SeaWorld Called Best Place for Tilikum

(CBS)  Dawn Brancheau is the third person killed by the orca named Tilikum. She lost her life during an incident at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla., on Wednesday.

Since then, there have been calls for the killer whale to be euthanized, which SeaWorld is flatly rejecting, and for it to be let loose into the wild. Animal rights activists were to demonstrate Saturday to press for Tilikum to be set free.

But on "The Early Show Saturday Edition," a former SeaWorld trainer who worked with Tilikum for seven years said letting it out to sea isn't possible, and observed that there's "no better place for Tilikum than SeaWorld."

Jeff Ventre, who's now a physician in New Orleans, told CBS News correspondent and substitute co-anchor Kelly Cobiella he "knew Dawn in a past life. … Dawn was a fabulous trainer and a friend at one time in my life.

"You never expect something like this to happen," Ventre said. "Incidents happen all the time, but something of this magnitude is certainly unexpected, shocking and tragic."

He wouldn't address a charge by Brancheau's former boss that the incident was Brancheau's fault. "I don't know the circumstances of what happened at SeaWorld," Ventre said.

Asked why SeaWorld is holding onto Tilikum, Ventre observed that, "It's in SeaWorld's interests to keep Tilikum and, secondarily, there's no better place for Tilikum than SeaWorld. He gets the best care possible for his particular situation.

"He's not releasable for a couple reasons. Number one, he spends as lot of time surface-resting - a wild orca swims pretty much its entire life.

"Number two, he doesn't have any viable teeth left. One of the (things you do when) putting orcas in a facility is that you have to separate them with gates, and what they tend to do is threat-displays at each other to establish dominance. It's a matriarchal society. Tilikum (a male) is a sub-dominant animal in that society. He has a little bit less room to maneuver because of his massive size. He might be the largest animal in captivity. ... So, consequently, his teeth have broken off. And that's why you'll see the trainers every morning and evening using a water pick to flush out the impacted fish that gathers in the remnants of the teeth ... so it doesn't lead to something like an infection."

SeaWorld is said to have Tilikum insured for as much as $5 million, and Ventre said, "He's worth millions, and he represents the future of the breeding program for SeaWorld. He has impregnated - he's produced 13 calves, I believe. I think ten are still alive. I haven't been in the game for a long time. That's a guess, but those are the numbers that I think are accurate."

[hamster46151]

That's not even Tilikum in that picture. This is what the media has become. So incompetent. Trainers were not allowed to swim with Tilikum so that has to be a different whale. Also, I don't think that is amateur video. It looks like it was pulled from the "Believe" dvd. I know because I have that dvd and I've watched it dozens of times. That picture looks familiar. And that's not Tilikum.

[07221990]

I believe that every comment the mayority are in the right side.In other words I truely believe tilikum should be placed out in the sea......be free...what he was born to do. Yes he has been so long around humans and has learned tricks in all but lets not for get he is a whale..............and deserves to live what all whales do. But what has sea world done.......just used them.....thats all but what do they get in return.......NOTHING..........look at him now......they are judging him, acussing him, and even trying to kill him.....who are they to decide that. They never asked him to join sea world and work all his life.........no none so ever....they just took tilikum life out of the world and placed him in tanks.........

Can I ask why..........
for money................
for attention.........
for intertainment.......
you decide.........

but really tilikum has to go home........hes old for crying out loud......let him in the wild ....let him be free.and enjoy what he has left in life being what he loves to do....be free......so sea world has to stop being selfish and put this animal back where they found him...........i bet thats what Dawn Brancheau. would have wished for.....let her soul as well rest in peace.....

[07221990]

I believe that every comment the mayority are in the right side.In other words I truely believe tilikum should be placed out in the sea......be free...what he was born to do. Yes he has been so long around humans and has learned tricks in all but lets not for get he is a whale..............and deserves to live what all whales do. But what has sea world done.......just used them.....thats all but what do they get in return.......NOTHING..........look at him now......they are judging him, acussing him, and even trying to kill him.....who are they to decide that. They never asked him to join sea world and work all his life.........no none so ever....they just took tilikum life out of the world and placed him in tanks.........

