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Death during show at Sea World; Killed by Whale
Topic Started: Feb 24 2010, 04:38 PM (691 Views)
brittany

The whale was sold with restrictions because it was involved in 2 other deaths. It was supposed to be bought for breeding purposes only.
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Joan Foster

One of the two deaths that the Whale was "involved in"....was a homeless man who snuck in at night, jumped in the "pool" and was found the next day.

From what the experts are saying on every channel, these whales are very social in nature, stay in their pods for life...while this whale is kept isolated in a pool too small for him for days at a time..

Most of you who have dogs know that "mean dogs" are created.

The only thing different was her ponytail swiped his face. The pony tail was much longer than usual because she was going to donate her hair to a charity that makes wigs for children with cancer.

This is a tragedy. But the way this whale has been kept for 20 some years is something that needs to be addressed.
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Mason
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It is certainly a sad situation - these are wild animals.

However, I'm not buying that her hair smacked the 12,000 lb animal (that feeds on killer sharks in the wild) caused some injury or provocation.

Whenever I see that emotional writing in the Press, the alarms go off.

Remember, the first press reports they tried to pass off had the trainer falling into the pool.

.


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Carolyn says
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I surfed youtube and came up with this film of Orcas simultaneously attacking an ice floe that's holding a crab eating seal. You have to endure the 'tree hugging' gibberish of the people worrying about the seal but once you get past that, you see the incredible intelligence of the Orcas. They're a perfect killing machine.

First, one Orca starts it by locating the seal on the ice floe; she can't splash onto the floe as it's too big, plus the seal is right in the center of the flow. So the Orca then rises in the water and 'calls' for other Orcas to help her. The others arrive, and help her push the ice floe out into an open space. Once there, a group of Orcas line up shoulder to shoulder and race towards the floe; just as they reach it, they dive under it. The action simultaneously sends a massive wave of icy water over the floe, while diving under it tips the floe over. Result? The water washes the seal off the tipped floe into the mouth of the female Orca who's been waiting there with her jaws open the whole time. Very interesting.

Folks - Orcas aren't called "killer whales" because the name sounds cute. As the video shows, they earned that name. And unfortunately at Seaworld, one of them lived up to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3xmqbNsRSk


Edited by Carolyn says, Feb 26 2010, 03:29 PM.
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LTC8K6
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There is video of Orcas killing for sport, and playing with the dead bodies. Tossing the bodies back and forth to each other, too.

Whether the one in this case should be singled out, I can't really say.

I'd be mighty cranky if I were in a cage...
Edited by LTC8K6, Feb 26 2010, 01:44 PM.
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Foxlair45
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Carolyn says
Feb 26 2010, 01:36 PM
I surfed youtube and came up with this film of Orcas simultaneously attacking an ice floe that's holding a crab eating seal. You have to endure the 'tree hugging' gibberish of the people worrying about the seal but once you get past that, you see the incredible intelligence of the Orcas. They're a perfect killing machine.

First, one Orca starts it by locating the seal on the ice floe; she can't splash onto the floe as it's too big, plus the seal is right in the center of the flow. So the Orca then rises in the water and 'calls' for other Orcas to help her. The others arrive, and help her push the ice floe out into an open space. Once there, a group of Orcas line up shoulder to shoulder and race towards the floe; just as they reach it, they dive under it. The action simultaneously sends a massive wave of icy water over the floe, while diving under it tips the floe over. Result? The water washes the seal off the tipped floe into the mouth of the female Orca who's been waiting there with her jaws open the whole time. Very interesting.

Folks - Orcas aren't called "killer whales" because the name sounds cute. As the video shoes, they earned that name. And unfortunately at Seaworld, one of them lived up to it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p3xmqbNsRSk


Animals are what they are. I have a small horse farm and even the nicest, calmest horse can hurt you in a second, especially if spooked. The most relaxed, purr-y barn cat will snatch a pretty bird off the feeder without a second thought. People see too many movies where animals are given human characteristics. Worse, I am always running into someone who thinks they are the next "horse (or whatever) whisperer."
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kbp

:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

The first video popping up after watching the video CS posted (thanks!) was this one showing some perfect Killer Whale Feed!

You must see this whale food!
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Carolyn says
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kbp
Feb 26 2010, 02:07 PM
:roflmao: :roflmao: :roflmao:

The first video popping up after watching the video CS posted (thanks!) was this one showing some perfect Killer Whale Feed!

