Jack Hanna "Takes Hat Off" to SeaWorld
Following the tragic death of Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at SeaWorld who died after being drowned by a killer whale named Tilikum, wildlife expert Jack Hanna, who knew Bancheau, said he still supports SeaWorld and their decision to keep the killer whale, despite its past with two human deaths.
12,000-Pound Whale Kills SeaWorld Trainer
Photos: Tragedy at SeaWorld
"I take my hat off to SeaWorld to take a killer whale that someone said we should euthanize, (and) bring it to SeaWorld," Hanna said.
Hanna added that no trainer ever swam with Tilikum in the history it was at SeaWorld.
He said, "Tilly had youngsters with it because it was socialized with females there, so the value that Tilly has is insurmountable compared to --What happened is terrible, but -- "
"Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez interjected, "But it killed another trainer after already having killed one years ago."
Hanna agreed, but compared working with these animals to going into outer space. He said the risk of keeping these whales in captivity is worth the risk for posterity's sake.
"This is the type of work that we do," he said. "We do everything we can (to put) the safety of our animals and visitors first. The SeaWorld in-vitro planted, they can now take sperm and eggs and have a baby killer whale. Let's say 20, 30 years from now, there's 200 killer whales left in the wild. Let me tell you where we're going to go: We're going to go to SeaWorld and see what to to save this magnificent creature. That's how valuable it is for what we're doing with research. I hear all these other people commenting with killer whales. Give me a break. Seaworld are the ones that know more about killer whales, and the millions of dollars they spend this rescuing whales is unbelievable. And we put them back out in the wild. So no one hears about this."
But at what point does a whale get too big to be in captivity?
"I don't know, you know," Hanna responded. "Some people said they know what the whale thinking. That's impossible. I don't know what the whale is thinking I don't know what stress is to a whale. All I know is that SeaWorld provides the best possible care, and I've in been going to those parks for 30-something years. And I always seen nothing but animals that seem to be very, very happy. That's all I know from what I see as a person that's been in the business 40 years."
Hanna, who worked occasionally with Bancheau for his wildlife show, said the aquarium and zoo world is still in shock.
"We're such a small family and when you lose somebody I still can't believe that a beautiful person like Dawn who people so admired, who I compare to really like an astronaut or an Olympic athlete. She was the best there was at what she did. And my heart goes out to them."
Hanna said the wildlife work Brancheau did was her legacy, and that it should be kept alive.
For more with Hanna, click on the video below.
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Copyright 2010 CBS. All rights reserved. 12,000-Pound Whale Kills SeaWorld Trainer
Photos: Tragedy at SeaWorld
"I take my hat off to SeaWorld to take a killer whale that someone said we should euthanize, (and) bring it to SeaWorld," Hanna said.
Hanna added that no trainer ever swam with Tilikum in the history it was at SeaWorld.
He said, "Tilly had youngsters with it because it was socialized with females there, so the value that Tilly has is insurmountable compared to --What happened is terrible, but -- "
"Early Show" co-anchor Maggie Rodriguez interjected, "But it killed another trainer after already having killed one years ago."
Hanna agreed, but compared working with these animals to going into outer space. He said the risk of keeping these whales in captivity is worth the risk for posterity's sake.
"This is the type of work that we do," he said. "We do everything we can (to put) the safety of our animals and visitors first. The SeaWorld in-vitro planted, they can now take sperm and eggs and have a baby killer whale. Let's say 20, 30 years from now, there's 200 killer whales left in the wild. Let me tell you where we're going to go: We're going to go to SeaWorld and see what to to save this magnificent creature. That's how valuable it is for what we're doing with research. I hear all these other people commenting with killer whales. Give me a break. Seaworld are the ones that know more about killer whales, and the millions of dollars they spend this rescuing whales is unbelievable. And we put them back out in the wild. So no one hears about this."
But at what point does a whale get too big to be in captivity?
"I don't know, you know," Hanna responded. "Some people said they know what the whale thinking. That's impossible. I don't know what the whale is thinking I don't know what stress is to a whale. All I know is that SeaWorld provides the best possible care, and I've in been going to those parks for 30-something years. And I always seen nothing but animals that seem to be very, very happy. That's all I know from what I see as a person that's been in the business 40 years."
Hanna, who worked occasionally with Bancheau for his wildlife show, said the aquarium and zoo world is still in shock.
"We're such a small family and when you lose somebody I still can't believe that a beautiful person like Dawn who people so admired, who I compare to really like an astronaut or an Olympic athlete. She was the best there was at what she did. And my heart goes out to them."
Hanna said the wildlife work Brancheau did was her legacy, and that it should be kept alive.
For more with Hanna, click on the video below.
Watch CBS News Videos Online
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So while that scumbag sat there talking about astronauts and insulting Ric O'Barry, Sea World's spokesman sat back with a smirk on his face knowing his company crushed and ignored the OSHA safety warnings and got away with it. Sea World got this woman killed and Jack Hanna is nothing but a paid employee of Sea World's PR campaign.
This is just what happens when you kidnap a 12,000 lb predator and put it in a tub for the rest of its natural life.
Whales don't naturally attack human beings. In fact there are many recorded incidents where dolphins have actually assisted in rescuing human beings at sea (pushing people to the surface).
However, these animals are made to roam over thousands of miles of coastline. They use echolocation to navigate and find prey and are very sensitive to sound. So forcing them to perform for food in a noisy environment like a theme park tank where they can't escape the feedback from their own echolocation much less the crowds and machinery nearby; feeding them dead fish stuffed with drugs to help alleviate stomach problems and immune system problems due to stress... It's no wonder 200 killer whales have died in captivity since the 1960s.
The marine entertainment industry needs to let go of animals like Orcas and dolphins and other marine mammals that display levels of high intelligence and require the freedom of miles of open ocean to survive and be healthy.
Keeping these animals in captivity is unnecessarily cruel and serves no purpose other than to provide profits to an industry built on exploiting animals. Sea World is nothing more than a wet circus.
http://whaleanddolphintalk.blogspot.com/
Willingly. With full knowledge and comprehension of the cost to herself. Dawn gladly sacrificed herself toward the greater appreciation for the Circle of Life.
Say that she ?deserved? it, and she would nod in total agreement.
I went to SeaWorld. I paid my family?s admission and took a seat at Shamu Stadium. I am the beneficiary of now more fully understanding the beauty and magnificence of these creatures.
Surely, Dawn and every SeaWorld worker who comes into such close proximity as Dawn regularly did, understands the risks of working with such a huge and untamed mammal as the killer whale.
Just as the 47 killer whales currently caged throughout the world are the sacrificial lambs towards the greater good of the tens of thousands of killer whales who roam the world free ? Dawn serves as the sacrificial lamb (albeit knowingly and therefore willingly) within the human species for that same greater good. Who are we to tell her otherwise?
Rest in Peace, Dawn.
I'm sure the woman who is gone wouldn't want anything to happen to that whale. Jack Hannah is far from a moron, although I noticed a few posting on here.