Killer Whale Free...?

[Axer NZ]

It's sad that she died and 2,200 people saw it, I would either put it to sleep or let it go to ocean but mostly put it to sleep.

Oh, THAT makes perfect sense. We go and take one of the world's largest predators, put it in a tiny tank, and have humans swim around it and force it to do tricks for tiny bits of food, then when it kills one of the trainers, we should kill it back.

Or maybe it should never have been there in the first place?

[joemanf]

Oh, THAT makes perfect sense. We go and take one of the world's largest predators, put it in a tiny tank, and have humans swim around it and force it to do tricks for tiny bits of food, then when it kills one of the trainers, we should kill it back.

Or maybe it should never have been there in the first place?

[Wildor]

Folks, keep this on an even keel. I understand feelings may run high, but don't belittle other's opinions, okay?

Thank you.

[Axer NZ]

Oh, of course! We should release it into the wild so it can die of malnutrition and wash up on the Norwegian coast. Why didn't I think of that?

[joemanf]

Oh, of course! We should release it into the wild so it can die of malnutrition and wash up on the Norwegian coast. Why didn't I think of that?

DUH! That was my plan all along!

Anyway, to stop my trollish remarks, I think that the whale couldn't have done it on purpose. It would be stupid to just kill it (Or release it, as Axer stated). All we can really do is mourn the trainers death.

[Wildor]

Oh, THAT makes perfect sense. We go and take one of the world's largest predators, put it in a tiny tank, and have humans swim around it and force it to do tricks for tiny bits of food, then when it kills one of the trainers, we should kill it back.

Or maybe it should never have been there in the first place?

Oh, of course! We should release it into the wild so it can die of malnutrition and wash up on the Norwegian coast. Why didn't I think of that?

Axer, what the hell???

Try holding it back a little.

[Rodri]

cough*Killer whales are dolphins*cough

Not that it matters, lol.

This incident is not the first (obviously) nor is it the last. The people who saw it happen are never going to think of Seaworld the same way again, and the trainers may be somewhat more afraid of him, but when you are playing with a 21ft long creature who lives in a hazardous environment, you know the risks. Setting this creature free, this creature who brings in hundreds of thousands of tourists would be the worst choice for them. Freeing this well kept and happy, albeit dangerous, creature wouldn't really be advantageous for anyone.

I beg to differ but I don't think this particular orca is too happy about being kept in confinement and being made to perform tricks for tourists. It never ceases to amaze me the incredible patience of other animal species to the mis-treatment they recieve at the hands of us naked apes, especially compared to the incredible lack of compassion and understanding and patience we show them.

Here you have a highly developed, intelligent, top line predator being forced to perform unnatural acts for the amusement of the great unwashed. Put me in that situation and I would probably try to kill my handler as well, given half a chance.

[Violation_s51]

I beg to differ but I don't think this particular orca is too happy about being kept in confinement and being made to perform tricks for tourists. It never ceases to amaze me the incredible patience of other animal species to the mis-treatment they recieve at the hands of us naked apes, especially compared to the incredible lack of compassion and understanding and patience we show them.

Here you have a highly developed, intelligent, top line predator being forced to perform unnatural acts for the amusement of the great unwashed. Put me in that situation and I would probably try to kill my handler as well, given half a chance.

Well first I would like to say I have about seven family members that work for San Francisco / San Diego zoos... the animals are EXTREMELY well taken care of... and they tend to try and take animals that would otherwise have not survived in the wild.

Second... I agree with several points you made here and I tried to make them myself last night. I don?t know if I agree with your conclusion though. Honestly the handlers and the animals usually have a really good relationship. I remember one time I was in the giraffe cage and one of them started to pick me up... my dad held me and the giraffe almost picked both of us up... my hands were raw from the experience... and you know what... I don?t think of them any worse. You know who stopped the situation? My aunt, the handler, just did some movement that she always did to get its attention and say she had food (which she didn't, but it still stopped and waited). The funny thing is: it could have eaten the natural food around so it couldn't have been hungry. As a child I didn't realize that, as an adult I realize the reason it stopped is because of the relationship between my aunt and that giraffe.

Most of the people in the zoos/parks that handle for these animals are true animal lovers and there to see them taken care of. The few that aren?t usually are found and fired rather quickly.

