Shamu just killed his trainer at Sea World!

Perhaps what was done for KEIKO could be done for TILIKUM.

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"At The Worlds Beginning There Was A Mother"
~ Chinese Tao Te Ching~

more like TILIKILLEM

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"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow the fields of those who don't."-Thomas Jefferson

Actually that cost millions of dollars (paid for by private donor) and I'm not sure that was such a roaring success.

If Keiko was the 'Free Willey' whale, he didn't last long in the wild.

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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.

Popeye

From what I've read, the only reason he hasn't been off'd is because they've got so much money tied up in him as a "herd sire." However, if I had a bull on my farm that was agressive, had a bad attitude, etc, I would not want to pass on those charactaristics to the offspring. He's a 12-thousand pound beast, and should be treated as such. However, he should have been off'd after the first death.

The last poster was kinda correct. It's hard to get formerly wild animals interested in breeding in an unnatural setting so if he was able to have either 13 or 17 offspring (it varies from website to website), then I would say he is rather a popular guy to the females. Also from what I understand, if the animal is born in captivity, they often do not know how to have sex OR have a marked disinterest in it because some animals are real prudes and would rather breed in a private and apparently romantic setting. A lot of birds won't breed in public...some reptiles have a very specific trigger to get them into breeding condition and then the right time to get them in the mood to mate.

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Ted H

You may all go to Hell, and I will go to Texas.
-Davy Crockett

I'm with the put him down croud. If my dog or bull or whatever was actively aggressive there would be no question - he would be put down wether by me or the authorities. It wouldn't matter wether it was his fault, my fault, the victims fault; circumstances, illness, or old age. Circumstances are what they are for whatever reason the bottom line is someone (several) people were killed by this same whale. He should have been put down after the 1st positively identified incident.

One thing I'm wondering is if she became "comfortable" with him and was off guard or too trusting at the wrong time. I don't know what whale training protocol entails.

I feel bad for the trainer & her family. She knew the risks though, and willingly & happily took them by choice. Still it is very very sad. I'll be praying for her family.

HF

A tractor does not think/operate on its own. The relative would be erring in the operation of the tractor.

A killer whale, does have a brain and reacts.

Well, he's an intact male orca. Wonder how many of those are in captivity? I would doubt his behavior is an aberration, more that he's just not been grumpy enough till now.

Not his fault. But to put such massive creatures in kiddie pools and not expect them to get irked occasionally... kinda seems like w "Well, duh" to me.

People don't care about things till it all goes wrong. Dump toxins into the water, sure great. Keep giant predators and make 'em do tricks? Great fun for the family.

Oh you liked that one eh! I got more, you wanna hear'm?

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r.h. in oklahoma

Raised a country boy, and will die a country boy.

Nah, but if you have video of yourself breathing through your nostrils that may be interesting...Rumor has it you can, but y'know, no one believes it.

Perhaps the wisest and most humane action would be to remove him from public displays and just house him in another area within the park's breeding facility. I expect intact male wild animals to act aggressively, but that's me

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"Perhaps I'll have them string a clothesline from the hearse I am in, with my underwear waving in the breeze, as we drive to the cemetary. People worry about the dumbest things!"
by Wendy

This isn't a DOMESTIC animal. It's wildlife. He shouldn't have been made into a performer, which no doubt induces too much stress for this sort of creature.

We expect dogs, after 10,000+ years of domestication, to be able to fit into polite society. No such expectation exists for wildlife (or should).

According to someone on NBC News (we all know how accurate that is...), when he was bought from the place in Canada, part of the agreement was that he was supposed to NOT be put in shows because of his behavior issues, and merely used for breeding.

Well, it seems that she was in the water with Tillicum before the killing. This video is of the performance being given for the dine with Shamu dinner. I watched the whole thing, and at about 6:20 it shows her in the water riding the Orca. It is said to end seconds before he grabs her.

http://www.wesh.com/video/22671481/index.html

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I yam what I yam and that's all what I yam.

Popeye

The Orca didn't leap out of the water and attack the trainer..they were both in the water..he grabbed her floating pony tail and took off under the water with "it"..how is an Orca supposed to know that the human in the water cannot breathe, nor endure being shaken like a leaf? I feel sorry for the trainer..and her family..and those vacationers who witnessed her death..yet what the? It's an Orca, not a puppy.

From what I understand is, she was feeding him. her ponytail swung around his face. he could have thought it was a fish.

she was not a girl, she was 40 years old and knew the whale and his history.
this is a intact breeding bull whale the largest in capivaty. I feel she got too comfortable with the whale and was not on guard. She knew the risks.

The homeless man who took a swim died by his on actions.
Both trainers were women.
I don't mean to to be crud, could it have been the wrong time of the month for her?

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He who thinks he knows, doesn't. He who knows he doesn't know, knows.~ Joseph Campbell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeMrK...AE7062ADE5A19C

Could it be that one of the other whales is pregnant?


"In 1991, a 20-year-old student and part-time orca trainer, slipped and fell into the whale pool after a show. The three orcas dragged and repeatedly submerged her until she drowned, despite other trainers' efforts to rescue her. The poor relations between the whales, unfamiliarity with trainers in the water, and the pregnancy of at least one of the females (Haida II) were cited as possible causes."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sealand_of_the_Pacific

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He who thinks he knows, doesn't. He who knows he doesn't know, knows.~ Joseph Campbell

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aeMrK...AE7062ADE5A19C

I totally agree with you!

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I'm running so far behind I thought I was first!

http://hickahala.blogspot.com/

Well, this was not a dog, it is a wild animal. If someone crawls into a grizzly bear exhibit at the zoo, the bear in all likelihood is going to eat them. Is it the bears fault? No, it is the fault of the person who crawled in the cage. Likewise an orca is a wild animal and this woman came into his space, his home if you will. He only did what nature told him to do. This woman knew the risks, or at least should have, and willingly took the chance that he wouldn't kill her. She was wrong.

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Flaming Xtian
I like your Christ, I do not like your Christians. Your Christians are so unlike your Christ.
Mahatma Gandhi


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