Living up to its name.

Sad, but thats what happens with WILD animals!A SeaWorld employee died this afternoon during an incident at SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium, an Orange County Sheriff's Office official confirmed.

SeaWorld, rescue personnel and the Sheriff's Office are not revealing the identity of the victim, although a local TV station is reporting that a female employee was killed after she was grabbed by one of the theme park's whales at the start of a public show.

Park guest Victoria Biniak told Local 6 that the trainer was a veteran of SeaWorld and had just finished explaining to the audience the show they were about to see.

At that point, Biniak said, the whale came up from the water and grabbed the woman.

"He was thrashing her around pretty good. It was violent,'" Biniak told Local 6.

The whale "took off really fast in the tank, and then he came back, shot up in the air, grabbed the trainer by the waist and started thrashing around, and one of her shoes flew off."

She said sirens went off and everyone was forced to leave the stadium.

Guests were evacuated from the area, and the whale show was cancelled. The park is not shut down.

Orange County Fire Rescue personnel arrived on scene within five minutes of receiving a 911 call for an unknown medical condition just prior to 2 p.m., a spokesman said. The woman was dead when rescue officials arrived.

The Sheriff's Office is on the scene.

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Sad, but yeah wild animals are wild animals. Though I liked seeing the orca shows as a kid, I cringe to see an animal like that in captivity today.

What a terrible thing to happen, but I'm just not that surprised.

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

 ....remember when that lady's pet chimp "went crazy" and ripped her friends face apart? 

....or that dude that had a pet anaconda that slipped out of it's cage one night and then strangled his baby  to death while sleeping in his crib 

That has to be about the third time I have heard of some one getting it in the whale tank.  I hate saying it but some times it is better to just let the wild ones be wild.  Most likely they will put this one down. very Sad

That has to be about the third time I have heard of some one getting it in the whale tank.  I hate saying it but some times it is better to just let the wild ones be wild.  Most likely they will put this one down. very Sad

Apparently it's the third time this orca has been involved in a human death while he's been in captivity. The article I read suggested he is playing with the victims & that the orca probably does not understand that humans cannot hold their breath as long as a 12,500 pound orca.

I have a confession: 

I always root for the animals.

Even when I lose a fish, I'm like "That one had spirit..."

One whale = three dead humans.  That's not good.

I have a confession:

I always root for the animals.

Even when I lose a fish, I'm like "That one had spirit..."

I luv you man well said Eric.

One whale = three dead humans.  That's not good.

Wouldn't you do the same if some little animals kept you in a cage.

One whale = three dead humans.  That's not good.

Wouldn't you do the same if some little animals kept you in a cage.

Maybe...will they feed me pizza and ice cream and rub my belly if I do tricks?  Would I be used for breeding purposes?

Maybe its just time to let it go do what he's born to do. I think a 30 year whale that was taken from its family and pod/heard/pack whatever, has paid its price and is probably super pissed that he has to be captive in a concrete pool doing the same stupid tricks day in and day out. Enough already, set him free to roam the wild seas again-just as long as he is not cruising around where we fish:)

Gotta agree with Eric on this one, I hate going to the zoo or anyplace animals are kept against their will.

But I will say I thought the hatchery at Sonoma was really cool. Does that count as captivity if the goal is to set them free? Hadn't really thought about that....I guess not...

if only the trainer had a gun....

 

Dumb mammals, shouldn't keep SMARTER mammals captive.
too bad for her and her loved ones, she was just doing her job.

Dumb mammals, shouldn't keep SMARTER mammals captive.
too bad for her and her loved ones, she was just doing her job.

agree...
though my dog is pretty sure she's smarter than us...i'm also quite sure she's happy with the den we're providing for her.