I'm taking it for granted no one will ever get within its striking distance again. The facility can't allow that even if a worker was willing. Legal consequences put that out of the question.

And how do you allow it to stay in the same tank with other whales that are part of the show without it being able to attack? I don't see how that's done either.

Options? Give it its own tank where people could view it from a safe distance and no workers approach it?

I don't think so. They're not going to build it a special tank.

Kill it? Absolutely not. Too much public outcry.

They have to get rid of it and quickly. An effort has to be made to adapt it to going back to sea. They got no choice. I predict that's what will happen.

Put him back in the deep blue sea. My vote would be for dumping him in Puget Sound, near Seattle! Pods live and come through there all of the time. If he doesn't fit in then he'll have to survive with his inborn instincts. Maybe he could pop up on Seattle's West Water front looking for a snack from the passers by! It's those KW's remaining behind that I'd be more concerned about!

Having broken horses for a living for the last 15 years, and having spent 4 years riding bulls at the rodeo, I think that people who willingly do dangerous things accept that danger as a part of what they do. A guy going to Africa to hunt lions is knowingly and willingly accepting a risk of danger to do so. I was really damned lucky to have not gotten hurt badly while I rodeo'd. A horse flipped over on me and damn near kill me when I was 19, and I'll fully admit that I'd have shot her and never looked back. Even after all these years, I know deep down that there was something NOT RIGHT about that mare. I did have a bull named Swamp Rat step on my face once, but luckily it was muddy that night and I was only left with two small scars and not a busted melon. I hold no ill feelings toward that bull, although that SOB did maul me pretty good one other time also. Anyone ever heard of a bull called "Bodacious". He is a legend and probably one of the most dangerous animals of all time. He hurt a lot of guys and several of them severely. I don't ever recall a conversation about putting him down. All of the guys know that there are certain bulls who will get you and try to kill you, and others who just want you off of them and they'll go on about their business. I doubt that living with these "killer whales" is much different. It's not like any ole Joe can go swim unsupervised with these guys. They are pretty much handled only by experienced trainers who have to pay their dues and start with sea lions, then dolphins and seals, etc. By the time they get a killer whale, they've spent years doing this stuff. I totally agree with the guy who didn't agree with his ex-wife wanting their 3 yr old son to stick his head in the whale's mouth for a picture. That is taking trust a little too far for my taste.
That being said, this particular whale has now killed 3 people. I'm sure that there are trainers who would still be willing to work with him, but from an outsider's perspective, I think it's time to call it a day.

As an aside, I wonder how many people in direct contact with these animals have died or been seriously hurt in car crashes, had cancer, heart problems, etc. during the same 30 years that this whale has been around. Just a thought.

Some claim our guns are very dangerous also, even though doctors accidentally kill 9000 times as many people a year as guns.

Warning: LIFE MAY BE HAZARDOUS TO YOUR HEALTH!

Good post, Dan'l.

It's a KILLER Whale. I'm not surprised at all?

These are predatory animals, but so are we. Remember that "killer whales" are actually just the largest dolphins. Their color scheme and the name give that impression of being BAD ASS, but they are just big dolphins. What we think of as dolphins (the gray ones) have pretty much the same exact behaviors as these "killer whales", they are just smaller, and that is the only difference.

I'm not saying that they aren't still wild animals and worthy of respect cause they are obviously capable of hurting/killing a person, but the "they are KILLERS" stuff is just BS, and as adults, we should know better.

What the hell is the lesson that kids learn when they see some huge mammal in a relatively small tank with idiot people riding on them?

Sheesh!

I would never take my kids to that travesty or go to it myself.

I wonder why PETA is silent on this?

daniel77

These things eat MEAT...they hunt in packs like WOLVES....they kill GREAT WHITE SHARKS just for fun....they are not the cudly creatures that people think they are.

They are the top predator in the oceans. They kill calfs of blue whales, eat their tongues and livers while leaving rest of the body for other sea creatures.

I never understood the desire of people to tame lions, tigers (remember the HAPPY GUY from Las Vegas) I guess the Tiger liked his pony tail too.




If you are going to mess with MEAT EATERS and dangerous animals...you are going to pay the price. I think one of the "HAPPY" dudes from Las Vegas went into retirement at the hands of a much smaller predator than a 12,000 KILLER whale.

I get what you're saying, I just don't think that you or I have a damn thing to do with this. Just as it isn't your decision whether or not I ride a bull, or Roy plays with white tigers, or some folks swim with orcas, or a patriotic young man volunteers to go to Afghanistan. I've no doubt that that lady knew the risks before she showed up for work that day, and equally sure she knew the history of that orca. It was her decision to still come to work, and she died doing what she loved. If you ask me, it would have been a far greater tragedy if she'd have died in a car wreck on the way to her job, rather than dying doing what she loved. And it's not like anyone is saying that you or yours have to participate in this spectacle. I do think this orca should be retired, but understand that that isn't my decision. I also have, and will again, enjoyed SeaWorld and the like. This shouldn't be taken too seriously by us, after all, Shit happens...
People die everyday, but very, very few really ever live.

