I killed in self-defense!
By Netsbridge
@Netsbridge (3253)
United States
February 25, 2010 6:25pm CST
What do you think should happen to repeat killer, killer whale, that killed its trainer? I say: Let the creature back into its natural habitat. That whale simply wants out! Though its survival in the wild may be questionable, I think that even a day of freedom may be worth everything. This killer whale should have been released after its first killing!
If these wildlifes do not accept captivity by being passive, then do not hold them captive! The other sad side of this unfortunate incident is that henceforth any whale seeking freedom may assume it will have to kill humans in order to gain its freedom.
5 people like this
8 responses
@owlwings (43910)
• Cambridge, England
26 Feb 10
The whale was apparently being playful and grabbed its trainer's ponytail, holding her under water. Whales can survive underwater much longer than humans and the whale simply may not have understood this. If the animal really wanted to kill its trainer, it would have made a much more obvious move.
Keeping such animals in captivity in the first place is not a good thing, though some come into captivity because they are injured and, once recovered would not survive in the wild. I don't know the history of this particular whale and how it came to be in captivity but it is almost certain that, if released, it would not be able to join a pod and lead a normal life.
@spalladino (17891)
• United States
26 Feb 10
I'm in Florida and was able to watch and listen to quite a few eye witness reports about the incident before Sea World officials started trying to spin the story. All of the whales were obviously stressed yesterday, according to witnesses who were there. They were so out of control during a performance just before this happened that all of the trainers had to get out of the water and let them do whatever they wanted to do. Immediately before this whale grabbed his trainer he was swimming around the small holding tank that he was in, very fast...another sign of stress. Because of these additional details...which Sea World are trying their best to gloss over...I don't believe that the whale was being playful. He was upset or angry and obviously very aggressive. Eye witnesses on the lower level who had an underwater view reported that he was violently shaking and bumping her once he had her under the water.
1 person likes this
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
26 Feb 10
Owlwings, I have also heard some people make your same suggestion that the creature may just have been playing with its trainer. That could very well be a possibility. Howover, since this particular killer whale was known to have killed before, I find it inexcusable that the facility continued to exhibit the creature! But as told by Spalladino here, the creature may just have had enouogh!
@Justathought12 (103)
• United States
26 Feb 10
So these eye witnesses were able to speak to the whale and were told by the whales that they were stressed? Or perhaps they could read the whales minds? Other than tossing her up in the air, how else do whales play with anything, perhaps they shake it. And just how long have you been an expert on whale behavior, perhaps you should be running the whale program at Sea World?
@lilwonders456 (8214)
• United States
26 Feb 10
I would say release the poor whale. He does not like people..he does not like captivity...let him go.
And think of the standards they are kept in. Comparing how big they are...and they fact that they are used to swimming in a HUGE ocean and migrating....the tanks they keep them in at Sea World are like a Bath Tub to them.
Let them go. Do we really need to keep them in captivity? I can see doing it to keep a species from going extinct...but other than that...let them live in the wild. That is where they belong.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
26 Feb 10
Lilwonders, I do not think that they are ever going to get it! The poor creature kept telling them it did not want to be in captivity but they would not listen to it! I bet the killer whale thought it would surely be released the very first time it killed a human!
@jb78000 (15139)
•
26 Feb 10
sooneration - where exactly did you read this? this i can tell you i of course not true. second most populous mammal - could be cats, dogs, rats, mices, cattle, rabbits. all possibilities. killer whales are not as yet endangered but they are not anywhere the most populous mammal on the planet.
lil agreed, keeping them in basically swimming pools is pretty unfair. also they don;t breed quickly in captivity, or live very long. they have much more chance of reproducing in the wild. i can see why tigers could be the subjects of captive breeding programs but wouldn't work with orcas.
@irisheyes (4370)
• United States
28 Feb 10
Could not agree with you more. We have no business holding these animals in captivity for our entertainment and that it what I think we've done here. You're right, this whale should have been released after it killed the first time. This was human error, human stupidity and human vanity. Surely a "killer" whale can do okay in its natural habitat. If the ocean's largest predator can't survive in the ocean, what can?
@clrumfelt (5490)
• United States
27 Feb 10
Since the whale had killed in the past, I think those responsible for continuing to use it in the shows should be held responsible. They explained they wouldn't kill it because it is useful for breeding and teaching the other animals, but they should keep it away from visitors. Can you imagine being one of the kids there watching that show as the whale pulled its trainer into the tank and drowned her? It should not have been performing.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
2 Mar 10
Drumfelt, this morning - 03/01/10 - I heard a man who said he was one of the trainers at the original facility tilikum first killed at say that when tilikum was sold to its current facility it was agreed that the whale was to be for breeding only, a job tilikum is said to have been good at. The man was indeed angry to know that the facility continued to exhibit tilikum even after the previous deaths.
1 person likes this
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
26 Feb 10
I, too, say, let the killer whale go! Now, let's hope our dimwits at the facility will see as we see.
@laura_lmaxi (678)
• United States
26 Feb 10
Well I am not a professional in the field but I think this whale, should not put in any of those shows again, however I doubt of its possibility of live in the open ocean, this whale hasn't learn how to live in a wildlife, because it probably was born on captivity or spend the majority of its life in captivity, so this whale doesn't really know how to hunt for food and things like that, so I don't think the whale will be able to survive in the ocean, I think it should be put outside of the shows, but not release.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
26 Feb 10
It does not matter that much now: Since the creature has shown that it wants out, I think it should be let out, regardless!
@658294 (35)
• United States
26 Feb 10
The killer whale is only reacting to a bad situation or a problem the only way he knows how when his needs are not met or addressed. Some of the trainers have not made any progress at any real comunication with this powerful and intelligent animal.
@Netsbridge (3253)
• United States
26 Feb 10
I think that you are right, which is why we should not be holding these creatures captives.