Killer whale accidentally whole trainer.

[0roo0roo]

Agreed. I also find it interesting that people don't seem to think keeping such a majestic, and yes possibly dangerous, creature in captivity isn't cruel. I mean if you kept a dog in a plastic kennel it's whole life and taught it tricks most people would agre that's cruel. But take a 30 foot whale used to travelling hundreds if not thousands of killometers a year in the open sea and put it in a 100 foot tank and it's entertainment? I'd feel like killing someone too in that situation.

Its not a kennel

Its more like a dangerous pet. But really, they are trained personnel and know the risks, thats life. and most killer whales don't kill trainers, so how does that work? only one cracked?

next time an IT guy cracks and shoots up a place you going to say all IT guys are about to crack from the pressure and shoot up a place as well? sometimes you have a bad egg is all. just like anything else.

anyways its rather annoying when people over sentimentalize nature. now if those were the last killer whales around being put in parks you'd have a point, but they aren't. like it or not we do control nature. just how many mega fauna live in your neighborhood? when was the last pack of "majestic" wolves seen wander by your house? we do what we do with nature, its just how it is. better people see killler whales in a park rather than go disturb the ones in the sea, or not see them ever at all. being taught tricks and a routine is GOOD for the animals. what is bad is boredom not activity.

 

[geno]

these things eat walruses, great whites and polar bears......but no they wouldnt eat a human, because they, uh, like us?

Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? The whales like us! They really like us!

 

[zinfamous]

Agreed. I also find it interesting that people don't seem to think keeping such a majestic, and yes possibly dangerous, creature in captivity isn't cruel. I mean if you kept a dog in a plastic kennel it's whole life and taught it tricks most people would agre that's cruel. But take a 30 foot whale used to travelling hundreds if not thousands of killometers a year in the open sea and put it in a 100 foot tank and it's entertainment? I'd feel like killing someone too in that situation.

It's funny. Even the non-PETA types would generally agree that the tradition of Russian bear training is archaic, cruel, and disgusting.

....Yet you rarely hear the general populace complain about places like Sea World. :hmm:

 

[SphinxnihpS]

Doesn't it make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside? The whales like us! They really like us!

It's just like avatar. I'm so depressed when I'm not on Pandora.

 

[Jeff7]

Image reference for those not familiar with this meme.

 

[bob4432]

6+ ton orca and ~110# human "playing" together - no, nothing could possibly go wrong....

free the orcas!!!

 

[zoiks]

Free Willy!

 

[qazwsxokmijn]

being taught tricks and a routine is GOOD for the animals. what is bad is boredom not activity.

That is a lot of bile. You are assimilating what humans find entertaining to what animals may find entertaining.

I doubt very much a bear's idea of 'entertainment' involves ropes, , stinging sticks, electricity pokes, and other cruel contraptions in dancing, which is by the way, not what bears do naturally.

https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=897

I also doubt very much an elephant's idea of entertainment does not involve being forcefully dragged away from their families to perform in front of crowds, many of which hurl physical abuse because they think it's rather hilarious.

http://www.helpthaielephants.com/

I do not over-sentimentalise nature. We are a part of nature itself and acting cruelly upon nature is acting cruelly on ourselves, in one way or another. We are superior to other animals in some aspects, but we are inferior to other animals in so many more. If we are so advanced and 'civilised', what is the need of exploiting animals, forcing them out of their natural lives, just to poke them with electricity so they'll be frightened into doing some jiggly moves? It's cruel. They feel that electricity. They feel the fear and bewilderment over the whole thing.

And before you go into topics such as eating meat, farming etc (because knowing people like you, you probably would) - so what? As long as the animals have a reasonable lives before being slaughtered humanely, that is not a problem at all. Eating meat is, was and will always be a part of nature. Nature's predators would kill their prey in varying ways, perhaps even torturous in some cases (give them a break, they don't have guns or huge knives), but they seldom or even not at all kill for 'sport' or 'entertainment'.

