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Posts: 19025
02/25/10 1:40 PM
Moderator/Assoc. Editor
bill fallin wrote: This is the third victim for that whale. I think it's time to put him down.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Trainers will continue working with a killer whale that grabbed one of their colleagues and dragged her underwater, killing her, but SeaWorld said Thursday it is reviewing its procedures. People lined up to get into the park a day after the whale named Tilikum killed veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau as a horrified audience watched. Tilikum had been involved in two previous deaths, including a Canadian trainer dragged under water by him and two others whales in 1991. Killer whale shows are suspended indefinitely in Orlando and at the park's San Diego location. "We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change," SeaWorld said in a post on its blog. Chuck Tompkins, who is in charge of training at all SeaWorld parks, said Thursday that Tilikum will not be isolated from the Orlando location's seven other whales. Tilikum fathered some of them and will continue mating with others. "We want him to continue to be part of that social group," Tompkins said. Trainers will review safety procedures and change them as needed, but Tompkins said he doesn't expect the killer whale shows to be much different. "We're going to make any changes we have to, to make sure this doesn't happen again," he said. Brancheau, 40, was rubbing Tilikum from a poolside platform when the 22-foot, 12,000-pound creature reached up, grabbed her long braid in its mouth and dragged her underwater.
ORLANDO, Fla. – Trainers will continue working with a killer whale that grabbed one of their colleagues and dragged her underwater, killing her, but SeaWorld said Thursday it is reviewing its procedures.
People lined up to get into the park a day after the whale named Tilikum killed veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau as a horrified audience watched. Tilikum had been involved in two previous deaths, including a Canadian trainer dragged under water by him and two others whales in 1991.
Killer whale shows are suspended indefinitely in Orlando and at the park's San Diego location.
"We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change," SeaWorld said in a post on its blog.
Chuck Tompkins, who is in charge of training at all SeaWorld parks, said Thursday that Tilikum will not be isolated from the Orlando location's seven other whales. Tilikum fathered some of them and will continue mating with others.
"We want him to continue to be part of that social group," Tompkins said.
Trainers will review safety procedures and change them as needed, but Tompkins said he doesn't expect the killer whale shows to be much different.
"We're going to make any changes we have to, to make sure this doesn't happen again," he said.
Brancheau, 40, was rubbing Tilikum from a poolside platform when the 22-foot, 12,000-pound creature reached up, grabbed her long braid in its mouth and dragged her underwater.