# Seaworld Worker Killed By Killer Whale? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [February 24, 2010, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318 "2010-02-24T21:43:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/61 "2010-02-25T21:09:12Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > The only thing worse than a whale attack would be a [mass shark break out at a shopping mall](http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8536415.stm). This is one of my worst nightmares. That the shark tank will suddenly break open and sharks will come pouring out. And then they’ll open their mouths…and BEES! ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/62 "2010-02-25T21:16:25Z")
> [@Sycorax](#): > > The orca, or “killer whale,” is actually a dolphin. I wish we could get away from the “killer whale” name, which implies that it is more deadly than a lot of other sea creatures. They are social creatures (as are all dolphins), with pods (familial groups), and they are intelligent. This is why they can be trained to do tricks to please their human captors, but the bottom line is they are wild animals. Who knows why this one orca did what he did – maybe he saw the trainer as a plaything. You cannot take a wild animal from it’s natural environment and expect it to behave according to human desires and specifications. Anyone who is involved with caring for and training any animal, but especially wild animals, must recognize that there is a risk. nonsense, how can [something this cute](http://animal.discovery.com/guides/baby-animals/mammals/gallery/killer-whale.jpg) be deadly. at all? ---
**Author:** ![aldiboronti](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9fc348/32.png) [@aldiboronti](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aldiboronti)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/63 "2010-02-25T21:21:23Z")
My sympathies are with the killer whale, imprisoned its whole life for the amusement of another species. How much love and respect for these animals can the trainers and keepers really have to cooperate in (and profit from) their incarceration? It’s hypocrisy of the highest order. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/64 "2010-02-25T21:22:34Z")
> [@Rumor\_Watkins](#): > > nonsense, how can [something this cute](http://animal.discovery.com/guides/baby-animals/mammals/gallery/killer-whale.jpg) be deadly. at all? I saw a news clip of a reporter talking about the whale and the horrid attack. The whale was in the background looking all cute and even though I knew it had just killed someone, I couldn’t help thinking, “Aw.” This is probably why they didn’t put him down the last time. He just looked at them with that adorable face and wiggled around or something. So freaking cute. ---
**Author:** ![Pazu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pazu/32/15522_2.png) [@Pazu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pazu)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/65 "2010-02-25T21:27:06Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Didn’t someone write a sci-fi novvel once where dolphins secretly hated humans, but were so smart they never let it show? Near shore they would push people to the beach, but if they came across someone way far away from any possible witnesses, they would kill them ruthlessly, You might be thinking of Alexander Jablokov’s _A Deeper Sea_. As I recall, it ends with the orcas, who are Earth’s great mathematicians and philosophers, declaring war on the Jovians who devoured their first emissary (a cybernetically-modified humpback whale). ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/66 "2010-02-25T22:06:26Z")
> [@aldiboronti](#): > > My sympathies are with the killer whale, imprisoned its whole life for the amusement of another species. How much love and respect for these animals can the trainers and keepers really have to cooperate in (and profit from) their incarceration? It’s hypocrisy of the highest order. Yep. ---
**Author:** ![toodlepip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/97f17d/32.png) [@toodlepip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/toodlepip)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/67 "2010-02-25T23:03:22Z")
Cows. Imprisoned their whole lives, forced to live in crowded sheds, milk sucked out of their udders by machines, their babies taken from them and slaughtered, can we blame them for [getting their own back?](http://www.manchestereveningnews.co.uk/news/s/233/233122_man_crushed_to_death_by_cow.html) And what about horses? Tied up in stalls, bits of metal shoved in their mouths and nailed to their feet, forced to carry people on their backs, should we be surprised by [these](http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/news/article-23407225-showgoers-see-woman-killed-by-a-kick-from-the-horse-she-raised.do) [incidents](http://www.theleafchronicle.com/article/20100202/STEWART01/100201015/Local-man-killed-in-attack-by-horse)? Or [pigs](http://www.igorilla.com/gorilla/animal/2001/pig_kills.html). Or [camels](http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2007/08/19/world/main3181944.shtml). Interacting with an animal that’s physically capable of harming you **always** carries a risk. Most people who work with animals are aware of that. We keep animals for our own benefit - for food, entertainment, companionship, etc. No matter how attached I am to my pets, no matter how well I think I treat them or how happy they seem, they’ve never had a choice, and they’ve been specifically bred for the purpose. And I eat eggs, meat and dairy products. I’m no fan of keeping animals on display in amusement parks, but I recognise the hypocrisy of judging these parks more harshly than, say, a poultry farmer or a parent who buys a hamster for their child. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [February 25, 2010, 11:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/68 "2010-02-25T23:12:09Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > He just looked at them with that adorable face and wiggled around or something. So freaking cute. This tickled me. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/69 "2010-02-26T00:58:09Z")
> [@toodlepip](#): > > And I eat eggs, meat and dairy products. I’m no fan of keeping animals on display in amusement parks, but I recognise the hypocrisy of judging these parks more harshly than, say, a poultry farmer or a parent who buys a hamster for their child. You should probably be aware that many of the people who are against keeping killer whales captive do not judge the sea entertainment parks more harshly than they do poultry farmers. Some people are vegan and do not eat eggs, meat and dairy products, and many of them will criticize a poultry farmer with equal fervor. It might be hypocrisy if someone posts about killer whale freedom while munching on a 1/2 pound hamburger and trying not to get grease on his mink coat, but not _everyone_ who criticizes animal exploitation is actually a hypocrite. ---