You must see this whale food!

Ah, man, I'll smear her with my own blood just so they'll be sure to find her in the water!



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foxglove

Mason
Feb 26 2010, 08:47 AM
The story keeps changing, so much so, I'm suspicious. With every new telling, they place more blame on the deceased.

ABCnews today even offered this account to make the 12,000 lb kitten the victim - Brancheau's long hair "swatted the whale in the face."

I see a campaign to minimize what happened.
Sea World is a big business and one of it's biggest draws is the orca shows. I am sure that a lot has been invested in the orcas and the training of them. IMO, the management wants to carry on and perhaps make a few changes, but it doesn't want to discourage the public from coming back to Sea World. IOW, they are attempting to minimize the PR damage.

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retiredLEO
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I saw some whale professional on television, saying that the whale did this on purpose. He went on to say that this is a plain and simple premeditated murder. Wow, I would never have thunk that.
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brittany

foxglove
Feb 26 2010, 04:21 PM
Mason
Feb 26 2010, 08:47 AM
The story keeps changing, so much so, I'm suspicious. With every new telling, they place more blame on the deceased.

ABCnews today even offered this account to make the 12,000 lb kitten the victim - Brancheau's long hair "swatted the whale in the face."

I see a campaign to minimize what happened.
Sea World is a big business and one of it's biggest draws is the orca shows. I am sure that a lot has been invested in the orcas and the training of them. IMO, the management wants to carry on and perhaps make a few changes, but it doesn't want to discourage the public from coming back to Sea World. IOW, they are attempting to minimize the PR damage.

Killer whales shows starting up again. Not even waiting for investigation findings. Greed.
Edited by brittany, Feb 26 2010, 07:14 PM.
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Joan Foster

"SeaWorld's rules for dealing with killer whales were either changed or broken by trainer Dawn Brancheau when a 22-foot-long orca dragged her to her death in front of horrified onlookers, her former mentor said yesterday.

Brancheau, 40, never should have lain down in the water close to Tilikum, the biggest orca in captivity, said Thad Lacinak, a former head trainer at the Orlando, Fla., theme park

That "is a very vulnerable position to be in with an animal like Tilikum," he said.

Tilikum, who was not trained to be in the water with people, saw Brancheau's drifting ponytail as a "novelty item" to be played with, Lacinak said.


"He's like, 'Hey, look, you're in the water. I'm going to play with you,' " Lacinak said.

The whale "just opened his mouth, sucked it in and pulled her in the water" to her death.

The medical examiner says she likely died of traumatic injuries and drowning.

Lacinak told "Good Morning America" that Brancheau, a veteran trainer, may have just blundered when she lay down on the shallow underwater shelf just off the whale tank.

"Dawn, if she was standing here with me, would tell you that it was her mistake that it happened," he said.

He suggested that Brancheau may have temporarily forgotten how dangerous the whales are.

"Sometimes, we get too comfortable working with these animals," he said. "Sometimes, we forget what they are."

Read more: http://www.nypost.com/p/news/national/orca_show_blunder_f1upIP1b4eRwhl3a6ChWeO#ixzz0gjl7lzz0
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cks
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IMHO, playing with wild animals is like playing Russian roulette. Foxlair is so right. One morning my mother and I were packing school lunches, our labrador retriever wanted to get at the gingerbread that we were packing, my mother shooed her away, the dog turned on us, bot my mother severely and me as well. My father had to beat our dog off with a broom - he was able to subdue her, muzzled her and called animal control to have her put down. I have never forgotten how quickly that occurred and it was a long time before I could feel comfortable around any dog.
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LTC8K6
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Assistant to The Devil Himself
Witnesses were saying that she was not in the water, though...
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Baldo
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She was laying in a small pool of water(ledge really) that is right next to the pool. It allows the illusion of being in the pool and where the mammals can jump up and on to. She is laying next to the whale nuzzling it and it is about 4 inches of water. The whale had its head on that ledge. It provided easy access for both the trainer and the whale.

The whale could have easily thought the ponytail was just another prop and grabbed it.

I wasn't there and it is easy to second guess, but my thoughts are the trainer was performing for the audience and she lost track of her surroundings with the whale. It only took a second.

Watch the video and you will see there appears to be more than one edge,

Posted Image
http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474978072292&grpId=3659174697244816&nav=Groupspace
Edited by Baldo, Feb 27 2010, 06:35 PM.
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