This is a killer whale:
I feel very bad for the trainer, but I just have to ask the question:Why on earth would someone willingly go into a tank with a killer whale? Is the term killer not a red flag of sorts? Isn't swimming in a tank with a killer whale something like getting into a car with Ted Bundy?
Just thought I'd ask.
But if you're looking for a silver lining inside a dark cloud, I suppose we can be glad Claudia just tripped over the dog instead of swimming with a killer whale.
Have a good day. Cartoon Saturday is coming. More thoughts then.
Bilbo
9 comments:
I read a newspaper article about this, and it said she was standing on the side....not in the tank. She apparently wasn't in the tank, because this whale had injured and even killed BEFORE, so trainers were not allowed to be in the tank with him. Um, HELLO?? I think this should be obvious--kill one human and you're no longer entertainment. In fact, perhaps that means we should not be using any of these beasts as entertainment. Sheesh!
She was interacting with the animal when it happened. There are a lot of other factors to be considered as well. There's an article on AOL that lists some of the reasons he could have been set off. Oh and here's food for thought on one of the people this whale is accused of killing.
You are a whale. You are used to swimming in a tank alone. You know your trainers basically. Its late, some moron decides to take a swim in your pool, what do you do?
Probably the same thing that a human would do if a robber were in his house. Think about it.
Oh geeze..I could really get a rant on here.
I agree with KTKSews. Neither these animals nor any other wild animals should be used as entertainment. As I've mentioned, I used to work with big cats and other animals at a rescue facility. I've seen first-hand the effects of a 9-second attack on a person by a 150-pound cougar. This was a 1,400-pound killer whale. No one knows what will set a formerly docile animal off. It could be scent, a piece of flashy jewelry, the phase of the moon, or maybe the animal's just in a feisty mood that day. The person I know who was attacked by a cougar had been in the enclosure with it dozens of times. He was just cleaning. These weren't pets or show animals. There was no petting or other close interaction. One day the cougar just snapped and nearly killed the man.
Don't "swim with the dolphins", don't go the park in Australia that allows you to pet tigers, fergodsake don't keep a big cat as a pet.
Sorry for the long comment. This is something of a hot button for me.
When you go to watch wild animal entertainment like this, you need to ask yourself if you are contributing to the problem with your money.
I think the term, "Killer" is a misnomer. The orca is the largest member of the dolphin family--you can even see his smile in the picture. :) However they are predators, and large ones, so getting in a tank with a wild animal, no matter how well trained is a risk. I know we learn a lot from studying animals but I'm not sure about the entertainment factor either, even though I got into a pool with live dolphins when we were in the Bahamas. Dolphins are what, 400 lbs? It could have pulled me under and crushed me too.
Today's paper clarified: She was not in the tank. She was on a platform next to the tank. She was interacting with the whale, and he lept up and grabbed her by her long braid and dragged her in the water.
Then the article quotes two different sources, including a relative, who swear the victim would not have want anything done to the whale.
Fine. But don't let another trainer be a victim and take this animal off display.
On the news this morning it was stated that this is the 3rd person this whale has killed. It was also stated that they are going to keep the whale for 2 reasons: 1) It can't survive in the wild and, 2) for breeding purposes.
If a dog BITES two different people they put it down.
When Kirby VanBurch first started getting his white Bengal tiger, Branson used to being on stage, he would bring him out in a cage and let people ask questions about the tiger. One boy asked if he was mean.
I'll never forget Kirby's answer. He said, "No, he's not mean. He would eat you, but that's because he's a tiger, not because he's mean."
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