Can I ask why..........
for money................
for attention.........
for intertainment.......
you decide.........

but really tilikum has to go home........hes old for crying out loud......let him in the wild ....let him be free.and enjoy what he has left in life being what he loves to do....be free......so sea world has to stop being selfish and put this animal back where they found him...........i bet thats what Dawn Brancheau. would have wished for.....let her soul as well rest in peace.....

[CompletelyFrustrated]

The media seems to be focusing on the now three deaths. The first one 1991 involved 2 other whales - it was a group effort. The second guy in 1999 who snuck into the tank should not count - he was plain stupid. That would be like the stupid woman whoo jumped into the tigers enclosure at a zoo because she wanted to pet them! JUST PLAIN STUPID!!!

This is still a wild animal and there is no way for a human to know when or if they are having a bad day. I love to go and watch them and I have had the privilege of talking to trainers/handlers and they are truly magnificent.

It is sad and my prayers go out to Dawn's family. This was an accident, and Dawn died doing what she loved.

[Remembering_Luna_L98]

No matter how you look at the events of the death of SeaWorld trainer
Dawn Brancheau, you can lay blame for her death on shoulders of
corporate SeaWorld.

It's absolutely appalling to read so many people expressing that
"Tilikum" should be killed for what happened.

SeaWorld had full knowledge of the problems Tilikum has been at the
center of in his captive life. Because of the previous incident in 1991
and unwitnessed occurrence in 1999 that resulted in a human life being
lost, no trainers were to be in the water with Tilikum nor was Tilikum
to be included as a performer in SeaWorld "Shamu" show. Clearly,
SeaWorld eased it's rules and restrictions on interactions with Tilikum
and this new tragedy is the result. After the two previous incidents,
Tilikum was kept for DNA; to add branches to the "family" tree of
captive killer whales that keep SeaWorld in business... that's all!

Tilikum is an Icelandic transient orca. They don't live in typical
familial "pods" as resident orca off western US shores do. The distance
they travel in the wild is vast and for a transient male orca, mostly
solitary. The life experience and knowledge of living in the wild that
Tilikum was born to and learned from his mother in his short 4 years
with her is nothing of what his life is since being placed into
captivity in 1983.

Somehow, robbing this wild animal of the life he should have had isn't
enough. Now, we must describe and equate any tragic incident he is
involved in with vengeance, aggressiveness, bloodthirstiness, purposeful
action and (most ignorantly) murder. These are human traits,
characteristics and actions. They are NOT the thought processes of wild
animals who do not live in a world of human conscience. Living in a
world of right and wrong is our existence, not theirs.

What is wrong is keeping killer whales in captivity. As long as the
captive industry feels the need to perpetuate the "big pet" illusion for
killer whales and use buzzwords like "acquired" for captured, "aquarium"
for tank, "controlled environment" for captivity, and "behavior" for
tricks, people will continue to be misled about killer whales lives in
the wild and what's threatening their survival now. Sea parks like
SeaWorld aren't truly educating anyone about orcas by teaching a killer
whale to jump through a hoop or to balance a person on their rostrum.
They also aren't learning much about orcas by being splashed by the
largest orca held in captivity when it's time for Tilikum to join the show.

There's no happy ending here for Tilikum, no matter what happens. To
kill him is wrong. To return him to the wild after so long in captivity
would be expensive and difficult, just as it was for Keiko ("Free
Willy"). To keep him isolated in a small tank to swim in small circles
for the rest of his life with the label of a "killer" is tragic indeed.
Well done SeaWorld.

[lindapearl]

Free Tilly, to an ocean sanctuary that SeaWorld pays for. Next, to stay in business, SeaWorld should go into robotics and then free all of the others. Just think of all the funny and scary shows SeaWorld could do with robotic sharks, etc. The kids would love it.
Until SeaWorld begins this process don't patronize it! Or it will never change.

[mrCurbStomp]

its not the whales fault its that freakin Ponytail! FREE WILLY!!!!!!