I actually would like to strongly agree with the fact that caging an animal provides an incredible responsibility that we cannot completely meet. I feel this way about my cats and dog all the time. Take my dog for example. He?s an indoor animal because of the weather? I live in a climate not made for him. I also don?t want anyone to steel him. Due to this situation I?ve ?house trained? him not to poop/pee in the house. That puts an incredible responsibility on me to take care of him and watch him closer than anyone else in my house? the cats have a litter? my daughter has a diaper? my wife and I can go to the bathroom as we please? he has to sit at a door and show us he needs to go and wait for us to open the door? kind of sounds sick and twisted right? Most people don?t think of house training an animal in those means; however, I think that is what is most applicable in this situation. I take extra care to let him out almost a dozen times a day and whenever he walks toward a door? I think it?s only fair to let him run and give him ample chance to relieve himself whenever possible.

Applying that to our situation? orcas are extremely beautiful creatures and have some of the most amazing understandable ability to learn how to do things. When ?trained? they can be taught: to swim in patterns (our version of walking on the right side of the street?); to jump on queue (our version of b-boying?); to jump up and hit targets (our version of acrobatics?); and my favorite to do it in pairs (our version of dancing?). This shows they are intelligent and have talent. What we cannot teach them is how to do our version of running. I will have to say one of the things I miss most of health (I have asthma and have for a few years now) is being able to run. I used to play soccer and really enjoy running down the field and just going as fast as I could. I?ve seen an orca try to do that before in Marine World in California? they cant. They just swim in a circle never being able to really let go. That is what problem I have with keeping one captive that is ?acting out?

Someone posted earlier that we had three choices? keep it and make it do tricks? keep it and not make it do tricks? and set it free. I think those are the only three choices? what I don?t think is that keeping it is fair. It?s acting out for a reason. You need to let the animals go that we captivate and act out? that?s their way of showing what we?re doing is going too far. When an animal shows anger, frustration, eating habit changes, and depression? those can often be fixed by habitat? and we just do not have the ability to make a large enough tank to let an orca reach full speed swimming in a line? it has to go in circles? the next time you go to a show watch how it starts its tricks? it will be lower in the water and do a ? circle and then go up? it?s because it didn?t have the space to go straight and gain speed then jump.

Again, I?ve typed long and rambled but I hope what I?m saying makes sense and people apply it to some of their house pets? I?m a big lover of dogs and my wife is a lover of cats so we try to really ensure ours stay happy.

I think on a final note? orca whales have killed people in the past? but as I am aware right now all current mortal strikes have been made in captive and none in the wild? something to think about? maybe that?s their way of just letting out bent up frustration that they can?t go where they want. I?m not saying all should be set free? just the ones that show desire.

sorry for the long post...

[Rodri]

Sorry, but I disagree. You can't "train" an orca any more than you can "train" a human being. These are highly intelligent and evolved beings with strong individual personalities. You can't compare an orca to a dog or a cat either. Those are domesticated animals that have been bred over thousands of years as companion animals. An orca is it's own being and has no need of humans at all. In their natural habitat they will not harm humans and have even been known to co-operate with humans in hunting whales.

Notice I said co-operate? That is what these intelligent captive creatures are forced to do. I believe they understand the nature of their captivity and simply decide to co-operate because they a) get free food, b) are bored and c) hope that doing what is asked of them will improve their lot. Many dolphins and orcas in captivity may even come to like their human handlers and "perform" to please them but every now and then there will be an individual who does not like the idea of being confined and ordered around and they will strike out. Much the same as some humans would.

Human beings have a lot to learn in the ways we interact and treat other forms of life. H.E.-double L, we still have a lot to learn about how we interact and treat each other.

[Brooke ♥♥]

Oh, THAT makes perfect sense. We go and take one of the world's largest predators, put it in a tiny tank, and have humans swim around it and force it to do tricks for tiny bits of food, then when it kills one of the trainers, we should kill it back.

Or maybe it should never have been there in the first place?

For the record, The whale pulled her into the water, I don't think anyone swims with orca when shows are going on.

I think if they are going to keep the whale for show's, They need to at least take more steps to help prevent this (Somehow) from happening again.