“Tillikum” and SeaWorld Update
The Florida Department of Labour (DOL) is investigating the death of an orca trainer at SeaWorld Florida that occurred in February. I was interviewed on March 18th for the investigation. Lifeforce played an important role regarding a similar death in 1991. DOL is similar to Canada’s Workers’ Compensation Boards whose mandate is public safety. Lifeforce believes that the best way to protect people (and orcas) is to stop imprisoning wildlife.
This investigation is very important and could, at the very least, stop trainers from going into the pools, and the public from the petting/feeding gimmicks. This may help reduce the financial motives for orca captivity.
SeaWorld has a history of putting their workers and the public at risk. Following the 1991 death of a trainer at Sealand, Victoria, BC, I advised aquarium owners and associations, government agencies and others that the three orcas must not be sent to the SeaWorlds. I told them that they will attack again. I said that they should be rehabilitated and released back into their home waters. The two female orcas died but Tillikum was involved with another death in 1999 and now in 2010. Even his son attacked a trainer in 2004.
The behaviours in these incidents are probably predator/prey related and not social/play activities. It was aggressive behaviour due to the physical and psychological abuses from capture and captivity. Captivity harms both animals and people.
The DOL investigator described to me a video of the recent death. It certainly was a tragic mauling. The graphic verbal description was very hard to listen to. The accounts of all three deaths revealed violent behaviours. It was not the gentle behaviour that I see with orcas in the wild when they are playing and socializing.
I will keep you up to date during the investigation. According to DOL, at the present time trainers are not permitted to be in the SeaWorld pools.
If you haven’t viewed it here is our recent video "Tillikum: A Time for Change".
http://lifeforcefoundation.org/ecotv_play.php?id=54
And please consider making a donation to help continue Lifeforce’s Marine Life Programs. One program is to stop the harassment of orcas by boat traffic in Southern BC and Washington. This year, we hope to continue our photographic documentation that has resulted in fines against the whale watch industry. We don’t have enough funds so, if you can, please help us help the wild orcas too.
For Freedom,
Peter Hamilton
Lifeforce Founding Director
(604)649-5258
lifeforcesociety@hotmail.com
www.lifeforcefoundation.org