Bad Shamu, bad ....

[TheSpecialist]

SeaWorld trainer killed by killer whale - CNN.com

[JohnR]

While I think it is horrible the trainer was killed, I could not stop laughing when I saw the thread title...

Queue South Park "Whale Wars" episode

[BigFish]

Do they eat seals??

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Do they eat seals??

No only trainers! This is the 3rd for this particular orca.

[striperman36]

My friend who trains tigers has always said. Never play with them from the time they are born, they can kill you with a single swat.
I was on a shoot for mercury in the 70's, the grown things used bowling balls as toys, just drop out of their mouths like nothin. The ones he has at the Cape May Zoo, they have like tractor tires to play with. No humans inside the fence, Rocky can see, smell and hear you a hundred yards away....

This was an 11,000 lb 22' creature, humans are playtoys....

[MAKAI]

What's the point of keeping Orcas in jail for earthy crunchy enjoyment anyway.
That 'll learn ya.

[Katie]

Originally Posted by JohnR

Queue South Park "Whale Wars" episode

Great episode.

[Rob Rockcrawler]

So if a dog bites someone twice they put it down. But Willy can snack on people?

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by Rob Rockcrawler

But Willy can snack on people?

Willy Generates revenue

[Raven]

I do like the concept of hugging a tree if you can get a charge out it right up your spine... actually you put your spine to a tree not your chest... but i also love cutting them with a chain saw too...

The poison method doesn't work because it doesn't selectively take out the target species the way a bullet would... and then other animals will eat the poisoned animal and die...

that being said... i have to agree with PETA (even tho i hate them) that keeping a WHALE
in a pool is like having a porpoise in a bathtub.... even though i feel we can dominate any species ....these whales are EXTREMELY intelligent...maybe even more so than HUMANS,,,

imagine devising a scheme of using a circle of bubbles to coral a school of fish... and we are still using nets

So my point is...EACH individual Animal "Being" whale, whatever has it's own personality and can "choose" to be ultimately kind or brutal and there is no blanket philosophy that covers all behaviors. so.... release that bastard and free his willy

[PRBuzz]

Just a bit of information as we talk about killer "whales":

Orcas are actually the largest member of the dolphin family. They're misnamed killer whales because of their knack for hunting down almost anything that roams the sea.


TDF: "Willy Generates revenue"

We humans (I use that term loosely) will put anything in a cage and charge an admission fee for entertainment if it generates a $ ! Even human anomalies are shown in the circus.

[robc22]

Third person killed by the same whale......whats up with that???

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by PRBuzz

TDF: "Willy Generates revenue"

We humans (I use that term loosely) will put anything in a cage and charge an admission fee for entertainment if it generates a $ ! Even human anomalies are shown in the circus.

Oh I know......why do you think reality TV is so popular. People love to watch any kind of freak show.

[Rockfish9]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Do they eat seals??

They LOVE 'em..... discovery aired show recently showing some of the orca's beaching themselves to get the pups....

If that was the neighbors pit bull the cry to put it down would be deafining.. Kevin hit the nail on the head.. it's about money...


Originaly, it was reported she fell into the pool with this particular orca, one that because of it's size, is not normaly swam with... this morning, same news station, claimed he( the Orca) actualy came out of the water and grabbed her.... I'm sure we will hear more about this story soon..

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by BigFish

Do they eat seals??

Enjoy the video:

[PaulS]

The killer whale went killer whale.

[HESH2]

few months back showed killer whales killing great whites so why not trainers.let the whale go.

[Pt.JudeJoe]

This is terrible ,how could this happen? I'm sorry, what kind of whale did you say this was?

[Dick Durand]

Apparently, the whale was uncooperative earlier that day. Three deaths and still kept in a pool when they roam the ocean. I remember the polar bear at Slater Park years ago that swayed side to side all day long. And to think we have cabin fever.

[zimmy]

Originally Posted by Pt.JudeJoe

This is terrible ,how could this happen? I'm sorry, what kind of whale did you say this was?

[JohnnyD]

F&#ka You Whale and F&#ka Dolfiineee!!!

[WoodyCT]

I understand he just wanted to play, but he held the trainer under until she drowned.

If it had been an aggressive attack they'd still be skimming and vacumming trainer parts out of the pool.

[FishermanTim]

It's always just a matter of time before the whales either learn that they CAN attak their captures, or they finally snap and go stir crazy.
Remember, a guilded cage is still a cage, no matter how pretty you make it look. I wouldn't put it out of the realm of possibilities that this adult male whale was exerting HIS dominance in HIS realm.
Although WE made this creature what he is today, WE also bear the responsibility for resolving the issue. Since this creature has proven on NUMEROUS OCCAISIONS that it can and will take a human life, WE should treat it no differently than if a bear or dog had attacked a human. The most humane (ironic to say the least) thing would be to put it down. I couldn't even begin to imagine how this creature would survive if released, or if it could for that matter.

Another point to consider (for comparative reasons):
Adult male elephants are not used in circus shows because when the elephant reaches true adulthood, they become unpredictable and uncontrolable. Most stories of rampaging elephants are usually males and had been in the circus venues for most of thier lives.
Think about a moody, unresponsive, aggressively defiant 3-5 ton hormone-raging teenager and that's similar to these elephants.

I am not a fan of these "captured" animal shows, because the animals were either taken from their natural environment, or bred in captivity (making them conditioned for human support).
In otherwords, the animal equal to slavery. Sure, they can be well fed, pampered and exercised regularly, but since they are removed from their natural environment and native fellow whales, they are in essence, in a prison.....FOR LIFE!

Remember Kiko, the inspiration for "Free Willy?
They released her up north, and she died after hanging around the salmon farms somewhere near Greenland (I believe). She died from an infection, that she had no immunities against, having been in captivity for most of her life. The bottom line was that she had been so accustomed to human interaction, that she couldn't interact witgh members of her own species.

OK, enough ranting...you'll start thinking that I'm a member of PETA or some other animal rights exremist group.
I say put him down and turn the tank into a fishing pond!

[PRBuzz]

Originally Posted by WoodyCT

I understand he just wanted to play, but he held the trainer under until she drowned.

Minor detail that an orca can hold it breath just a little longer than a human,,,,,,,

Maybe that wasn't part of the training...let the trainer come to the surface every couple of minutes?

[The Dad Fisherman]

Originally Posted by FishermanTim

Adult male elephants are not used in circus shows because when the elephant reaches true adulthood, they become unpredictable and uncontrolable. Most stories of rampaging elephants are usually males and had been in the circus venues for most of thier lives.

Same thing with Chimpanzees.....most of the ones you see on TV are juvenile....once they get on in years they can turn and rage for no apparent reason.

Look at that woman in CT......had her face ripped off by a pet chimp. They are savage when they go off

[RIJIMMY]

Originally Posted by robc22

Third person killed by the same whale......whats up with that???

a joke in poor taste, but I laughed out loud listeneing to the radio today -
talk show host said -

" This whale is the Amy Bishop of the sea"

[PRBuzz]

7 min of fan video immediately preceding the attack. You can see at the very end the handler is in the water right next to the whale.

Video