If you have the power to treat things with compassion and respect, then use it. I truly am puzzled how some sick people would enjoy watching an animal suffer in the name of entertainment. I don't find dogs ripping each others' throats entertaining. Or elephants taken away from their herds to be in a traveling circus kept in unnatural conditions. Or bears being poked and dragged around by rope so they'll get on one-wheeled bikes and dancing. Quite the contrary to entertainment, it's horrific.

 

[bob4432]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtmmefcJbMc

bear 2, people 0

 

[Rubycon]

Free Willy!

That was proven rather ineffective with Keiko.
There is a petition site (freetilly.org) but this is pointless. The Free Keiko foundation (failure) showed that it's not practical or possible even - given the logistics - to set a captive orca back in the wild without significant hardship (like death!) to the animals.

Keiko took years to learn how to hunt and he still preferred to be with people. His demise ended up in Norway in December 2003 where he finally got ill (pneumonia) and died.

I was a good friend of one of the investors/technical organizers of that project and it was known considerably beforehand that the project would end up the way it did.

Furthermore even more infuriating was the fate of Keiko's pool at the Oregon Coast Aquarium. This facility was paid for in the most part out of donations to the Organization through EEI, CWR, and HSUS. It was to be dedicated to helping cetacea in the future with needs. Instead, in 1999 the tank was demo'd to start construction of a walk through shark and cold water Pacific display.

 

[MrsBugi]

Sea World is keeping the whale.

 

[Rubycon]

Sea World is keeping the whale.

Not surprising at all. It's the only responsible thing to do. Euthanasia goes completely against the wishes of the deceased trainer (and many others). They have the responsibility to take care of this whale and need to do so.

That said if I ever pet an Orcinus Orca I will be sure to wear my hair up that day. I can only imagine what that must have felt like to be dragged by your hair. I had my hair pulled HARD by a monkey once and as much as I love animals the only thing I wanted to do was pick up a pipe wrench and start swinging! What a horrible way to die! :'(

 

[0roo0roo]

That is a lot of bile. You are assimilating what humans find entertaining to what animals may find entertaining.

I doubt very much a bear's idea of 'entertainment' involves ropes, , stinging sticks, electricity pokes, and other cruel contraptions in dancing, which is by the way, not what bears do naturally.

https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=897

I also doubt very much an elephant's idea of entertainment does not involve being forcefully dragged away from their families to perform in front of crowds, many of which hurl physical abuse because they think it's rather hilarious.

http://www.helpthaielephants.com/

I do not over-sentimentalise nature. We are a part of nature itself and acting cruelly upon nature is acting cruelly on ourselves, in one way or another. We are superior to other animals in some aspects, but we are inferior to other animals in so many more. If we are so advanced and 'civilised', what is the need of exploiting animals, forcing them out of their natural lives, just to poke them with electricity so they'll be frightened into doing some jiggly moves? It's cruel. They feel that electricity. They feel the fear and bewilderment over the whole thing.

And before you go into topics such as eating meat, farming etc (because knowing people like you, you probably would) - so what? As long as the animals have a reasonable lives before being slaughtered humanely, that is not a problem at all. Eating meat is, was and will always be a part of nature. Nature's predators would kill their prey in varying ways, perhaps even torturous in some cases (give them a break, they don't have guns or huge knives), but they seldom or even not at all kill for 'sport' or 'entertainment'.

If you have the power to treat things with compassion and respect, then use it. I truly am puzzled how some sick people would enjoy watching an animal suffer in the name of entertainment. I don't find dogs ripping each others' throats entertaining. Or elephants taken away from their herds to be in a traveling circus kept in unnatural conditions. Or bears being poked and dragged around by rope so they'll get on one-wheeled bikes and dancing. Quite the contrary to entertainment, it's horrific.

linking to peta as your source you've failed from the start. comparing killer whale training to electric shocks just shows how far out there you are.

you really think that horses naturally carry other animals on their backs? give me a break.

 

[Red Squirrel]

Sea World is keeping the whale.

