Trainer Killed At Sea World

[Frosty]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lynnroy
Its just a real shame they can't house them in more spacious enclosures- really why can't this be possible?[/quote]The reason they aren't bigger is simple.....cost.

A jail is still a jail, even if it has big cells!

Zoo or Jail, what really is the difference.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by christhear
surely you must sign a waiver if you work with these animals....why are the press and someothers making such a mountain out of it.
[/quote]
Because someone died! I don't know whether the trainers at Seaworld sign a waiver or not, but in any case that doesn't stop people being horrified and shocked when it happens.

Regardless of that, Seaworld won't close, there's too much money invested in it.

[FraserLynn]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by christhear
Now if an autistic boy of 12 can understand this why are the press and someothers making such a mountain out of it.[/quote]I am not sure that the lady's parents, siblings, partner, children, nieces and nephews will think that anyone is making a mountain out of it....

[Lyn]

The trainer involved had no children. When her sister was interviewed she said that the whales were her children and that she would not have wanted anything to happen to Tilicum. The trainers know the risks they are are taking, if not then they are naive. There are 3 Sea World Parks all with whale shows, if you think of how many hours over the years trainers have worked with these whales then the incidents have been few.

[christhear]

Its not the trainers family that are making a big fuss its other people that are jumping on the band wagon.

Dawn knew the risks her job involved and her family accept this. I have also heard that a standing ovation was given to the show believe when it recommensed this weekend.

I just think that some people use tragic accidents to propel their personnal thoughts into the media.

[Katys Grandad]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Frosty
<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by lynnroy
Its just a real shame they can't house them in more spacious enclosures- really why can't this be possible?[/quote]The reason they aren't bigger is simple.....cost.

A jail is still a jail, even if it has big cells!

Zoo or Jail, what really is the difference.[/quote]The difference is that Seaworld make a fortune each year out of these helpless captive creatures. Both the whale and the trainer are victims here - not of research or the better good but all in the name of 'entertainment'.[msnmad]

I read today that it would have cost over $2 million to replace and they weren't prepared to lose that amount just because it had only savaged a trainer to death. The whole thing is utterly hideous.

[Sniff]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by Lyn
The trainers know the risks they are are taking, if not then they are naive.[/quote]<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:Originally posted by christhear
Dawn knew the risks her job involved and her family accept this.[/quote]Wow...I am just astounded by these comments. What next...no-one cares when soldiers get blown up, because it was their choice to join the army? What about police, fire and other emergency services? Or what about the Georgian luge competitor killed recently at the Olympics?

I am sure all these people know the risks, but it doesn't mean we shouldn't all be concerned when they get injured or killed, especially if it's in the name of (so-called) entertainment, as in this case. Such events should be used to provoke public discussion on whether places like Seaworld are anachronistic these days.

[lynnroy]

It seems that Seaworld is a hugely contraversal subject. I feel that in a ideal world wild animals- or more specifically non domesticated animals would not be keep in captivity at all.

I love animals generally as a rule more than humans(my family excepted -of course!) I myself have horses and love nothing better than to see them out enjoying themselves with their pals in the fields.
I suppose Seaworld (although it mains job is a massive money making) is helping conserve the whales in the wild if it uses its breeding program to release them. Although whither this contibutes much to the grand scheme of things is another question.

I suppose the real question is should we be going to places like Seaworld and therein be supporting what they do.

From some of the comments on this thread I take it quite a few of you don't go. I would love to see whales up close but I think I would also be sad about seeing them kept in such cramped tanks and performing silly tricks.

Its all very though provoking and I expect we will still go, but part of me feels very guilty now, knowing that someone has died for the sake of our entertainment is really sad.

[Robert5988]

<blockquote id="quote" class="ffs">quote:I suppose Seaworld (although it mains job is a massive money making) is helping conserve the whales in the wild if it uses its breeding program to release them.[/quote] I think we should be quite clear, SeaWorld exists for entertainment. They cynically play the ‘marine protection’ card purely to deflect justified criticism. What is the difference between Killer whales performing tricks and elephants riding bicycles? or can we justify the latter by claiming the elephants help with the design of bikes for overweight humans!!

I took my kids just once and they were upset – particularly by the polar bears who were so obviously stressed in that disgraceful pen – and they vowed never to return.

Like others above, I simply fail to see the logic of the ‘she knew the risks’ argument. It wasn’t supposed to be death-defying, it is portrayed as good clean kiddies entertainment; don’t they clap their flippers together to show how much they enjoy entertaining us?

[Jill]

'Killer whales' are not whales at all and Seaworld does not have any whales which it uses for tricks. Orcas or blackfish as they are sometimes known are the largest species in the dolphin family. It would perhaps be more correct if instead of being known as killer whales they were known as whale killers. They are apex predators and therefore have no known predator.

Andrew worked alongside some of the Seaworld employees during his time with the Marine Mammal Stranding Society and they take conservation, rescue and rehabilitation very seriously. As stated they do not make a fuss about it and just get on with it.