The fatal killer whale attack of SeaWorld Orlando trainer Dawn Brancheau continued to make international news this morning as word spread about the deadly incident at the theme park's Shamu Stadium. Much of the debate on morning news shows centered on what to do with Tilikum, the orca that killed Brancheau and has been linked to two previous deaths since 1991.A SeaWorld official said Wednesday the animal would not be put down.
Jack Hanna, a well-known animal expert with ties to Central Florida, spoke this morning on national television about the tragedy, saying animal experts such as Brancheau are aware of the risks and benefits of working with live animals.
The Diegos had seen the same show where the accident happened earlier in the day, but it had not been the best performance.
Tilikum, known as "Tilly" dragged Brancheau underwater. Officials said Brancheau, whose dream had been to work at SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium, drowned in the attack.
In 1999, park officials found the naked body of Daniel Dukes lying across Tilikum's back at SeaWorld Orlando. Dukes apparently had sneaked into SeaWorld after hours to swim with the animals.
Source : http://www.latimes.com
Jack Hanna, a well-known animal expert with ties to Central Florida, spoke this morning on national television about the tragedy, saying animal experts such as Brancheau are aware of the risks and benefits of working with live animals.
"The only thing I can compare it to is when the astronauts went to the space station and that tragic thing happened coming back," Hanna said, referring to the 2003 disintegration of the Columbia space shuttle that killed seven astronauts. "Why did we do that? We did that to learn more about space and how that will help us."This morning, as tourists returned to the park, an announcement was made on the speaker system, apologizing that The Shamu Show would be closed today. Nothing was said about the death.
"It's scary," SeaWorld Orlando visitor April D'Agostino said this morning. "But they know what's at risk when they get in the tank with those whales."D'Agostino heard the news about the trainer's death on television, as did the Malkins from Asheville, N.C.
"I'm sensing that the mood today is a little more somber," Heidi Malkin said while visiting the park.Although Malkin and her husband, Dave, heard about Wednesday's accident on television, it didn't preventing them from visiting SeaWorld Orlando.
"We wondered how the park would be different today," Dave Malkin added.About six television news trucks, most representing local stations, were outside the park before its 9 a.m. opening, but there was otherwise little evidence that anything at the park had changed. Tourist Dennis Diego, 30, of Sao Paolo, Brazil, said he wasn't immediately aware about what happened, even though he was at the park Wednesday and saw helicopters flying overhead. He found out about the attack after he and his wife, Vanessa, 29, returned to their hotel.
The Diegos had seen the same show where the accident happened earlier in the day, but it had not been the best performance.
"Not everything went right," said Dennis Diego. "The girl said the whales were not in the mood for it."As the park opened today, cars streamed into the parking lot. At the entrance to SeaWorld, a sign informed guests that The Shamu Show would remain closed. In his television appearance, Hanna, director emeritus of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium in Ohio, said that holding animals in captivity not only conserves the creatures, but it also helps educate people.
"Why do we have whales, as well as elephants and other animals? We have it to educate folks," he said. "It's the last chance we have to save these animals."SeaWorld said that 12,000-pound Tilikum pulled Brancheau, a 40-year-old veteran animal trainer, into the orca's tank about 2 p.m. Killer whales are the largest species of the dolphin family.
Tilikum, known as "Tilly" dragged Brancheau underwater. Officials said Brancheau, whose dream had been to work at SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium, drowned in the attack.
"Dawn was a beautiful person," Hanna said on CNN. "I did several shows with her…with Tilly even in the background — that type of thing.'' he said. "I could tell you now she would want her work to continue."Hanna said the previous death linked to Tilikum was a different situation.
In 1999, park officials found the naked body of Daniel Dukes lying across Tilikum's back at SeaWorld Orlando. Dukes apparently had sneaked into SeaWorld after hours to swim with the animals.
"That's like going over the fence at the NASCAR race," Hanna said. "You can't blame SeaWorld for that."SeaWorld acquired Tilikum after another fatal incident. In 1991, Tilikum and two female killer whales dragged trainer Keltie Byrne underwater, drowning her in front of spectators at Sealand of the Pacific, a defunct aquarium in Victoria, British Columbia.
Source : http://www.latimes.com
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