Whale Kills SeaWorld Trainer as Guests Watch - Page 3

DaemonSeid · #1 02-26-2010, 11:03 AM

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/seaworld-t...ory?id=9952102

A mistake by trainer Dawn Brancheau prompted a killer whale to drag her into the water to her death, a former mentor of Brancheau's said today.

"Dawn, if she was standing here with me, would tell you that it was her mistake that it happened," Thad Lacinak, former head trainer at SeaWorld and Brancheau's teacher, told "Good Morning America." "Dawn was one of the best killer whale trainers I've ever worked with. ... It looks like she made the mistake."

Lacinak said Brancheau was apparently lying down in a 4-inch "slide out" that trainers are meant to stand on while interacting with the whale when her ponytail drifted toward the mouth of the 12,000-pound animal.

"He pulled her in by the ponytail," Lacinak said. "I'm pretty sure it was her breaking protocol. ... Sometimes we get too comfortable working with these animals. Sometimes we forget what they are."

Brancheau, 40, an experienced trainer, was snatched by the whale in front of a stadium of horrified onlookers, thrashed and ultimately held under water to drown Wednesday.

33girl · #2 02-26-2010, 11:06 AM

Yipe. If it was well known that this one one of the things that made whales wacky, even I would cut my hair off.

DrPhil · #3 02-26-2010, 01:37 PM

I hate to say it, but I have to: She was an idiot. May she rest in peace.

PeppyGPhiB · #4 02-28-2010, 03:37 AM

Orcas are beautiful. We have lots of them out here in the Pac NW, and if anything they're too friendly with the boats of tourists...they are curious about the boats, sometimes get too close and get hurt by the propellers.

They are huge, wild animals and do not belong in large swimming pools.

And it's true that Orcas are not whales. They're actually the largest members of the dolphin family.

deepimpact2 · #5 02-28-2010, 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Orcas are beautiful. We have lots of them out here in the Pac NW, and if anything they're too friendly with the boats of tourists...they are curious about the boats, sometimes get too close and get hurt by the propellers.

They are huge, wild animals and do not belong in large swimming pools.

And it's true that Orcas are not whales. They're actually the largest members of the dolphin family.

There's been extensive explanations in many articles about why they are called "killer whales."

I don't know if it is true or not, but many people in that industry have speculated that he was playing with her, but he was just playing too rough. I don't think anyone is saying that orcas aren't friendly in general.

http://www.rr.com/news/topic/article...ainer_killed/1

It appears that they have resumed their orca shows. That's great. But I must admit that while I don't think he should be put down, they really need to start reconsidering whether it is a good thing to keep these kinds of animals in captivity. Realistically I know that money is usually the bottom line in everything, but in reading this article I get a sense that no one really cares about that. They just want to keep him because he's a moneymaker.

VandalSquirrel · #6 03-01-2010, 12:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Orcas are beautiful. We have lots of them out here in the Pac NW, and if anything they're too friendly with the boats of tourists...they are curious about the boats, sometimes get too close and get hurt by the propellers.

They are huge, wild animals and do not belong in large swimming pools.

And it's true that Orcas are not whales. They're actually the largest members of the dolphin family.

Yeah, I kind of stopped doing some coastal kayaking because I didn't want to get capsized by one. I'll go on Monterey Bay where the sea otters may get frisky, but I realized I was tempting fate ala a Darwin Award doing it alon ghte WA/CA/AK coasts.

But seeing one breach or a pod of them is beautiful when I'm safely on the deck of a ferry.

DrPhil · #7 02-28-2010, 03:49 AM

Yeah even Wikipedia can tell people they are a type of dolphin. They also look more like a type of dolphin than whale. I'm still scared of whales and all large sea mammals--dolphins included. I don't want one near me if it isn't in a pool or a cage.

Sea World is doing damage control going on shows and showcasing their well behaved Orcas. I apologize for calling this deceased lady an idiot. She violated her training and wasn't too smart.

DrPhil · #8 02-28-2010, 11:11 AM

If dolphins are "closely related to whales and porpoises," orcas are, as well. They aren't whales but they aren't so different as to cause too much confusion.

I'm saying orcas aren't friendly, in general. Animal friendly doesn't always translate to human friendly, especially when the animal lives in the wild and weighs thousands of pounds. Folks can see these things perform but wanting to hug one is a different matter. "Oh look at him playing--oh look at him grabbing my leg--maybe he's just playing--I hope I don't die...."

Besides, killer whales (which is a much more scary name than Orcas) aren't as cute and widely viewed as cuddly as dolphins are.

They are much larger and scary. Dolphins save lives, or so I've heard. I still don't want to be in the water with one. But, I'm more eager to swim with a dolphin than an orca, whale, or shark.

deepimpact2 · #9 02-28-2010, 11:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Folks can see these things perform but wanting to hug one is a different matter. "Oh look at him playing--oh look at him grabbing my leg--maybe he's just playing--I hope I don't die...."

lmao

I've never been one to have an interest in touching one or hugging one or be close to one. And I'm a firm believer that even if such animals have a "record" for being friendly in general, there is always a moment where they can turn on you. It happens with all animals.

On another note, did anyone see when Campbell Brown interviewed Jack Hanna? He was EXTREMELY defensive. I've never seen him agitated like that.