NYDisneyKid
Expedition Everest Record Holder
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2007
free willy
free willy
I'm curious as to how much say the trainers have in wether or not it is safe for a show to go on. If several of the trainers had commented in the last week or show (and even during shows) that the animals were not cooperating. Or they fill uneasy can the call the show? Or are they pressured with "the show must go on?"
While definately not on the same caliber, while visiting Birmingham Zoo this summer and watching the Sea Lion training/show.......at the point were the trainers were working with a larger and more aggressive male. When he refused to cooperate on a couple of occasions the trainers apologized but said that for the safety of both the animal and the trainer they could not continue the show.
I know that one of the big highlights at SW is the show featuring these magnificient animals but I sure hope that there are measures in place that if the trainer feels it is unsafe they shouldn't feel they have to proceed. If the whales are behaving differently, etc. they shouldn't be forced (or try to force) to perform.
Sure there will be times people are disappointed by not seeing a show but we will get over it. How many times have we gone to a park and a ride was broken, a show was canceled due to technical problems, or a parade didn't happen because the weather wouldn't permit it.
I'd much rather the parks err on the side of caution and keep everyone safe than to be putting someone in danger.
I'm curious as to how much say the trainers have in wether or not it is safe for a show to go on. If several of the trainers had commented in the last week or show (and even during shows) that the animals were not cooperating. Or they fill uneasy can the call the show? Or are they pressured with "the show must go on?"
While definately not on the same caliber, while visiting Birmingham Zoo this summer and watching the Sea Lion training/show.......at the point were the trainers were working with a larger and more aggressive male. When he refused to cooperate on a couple of occasions the trainers apologized but said that for the safety of both the animal and the trainer they could not continue the show.
I know that one of the big highlights at SW is the show featuring these magnificient animals but I sure hope that there are measures in place that if the trainer feels it is unsafe they shouldn't feel they have to proceed. If the whales are behaving differently, etc. they shouldn't be forced (or try to force) to perform.
Sure there will be times people are disappointed by not seeing a show but we will get over it. How many times have we gone to a park and a ride was broken, a show was canceled due to technical problems, or a parade didn't happen because the weather wouldn't permit it.
I'd much rather the parks err on the side of caution and keep everyone safe than to be putting someone in danger.
The trainers can and will shut down a show when an animal is not responding. They do not force the animal (like you could force a 20,000 pound mammal lol). They may try the command again or redirect. But safety comes first. Those trainers will not put the animals in danger and they will not put themselves or any other trainer in harms way.
Just to throw my two cents in...My family and I were there two weeks ago and greatly enjoyed Sea World. I think this is a terrible accident - no one can really know Tili's intentions. He's a whale...does it really matter? Sadly, people die on the job all the time in all different lines of work. How many orca trainers are killed on the job? Compared to the number of fishermen who have lost their lives at sea (Deadliest Catch anyone?), or truck drivers killed in vehicle accidents... I think the trainers' safety record is pretty darn good for a group of people who work with gigantic, intelligent, moody, social animals who eat meat - and that's why this is news.
Should they look at safety protocols? Absolutely. Preventing another occurrence should be the goal but there will never be any guarantees as long as the job involves contact with the whales.
Does this bring up the "animals should be left in the wild" debate? Only because this is in the news. IMO, while we (humans) left everything in the wild, we tried to kill it all - that's a reason there are endangered species. By taking a few of these animals out of the wild and raising them (and breeding them) in captivity; and displaying their intelligence, the social bond they can create with people, and their majestic beauty, I believe we (humans) are helping to protect the rest of the wild population. After seeing a show like Believe, who would ever want to kill a creature like that?
Of course we feel for the trainer's family - it is a terrible tragedy they must now endure. But it isn't something that everyone should get extreme about in the big picture.
Anyone know if this is her......................?
considerably with the latest analysis of the video(s)
the last thing was shown was Dawn laying next to him rubbing Tillikum down. Her hair was in a ponytail and i guess when she signalled him to turn over, her hair was right next to his mouth. Im going to assume from what was shown, her hair was caught in his teeth and as stated the thrashing was him trying to get the hair out of his mouth- there was no blood in the water, if he intentionally wanted to hurt her, he would take her to the bottom and let her drown. (as orky and corky did to their calf). people say they saw him swiming with her in his mouth but never stated waist hand foot etc. However blaniks eyewitness account is embellished if he had grabbed her by the waist she would have been ripped in half, an orca's tooth is the size of a human thumb. there was no blood in the water or his tearing her to pieces as they do with seals and baleen whales.
Cant people face it, a freak accident is a freak accident. DWS has 6 cameras 2 underwater and 4 around the dine with shamu area, two are above on the roof facing the tanks. So im sure they have many angles of this accident. Tillikum is in the medpool but he has access to the other shaded pool.
Alot of heresay on this subject of freeing the whale and euthenization. they as stated:
"We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change. We are still reviewing this incident and will evaluate the situation and make a decision accordingly."
If they were to put Tilly down then they have to put Kasatka down for trying to intentionally drown ken peters and also Ky SWT For trying to drown his trainer in 2004.
Im sure they will observe him for a few days, review the accident in detail as per angles and make changes to interactions/ training techniques. I have spent many years around him on so many occasions, like us they have good and bad days. their moody or just frusterated. You cant assume because the media blew the whole thing out of the water, that their right.
yes yes, by all means, everything is fine, tragic accident....
I dont care about whales being captive. What I do care about is that we gain a better understanding of what happened so that it can be avoided in the future. If the whale did it on purpose or with malice(assuming a whale could have those emotions) then that is something we should know. It would be dangerous to the trainers if this is turned into some sort of "oh he was just playing" BS. Of course nobody on here has any idea whether it was an accident or not we are all just speculating.
As far as not being the time to debate it, if a trainer getting killed is not the time to talk about safety, then when is that time?
considerably with the latest analysis of the video(s)
the last thing was shown was Dawn laying next to him rubbing Tillikum down. Her hair was in a ponytail and i guess when she signalled him to turn over, her hair was right next to his mouth. Im going to assume from what was shown, her hair was caught in his teeth and as stated the thrashing was him trying to get the hair out of his mouth- there was no blood in the water, if he intentionally wanted to hurt her, he would take her to the bottom and let her drown. (as orky and corky did to their calf). people say they saw him swiming with her in his mouth but never stated waist hand foot etc. However blaniks eyewitness account is embellished if he had grabbed her by the waist she would have been ripped in half, an orca's tooth is the size of a human thumb. there was no blood in the water or his tearing her to pieces as they do with seals and baleen whales.
Cant people face it, a freak accident is a freak accident. DWS has 6 cameras 2 underwater and 4 around the dine with shamu area, two are above on the roof facing the tanks. So im sure they have many angles of this accident. Tillikum is in the medpool but he has access to the other shaded pool.
Alot of heresay on this subject of freeing the whale and euthenization. they as stated:
"We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change. We are still reviewing this incident and will evaluate the situation and make a decision accordingly."
If they were to put Tilly down then they have to put Kasatka down for trying to intentionally drown ken peters and also Ky SWT For trying to drown his trainer in 2004.
Im sure they will observe him for a few days, review the accident in detail as per angles and make changes to interactions/ training techniques. I have spent many years around him on so many occasions, like us they have good and bad days. their moody or just frusterated. You cant assume because the media blew the whole thing out of the water, that their right.