Good to know. I hate how often the first thought is to kill an animal when something like this happens. I'm sure the whale did not intentionally kill the trainer. They do not understand things 100% the way we do, and these accidents happen, sometimes it's even on purpose, but it's an instincts thing. Animals have very different instincts then we do and may make a decision that ends up being wrong, such as killing someone.

They simply need to figure out exactly what happens and do what they can to prevent it, and it looks like that's what they'll be doing. Good to hear it's a good ending.

 

[OBLAMA2009]

tilikum is cool. this was his third victim. when he tells you "i dont want to do stupid tricks today" you best listen

 

[OBLAMA2009]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YtmmefcJbMc

bear 2, people 0

i think id be more afraid of a momma cougar:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-tSm_LWX4Io&feature=related

 

[Zorkorist]

First off our condolences for the family of the deceased.

Please don't try to compare this to keeping pets. These are not domesticated animals.

While we may think animals are domesticated, they are still animals.

I have no sympathy for those that choose to work with animals.

They can attack at any time, and for reasons we can't fathom.

I do, however, find the reports of the Orca (being petulant) interesting...

Here are experienced animal people... getting deaded. (that says a lot)

-John

 

[OBLAMA2009]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52o5yV6G7tY&feature=related

 

[moshquerade]

wat? Nik is banned again? anyone know what he did this time?

 

[Zorkorist]

Mosh,

I think you are in the wrong thread.

The Moshpit is a thread to the right.

-John

 

[bob4432]

While we may think animals are domesticated, they are still animals.

I have no sympathy for those that choose to work with animals.

They can attack at any time, and for reasons we can't fathom.

I do, however, find the reports of the Orca (being petulant) interesting...

Here are experienced animal people... getting deaded. (that says a lot)

-John

like i said earlier 12,500# animal, ~110# person - shit happens.

 

[Zorkorist]

Hell, I got bad dog bites.

They are animals.

-John

 

[Zorkorist]

You just got to wonder what SeaWorld San Diego is doing to do...

"Come see our cute Killer Whales, and if you're lucky, you will see them kill their human friend."

-John

 

[destrekor]

Agreed. I also find it interesting that people don't seem to think keeping such a majestic, and yes possibly dangerous, creature in captivity isn't cruel. I mean if you kept a dog in a plastic kennel it's whole life and taught it tricks most people would agre that's cruel. But take a 30 foot whale used to travelling hundreds if not thousands of killometers a year in the open sea and put it in a 100 foot tank and it's entertainment? I'd feel like killing someone too in that situation.

The problem with everything is we humans are so blind to the concept that other animals could possibly "understand", could possibly have a level of stress that is beyond purely physiological reactions, devoid of an emotional response.
All of which stems from the notion that we are special.

Many animals thoroughly understand "stress", but they mentally interpret it, or filter it, with a far more primal understanding. Like a child, if you will.

In fact, I'd argue most animals that fit that description are very much like human children who are deaf and mute. Communication isn't impossible, it simply has to carried out differently. And children in general, especially one who cannot experience everything in the world the way we do, are going to have more primal behavior.

Box in a human and never explain exactly why, things might happen. Throw in the fact that the one boxed in is far larger and more powerful than us little humans, and things can go wrong at any moment, whether stress is involved or not.
Dogs we see that happen all the time. Good animals can get stressed if raised improperly, and good animals can cause harm without ever meaning (accidentally biting to hard during play, for instance). Dogs are smaller than us, and while they have powerful jaws, are less likely to seriously maim us in a playful accident. But accidents while playing happen.
And dogs constantly exhibit behavior that is stress induced, but don't harm us in the process. Rather, it's our furniture and shoes!

Box a mastiff in a small room, and never give it much attention, and then jump in the room. Something might or might not happen.

Point being, social creatures require social interaction on some level. Large creatures also require room to move.
Large social creatures require a lot. We just aren't giving even a fraction of what orcas deserve. Probably be insanely expensive to create such a housing area that also provides room for people to witness entertainment, but we humans are retarded like that.

 

[Zorkorist]

Entertainment?

How could a captive animal provide entertainment?

-John