[JohnBoston07]

In regards to the tragic death Ms. Dawn Brancheau on Feb 24, 2010 at SeaWorld Orlando:
I was at the ?Believe? killer whale show on February 24th with my family (just prior to the ?Dining with Shamu? event which followed) and I am dismayed over reports that I am just now seeing in the news media by SeaWorld staff, primarily those of SeaWorld?s Animal Care Curator Chuck Tompkins, that there was no indication that the Killer Whales were behaving abnormally prior to Ms Brancheau's tragic death.
I am not an animal expert, but my observations were that the whales were not behaving as anticipated. I would have to imagine that SeaWorld tapes its performances and/or has security footage which would clearly show that the whales were not behaving as expected. During the segment of the show in which the whales, including Tilikum, are supposed to ?splash? the crowd, after only two splashes from the whale's tail... two of the whales set-off at a high rate of speed, chasing each other while staff manually operated the pool's gates to separate the whales. Even after being given a "cool down" period prior to resuming the "splash" portion of the show... the show ended abruptly after the whales continued to not participate. From a layman's view, it appeared that the whales were agitated, uncooperative and focused on things other than performing. Shortly thereafter Ms. Brancheau was killed at the Dining with Shamu pool. I would hope that SeaWorld?s policies would dictate certain behaviors and restrictions when faced with uncooperative ?performers? and I believe that Ms. Brancheau?s death could have been avoided if tighter restrictions were in-place, and followed, when faced with ?abnormal? behavior.
I have contacted SeaWorld via their online e-mail form asking that this information be forwarded to interested parties. I have not received a response.
Much like bankers and fund managers, it is apparent to me that SeaWorld is willing to say anything to protect their financial interests (i.e. reporting that Ms Brancheau slipped into the pool and drowned?. before they had any facts). The adage ?the show must go on? should not be at the expense of human life or the welfare of these animals that are undoubtedly already stressed in an unnatural environment. I hope that the investigation is thorough and that future tragedies like this can be avoided.
Our hearts go out to Dawn's family, friends and colleagues.

[gorays]

it is really important that 'layman' eye witness accounts like yours be put forward as yours is here. your efforts are appreciated. it is 'interesting' to see the conflicts between Seaworld's administration on events and eyewitness accounts. The fact that these do not mesh is indicative of profit protection.

Given how apparent this disparity is between the 'official line' and what people saw, and that the only investigation being conducted is by Seaworld itself, why would you expect an investigation to be thorough, or not 'tow' the official line that is being propagated already?

It bears remembering that this exact same PR 'spin' was used by the company involved when Tillikum drowned a girl at Sealand in 1991.

[orca1ny]

First my deepest sympathy to Dawns family. I have been to Seaworld many, many times, and in 1987, spent 7 days in a row visiting the park with a week long pass. Most of the time I spent by Shamu stadium, since orcas are a passion of mine. One of those days, a bull whale (not Tilly, who did not come until 1992) came over the wall seperating the back tank from the front, and came up under a trainer and started opening its mouth on his leg, I thought he was going to bite him..calmly, the other trainers distracted the whale, moved the females and baby out from the front and were able to get him to move to another part of the tank, and put the gate down. I stayed after, and the trainer who was kind enough to speak with me, explained that sometimes,s the whales just don't feel like performing, and when theat happens, they let them do their own thing and that is what they did. He told me, whether true or not, that sometimes the whales "play with them" like a toy, and that the trainer was not in any danger. So this is not the first time this kind of behavior has happened that you witnessed. After hearing about Tilikum in 1993 from a diver who had witnessed the Sealand incident, while watching wild orcas off Washington State I began doing research on accidents in marine parks, and found out that Tilikum was in Orlando. But it took six months and persistance for me to finally get any kind of answer. When I have visited since then, the staff all knew his history, and were great at explaining how they handle him and that no one goes in the water with him. The point here is that Sea world has always been tight lipped about the accidents/incidents that happen there. But now in the age of youtube and the internet, its not as easy to keep it quiet. and with this recent incident, the media is all over the past incidents and will bring them to light. Although I am not procaptivity, there are whales that are in no condition to be released and it is a complicated issue and further complicated by needing permits allowing for it by Icleand or countries of origins. You can't just stick an orca in any ocean, for success, they need to relearn and their original pod, if possible needs to be located, and they need to be accepted. This was a tragic accident, but the whale was acting like a wild whale, which he is, in the ocean or in an aquarium.

[BoldChapeau]

It's not a Sea World. It's a Tank World.

[rocketjl]

What about Captain 'D's????????