Tilikum

There is a new documentary out now, I hear, called Blackfish.  I haven't seen it, but my parents have.  Apparently it's a very anti-captivity based movie.  And it suggests that the reasons that people have died by whales in captivity is because the whales are enraged by being held captive.

Okay.....

I grew up in the 90s.  I saw Free Willy a few times (anyone remember the scene where the kids all step in the cake??) and had my heartstrings tugged by Keiko as Willy.  (Speaking of that, why is Keiko not credited on imdb.com as Willy?)  When I was in 6th grade, my academic "team" at school was called Orca.  I'll admit I have a fondness for the giant mammals.

Orcas have an innocent silliness about their appearance.  They often swim slowly and gracefully in their tanks.  I've never seen an Orca in the wild.  I've never seen them hunt.  I've never seen them angry.  The idea of capturing whales for entertainment purposes makes my blood simmer just a bit.  To be honest, it's not something I've given a whole lot of thought to.  Animals need protection and all that but.... you don't see people getting all bent out of shape about people walking dogs on leashes.  They're captive too!  They're also fed, watered, exercised and loved daily.  So are these Orcas.  Does that make it better?  I don't know.

There's a huge Orca at SeaWorld.  He weighs 12,000 lb (5400 kg) and is 22 and a half feet long.  His name is Tilikum.  He is about 32 or 33 years old now.  30 of those years he has been in captivity.  First in British Columbia, Canada, and now in Florida.  Since 1991 he has been involved in three deaths.  Am I the only one who finds this shocking?  THREE people have died in situations involving this whale and he's still being used to entertain people?  What is wrong with this picture?  If a Pitbull bites a person they are euthanized.  (I'm NOT saying euthanize this whale, okay?  Don't jump down my throat.  I'm saying DON'T euthanize the Pitbull!  Just so we are clear.)  

In 1991, a trainer named Keltie Byrne at Sealand in BC slipped part of the way into a pool that held Tilikum and 2 other adult female whales.  It's a little unclear exactly what happened next; some reports say the whales grabbed her, other reports say she became hypothermic in the water and the whales decided to use her as a toy.  Either way, she ended up being a plaything for the whales (we assume) and died.  It took Sealand staff hours to retrieve her body.

In 1999, Tilikum was involved in a suspicious death that took place at SeaWorld in Florida.  A 27-year-old man's body was found draped over Tilikum's back like a shawl.  He was nude.  It's unclear whether the whale killed him or not, but his genitalia were missing.  It appeared as though they were pulled or bitten off.  I don't know much about this but I have to wonder about his mental state.  He apparently hid in the park until after it was closed, evaded security and cameras, and managed to get into the Orca tank.  Why would you do that?  Perhaps he thought he could "Free Willy" (or Tilly in this case).  Either way, he met an unfortunate end.

The third death involving this gigantic Orca took place in February 2010.  This one was all over the media.  For me, this one is different than the other two incidents because many people actually saw Tilikum kill Dawn Brancheau, a senior trainer at SeaWorld.  I believe parts of it were caught on film.  The initial part of the "attack" happened in front of spectators!  Dawn was finishing up a "Dine with Shamu" show and was laying on a "slideout" (a platform in a few inches of water) next to Tilikum's head and mouth.  There is some debate about whether she should have been doing this at all, but photographs show other trainers doing similar things with the whale over the past few years, so it's unlikely that she was breaking a hard SeaWorld rule, as some speculate.  

Dawn signaled the whale to dive down to a large window to "pose" for a picture with paying customers.  For some reason, Tilikum decided to commit murder instead.  He grabbed Dawn Brancheau by the ponytail and dragged her, fighting and kicking, down into the water.  Customers were quickly ushered out of the area as a siren went off, indicating the need for rescue at G Pool, where Tilikum was performing that day.  People rushed to Dawn's aid, slapping the surface of the water, throwing food at the whale, but Tilikum just would not let her go.  Finally, the staff corralled Tilikum in another pool with a floor that could raise up, essentially beaching him.  They pulled Dawn's lifeless body from the giant mammal's mouth.  She was dead.  They sent Tilikum back into the water but had to recapture him again as they realized he still had a piece of Dawn's arm in his mouth!

Tilikum returned to performing in 2011.  No trainers are allowed in the water with him.  No one can give him massages by hand, high-powered hoses must now be used to do that job.  His food is apparently flung into his mouth.  

Why?

Did this whale commit an egregious crime?  Or was he just being a whale?  Sure, he's been in captivity for 3o years, but does nurture really outweigh nature?  I really don't know.  Every other time Tilikum had been instructed to go down to that window for a picture, he had done it.  Why did he snap this time?  Are whales capable of rational thought like that?  Should he be punished?  Should we dress him up in a little (okay, giant) suit and tie and send him to court?  Should we shackle him and send him to prison?  He's already in prison!!!  

I'm not sure where I'm going with this.  The point is, I'm very confused.  I'm not sure whether to be angered that this whale is still performing, or angered that he's being blamed by some for these three deaths (certainly the 2 trainers, if not the other man too.)  Here is a link to a video of Tilikum and his grandson, Trua, swimming around in a pool.  Hardly looks murderous, eh?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_54kOMsaZCg

sources:
wikipedia
timzimmerman.com
outsideonline.com