Living up to its name.

Not the whale's fault.  It's probably thinking "Uh, HELLO! What part of "Killer Whale" don't you get?  I mean, my name isn't Tilikum the Friendly Whale, after all!"

That said, I feel bad for the trainer and her family.  I hope she loved her job.

i always found it amazing that there are pretty much no reports of killers ever killing anyone in the wild.  they are absolutely vicious hunters out there. obviously very smart as well.

Whoa....kinda like how they blitz the beach and snatch seals out of the surf and thrash em.  Crazy.

Just curious if she was wearing a wet suit or some other dark clothes that may have made her look like a seal. The fall into the water may have triggered a reflex. Either way I doubt there was any malice, but a plop into the water could be like tossing a string in front of a cat, they just can't resist.

Very tragic!

Enough already, set him free to roam the wild seas again-just as long as he is not cruising around where we fish:)

I doubt they're going to release the whale.  I'd have to imagine that while it does have some wild instincts, it probably wouldn't be able to last on it's own having been in captivity for so long.

Very tragic!

Enough already, set him free to roam the wild seas again-just as long as he is not cruising around where we fish:)

I doubt they're going to release the whale.  I'd have to imagine that while it does have some wild instincts, it probably wouldn't be able to last on it's own having been in captivity for so long.

News said they are not putting him down, despite not playing nice he is still VERY valuable as a stud.

"and one of her shoes flew off." <<< WTF? 

the whale heard voices

3 strikes and its out...

oh wait its already in prison...hmmm

Seriously though if we released it now, wouldnt it just go up to piers look cute, then take off with your friend?

if only the trainer had a gun....

   


What amazes me is how seldom this happens. All things being equal, I would think humans look like a meal to killer whales.

Ben

Very tragic!

Enough already, set him free to roam the wild seas again-just as long as he is not cruising around where we fish:)

I doubt they're going to release the whale.  I'd have to imagine that while it does have some wild instincts, it probably wouldn't be able to last on it's own having been in captivity for so long.

News said they are not putting him down

Yeah, I read that this morning in the paper.

despite not playing nice he is still VERY valuable as a stud.

But how valuable is he?  Is that the gene pool they want to have in future whales?  I guess it goes back to nature vs. nurture, is it inherited or learned?

I must admit,
I have taken my family to Sea World every other year for the last eight.
We always enjoyed the show and were always amazed at how well the whales and trainers got along. I really feel sad for both the Whale and the trainer, they both loose in this situation.

Killer whales can 'feel' things in the water with sonar, whereas white sharks 'feel' things with their mouth. 

Wild whales are also not bored as heck in a confined, featureless pool.

Very tragic!

Enough already, set him free to roam the wild seas again-just as long as he is not cruising around where we fish:)

I doubt they're going to release the whale.  I'd have to imagine that while it does have some wild instincts, it probably wouldn't be able to last on it's own having been in captivity for so long.

News said they are not putting him down

Yeah, I read that this morning in the paper.

despite not playing nice he is still VERY valuable as a stud.

But how valuable is he?  Is that the gene pool they want to have in future whales?  I guess it goes back to nature vs. nurture, is it inherited or learned?

Est. $2M. I guess sometime in the 70's there was a ban on capturing and keeping orca's.  The ones currently doing backflips in the swimmin pool were caught previous or are offspring born in captivity.  So if you're Sea World, the only way to ensure you have orca's to please the masses is to grow your own.  I'm guessing gathering whale sperm in the wild isn't an option so they take what they can get....even if your stud has an attitude problem.