People have killed a helluva lot more people than wild animals ever thought about. just sayin...

They are working to settle (out of court) with the woman's family and put the Killer Whale back in with his seven other pod members. He's too important a member of the breeding core to let a minor incident like this disrupt their program.
That's what they said, pretty much, in the paper today.

Rich

I think it is because it was in captivity, I've heard, when I was in alaska from a native wildlife thingy we went to, that orcas have never attacked a human in the wild, ever.

I heard this one did kill before. they are very intelligent. when any other animal gets a taste for killing humans it's put down. everybody is SO into raising money for the environment, I would pay say 100 or 200 maybe for a VERY good orca roll. all money to benefit some great environmental/zoological cause.

but real wasabi, not the colored hot mustard wasabi. and the best sushi chefs from japan, do the real deal.

that would be cool

The first thing that came to my mind was put him back in the ocean. Then I thought what happens when he starts grabbing people from boats and teaches other orca that humans are easier prey than seals and penguins.

So I thought about it some more....Can you imagine how many hat bands, boots, suitcases, belts, purses, and wallet you could make with all that leather?!! Talk about having a Texas sized Bar-B-Q!!! Wonder how big the tenderloins and the backstrap would be?!!

How about giving him to Native Americans in the pacific northwest or Alaska as part of their harvest allowance. They could butcher him the traditional way and drink Coca-Colas...a traditional drink!

Hell, I'd pay $500.00 for an all-u-can-eat whale buffet. Load up on tenderloin!! I like calf tongue, wonder what whale tongue tastes like? I'd need some reeeeeaallly big tortillas for orca lengua tacos.

Last but not least. How big are those teeth? Could they be made into grips for my various different single actions?



Points to Ponder

ISS:

This being a work related injury, the only money for her family will be workers compensation. Workers comp is the exclusive remedy in Florida. There is a fixed death benefit in Florida. It used to be $110,000. Not sure what it is now.

quote:

Originally posted by ravenr:
feed him nancy pelosi,harry reed and our mulatto president,serves 2 purposes
get rid of them corndicks and the whale will die from poisoning!

Instead of going to Sea World to see them, come to Washington St. and go on a whale watching trip to the San Juan Islands in the summer. You'll see them in their natural habitat chasing Salmon. There are 3 seperate pods in the area and not all kill seals. J pod has never been seen killing seals but members of K and L pods do. I have had them swim right up to my boat and roll on their side and give me the "eye" as they slide by. Absolutly Magnificent creatures that have no business being in a trained animal zoo!

quote:

Originally posted by larryshores:
ISS:

This being a work related injury, the only money for her family will be workers compensation. Workers comp is the exclusive remedy in Florida. There is a fixed death benefit in Florida. It used to be $110,000. Not sure what it is now.

I'm not disagreeing with your facts, but I'll take the pepsi challenge this girl's family gets more then 110k out of this. I don't agree with it, but I'm confident that getting eaten by a whale at an amusement park infront of a grandstand full of people in today's climate will net the family a pay day, employee or not.

The question isn't how much money the family of the woman that knowingly put herself in harm's way for money should get but what should be done with the orca that was only doing what orcas do well.
The ascertain that orcas have never killed a human is pretty elitist I think. The ocean is a big place and I would imagine that after a pod of orcas finished with you, there would be little evidence other than "lost at sea". Being a realist, I can't imagine why a orca wouldn't pick off an easy meal give the opportunity?

If a keeper in a zoo is mauled by a captive lion, what is done with that lion????

No, lions are too common. If a keeper in a zoo was mauled by a Panda bear, what would be done to the Panda?

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
If a keeper in a zoo was mauled by a Panda bear, what would be done to the Panda?

Nothing.

Kill the whale and sell it to the Japanese guy who are on Whale wars...

Win win situation for everyone but those crazy huggers who try and stop the whalers.

I have to agree with Daniel 77. The trainer knew the danger every day she worked with killer whales. No,I don't think they should be held in capitivity. They are wild animals, they deserve better treatment than that. No, I don't think the killer whale should be released into the wild. He doen not have the skills to survive. No, I don't think he should be killed, we created this problem, we (they) have to take care of this creature until he dies.

+1

Well said, Impala 3, not much a fellow could add to that.

Ditto to Impala#03's comments.

As to the two guys from Vegas, the one with the two big crosses on his bare chest is now crossed up in the head because of that big, gentle, friendly tiger.

Trainer knew the risks and continued to do what she wanted to do.