**Author:** ![Rumor\_Watkins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/d9b06d/32.png) [@Rumor\_Watkins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rumor_Watkins)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/70 "2010-02-26T01:16:28Z")
> [@toodlepip](#): > > And I eat eggs, meat and dairy products. I’m no fan of keeping animals on display in amusement parks, but I recognise the hypocrisy of judging these parks more harshly than, say, a poultry farmer or a parent who buys a hamster for their child. I don’t think it’s hypocritical at all. One activity is undertaken to feed human populations in an efficient manner. One activity is undertaken to provide a source of entertainment to relatively wealthy people. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/71 "2010-02-26T02:01:06Z")
One activity is undertaken to feed human populations in an efficient manner. The other involves growing animals for meat 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/72 "2010-02-26T02:59:27Z")
I heard an interview with Jack Hanna today; he vehemently defended keeping orcas in captivity–at the same time speaking highly of Dawn Brancheau, who he had worked with in the past. He made a point of saying that most killer whales on display today were born in captivity. His stance is that without places like Seaworld, the general population won’t be exposed to the real animals that ultimately need our assistance to survive. He acknowledges the fact that nature shows can be found on TV and online, but has harsh words for programs that re-enact human-animal encounters with an eye to drama and sensationalism. I can see his side of the argument, but it’s a tough sell when emotions are running so high. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/73 "2010-02-26T03:00:06Z")
Is there a killer whale meat market? ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 3:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/74 "2010-02-26T03:00:24Z")
> [@Sycorax](#): > > You cannot take a wild animal from it’s natural environment and expect it to behave according to human desires and specifications. You can if you domesticate it. But that requires a lot more than raising it in captivity; it requires many generations of selective breeding. It took a long time to turn wolves into dogs. Turning orcas into tractable pets would take a lot longer – slower breeding-cycle, I believe. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 3:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/75 "2010-02-26T03:13:43Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Is there a killer whale meat market? We could offer it up to the Japanese. No Whale Wars nuts or anything. Then again where’s the fun in that? ---
**Author:** ![artemis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/91b2a8/32.png) [@artemis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/artemis)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 3:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/76 "2010-02-26T03:46:15Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > Didn’t someone write a sci-fi novvel once where dolphins secretly hated humans, but were so smart they never let it show? Near shore they would push people to the beach, but if they came across someone way far away from any possible witnesses, they would kill them ruthlessly, [A Deeper Sea](http://www.amazon.com/Deeper-Sea-Alexander-Jablokov/dp/0380717093/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1267155820&sr=8-2) by Alexander Jablokov. Features clever but nasty orcas, too! ---
**Author:** ![Sycorax](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a4c791/32.png) [@Sycorax](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sycorax)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/77 "2010-02-26T03:56:20Z")
Technically, “killer whales” are dolphins. From Wikipedia: “The killer whale (Orcinus orca), commonly referred to as the orca and, less commonly, blackfish, is the largest species of the dolphin family.” Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Class: Mammalia Order: Cetacea Suborder: Odontoceti Family: Delphinidae Genus: Orcinus Species: O. orca However, for me whale or dolphin, is not the issue per se. My quibble is that labels and names DO have meanings for most people. I’ve noticed on news shows this evening that orcas are consistently referred to as whales. Many of us humans feel affection for dolphins because of media attention and seaworld-type shows, as well as reports of dolphins saving swimmers from sharks, swimming alongside ships, etc., People react to dolphins as they do to puppies and kittens. “Ahhhh…they’re so cute and do tricks.” You know what? Dolphins are predators, as are orcas (i.e., they eat other species). Dolphins, sharks, owls, hawks, big and little cats, snakes, spiders, hyenas, etc., etc., (including humans!) are also predators. (Although, in my opinion, humans are the most dangerous; killing for sport and trophies, rather than for food.) By calling them “killer whales” implies that they are more dangerous than other species. ANY creature taken from its natural environment may act in unpredictable ways. Tell me: if you were abducted by an outer space alien and put into a cage and made to perform for the entertainment of the aliens…how would that affect you? ---
**Author:** ![StrangeBird](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e480ec/32.png) [@StrangeBird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StrangeBird)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/78 "2010-02-26T05:56:21Z")
The latest I’ve heard on this is that although there have been some calls for the whale to be released from captivity, there is concern because whales released into the wild (who were born in captivity) usually fail to thrive, as they don’t have the survival skills they need. ---
**Author:** ![TreacherousCretin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treacherouscretin/32/476_2.png) [@TreacherousCretin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TreacherousCretin)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/79 "2010-02-26T06:18:12Z")
> [@StrangeBird](#): > > The latest I’ve heard on this is that although there have been some calls for the whale to be released from captivity, there is concern because whales released into the wild (who were born in captivity) usually fail to thrive, as they don’t have the survival skills they need. Better off dead in the ocean than sentenced to life in a fishbowl. . ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [February 26, 2010, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318/80 "2010-02-26T06:38:08Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Better off dead in the ocean than sentenced to life in a fishbowl. That’s what a lot of people would say, but how it applies to this cetacean I don’t know. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/seaworld-worker-killed-by-killer-whale/530318.md?page=5)