be moderated I would prefer it to be completly removed and not edited and butchered into a disney movie" - DorkZone Hero

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Not buying it. We became more eco-friendly as a species just because it was "natural" we'd eventually get smart enough to do so. Even now there's holdouts. Like fat drunks that camo up and kill deer, and other animals, with the excuse, "But, they're like rodents here."

Animals have it rough enough in the wild without hillbilly thrill killing . . . And don't say, "But we eat them!" It's not the frigging 18th century anymore!

NickD :)

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Behavior in captivity bears very little resemblance to behaviour in the wild. yes they may breed, may take care of their young because they are genetically programmed to do so.



I was not trying to imply that their behavior is the same. I was trying to say that if there were none in captivity, we would know a whole lot less about them. This is partly due to the direct result of studying them in captivity. But much more so becasue they are still alive in the wild and there are still some around to study.


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A dog is a domesticated in animal, as in formed over tens of thousands of years to live as human companion. Orcas are not.



So how is it fair that a dog or cat gets locked up every day in the house and keeping killer whales is wrong?

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With real estate becoming more of a luxury rather than a commodity I don't see this happening any time soon.



If an individual can purchase a 1000 acre piece of land here in the US, then real estate is not a problem. This place does not need to be in a population center like Orlando, San Diego or San Antonio. SeaWorld needs a place for for time off and retirement for them. The objection to this is that they have a hard time with change. Part of the issue that may have lead up to yesterday's incident was that there was construction going on there. Tilikum was probably stressed out becasue of it.

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(indicating to me that being held in captivity has somehow broken their will)



Their "will" has nothing to do with it. It has everything to do with them being in captivity and swimming the same pattern in the enclosure.



Actually, scientist are unsure as to why thier fins slump in captivity. Although there are theories, they are just that, un-proven and untested theories. So, no one really knows.

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I am a very firm believer that all of the captive Orcas...and porpoise should be released...period.

If you ever come up to visit.. I will take you out and introduce you to some.... in their home... where they belong



I agree completely with the sentiment all whales, dolphin, sea lions, etc. should be left in the wild where they belong.

I am not sure I am convinced_all_of those already in captivity should be released back into the wild. I would like to hope most--if not all--could be, though.

And in the interest of full disclosure, I did the Immersion at Marineland a couple years ago. I had an amazing time, however, I had a different impression of what their interactive programs were about before going in than I did coming out, unfortunately. [:/]
Paint me in a corner, but my color comes back.

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It was as late as 1957 that the US Navy was killing them by the 100's because they were considered a pest. In 1973 they still held them in contempt.

Now, we have came a long way since the 50's and even the 70's. I don't think you would see this happen again. But things would not have changed as soon if it was not for places like Sea World.

I do have a problem with how animals were displayed in the past. Once again, humans are trying to make it better for the animals. Further, I challenge you to find me a place that puts more effort into the health and well being of the Killer Whales at Sea World.

You have to know, that surgery can't be undertaken on a killer whale. So almost all care is preventative. That is kind of like taking half of all medicine and not being able to use it. So, they have to work extra hard to make sure that they never have medical problems.

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