Seems more like Kllmu was playing, but who knows.

I don't have a problem with Seaworld doing what they want to do.

The make money and give killer whales 'value'. Much like hunters give value to the animals they hunt.

Both are examples of exercising dominion over creation.

Killmu is the property of Seaworld. They can do with him as they see fit.

Arguing whether or not such animals should be kept in captivity and under what conditions is a whole 'nother thread.

quote:

Originally posted by Use Enough Gun:
As to the two guys from Vegas, the one with the two big crosses on his bare chest is now crossed up in the head because of that big, gentle, friendly tiger.

Based on his wardrobe, I think he was a bit messed up in the head before he got chomped.

What is known for sure about releasing it or something like it back to the ocean?

There'd be a lot of cost involved for sure, but even if it was affordable, what exactly all would be working against it as far as its survival?

One was released a number of years ago. It crossed the ocean and ended up in Norway I think. It appeared to be looking for people to interact with . A number of people did pet the thing and took pictures. That practice was outlawed. If I remember correctly, he was dead n a year or so.

Freeing Keiko - Can We Fix Our Mistakes?

What's so bad about trying to right our wrongs? Well, Keiko had been in captivity since he was two. Marineworld in Ontario, Canada bought Keiko in 1980 when he was first captured off the coast of Iceland. Five years later he was sold to an amusement park in Mexico City where he spent the next ten years of his life. It was there that he starred in the Warner Brother's Free Willy films. But three years after the original film was made, Keiko was rescued by a marina in Oregon because he wasn't being properly cared for in Mexico.

Keiko's Return To the "Wild"

It was soon decided that Keiko should be released back into the wild, near where he was born. It would take many years of rehabilitation, a ton of money and manpower. Keiko was finally moved to a fjord off Iceland in 1998. Although he did venture out into the ocean on his own, Keiko has returned to the fjord, longing for human contact. He won't fish on his own and developed colds due to stress. Volunteers didn't want to feed Keiko, trying to force him to survive on his own but the whale just wouldn't hunt for himself.

Keiko Moves to the Big Ocean in the Sky

On December 13th, 2003 Keiko died of pneumonia in the coastal waters of Norway. He was burried in a private funeral on December 14th, 2003 on the banks of the Norwegian fjord where he had spent the last five years. Although this is a sad end to the story of Keiko, his handlers are quick to point out that at least Keiko had five years of freedom before he died. Unfortunately this is not the case for the dozens of other Orcas still held in captivity around the world.

I read everyone's post and respect the views expressed. Here's what bothers me about this critter - It was directly responsible for killing a human being before this incident -and was the only suspect in the death of another human being. Sorry,guys, I say that we are at the top of the "food chain" and must not allow an animal to have a fourth chance to put us on his menu. For god's sake, we kill human serial killers (and rightly so) so why spare this critter? I am strongly reminded that "orca" in loosely translated ancient Latin means "Bringer of death". The Romans knew their critter.

Tony, I don't think I'd call the five years exactly freedom.

Comparing the orca to a serial killer means that you are enpowering the orca with the same reasoning power to know "right from wrong" as a human. I think Treadwell went down that same erronious path with the great bears. Orcas (and bears) operate on a instintive level of food and sex --if you can't screw it, then eat it. Sometimes in the case of the great bears, they screw it and then eat it.
The orcas don't act like over-grown puppies because they love their trainers; they perform because they get fed. Kinda like a teenaged boy.

quote:

Originally posted by wasbeeman:
Tony, I don't think I'd call the five years exactly freedom.

I didn't write the above. I pasted it in from another site to clarify the orca release comments posted earlier.

The rest of your comments are dead-on, however. BUT...I think many humans operate with the same attitude toward sex and eating.

Wasbeeman:

Of course, you are right and the analogy by me to human serial killers was not quite apt. I should have put it on the proven basis with lions and tigers that once they discover how easy it is to kill a human -that then they will look again to repeat it. There is such a thing known as "discipline" in dealing with animals -and if an animal feels he can get away with,say, biting someone - why won't he,next time around, kill someone? (Just as this critter did) BTW, I suspect that you and the other posters on this thread read how valuable to Sea World this animal was as a stud -hence its decision not to kill him. (I'll bet if a stray dog killed a cat on their premises, they would have arranged for execution at once) Just my thoughts.

Your thoughts are as good as anybody's. I kinda agree with your thoughts also but I keep coming back to the fact that the trainer knowingly choice the job. And, I'm reasonably sure, was paid handsomely for it.
Just think what a draw it will be to display the Killer Whale that is indeed a killer. And the intrepid handler that puts it thru it's paces. Standing room only at Disney land.

It is a KILLER whale. what do you expect?
What if you turn it loose,and then it starts eating people on the beach ?