(FROM 2004) Sea World Attack Reaffirms Whale of a Truth: Captive Orcas Can Be Dangerous

HSUS ^ | July 28, 2004

[beaversmom]

This is about Ky—Tilly’s son and an incident from 2004. Must be in the genes.

[OldDeckHand]

It’s probably a bad idea to put a multi-ton animal in a big fish tank. But, until one shows up in my pool or bathtub, I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.

[beaversmom]

LOL :)

[gaijin]

the young dolphin was the target of two sexually aggressive male dolphins, who reportedly pushed her under water

They had a third compatriot, who was holding a camcorder.

Do you realize that almost 1/3 of all dolphins at some point on campus will be attacked?

Watch your DRINKS, dolphettes..! WATCH your drinks..!

[brytlea]

Actually, the truth of the matter is that these shows have gotten more people interested in killer whales. It's probably been good for them as a species.

[Weird Tolkienish Figure]

A once-free and relatively intelligent animal is now captive... yeah I wouldn’t react well either.

[STONEWALLS]

....back when Artic explorers were trying to reach the poles there were eye witness accounts of Orcas trying to kill humans....they would go deep and rocket upwards breaking the ice you were standing on trying to tip you into the water...the attacks were willful and malevolent.

[AnotherUnixGeek]

they would go deep and rocket upwards breaking the ice you were standing on trying to tip you into the water...the attacks were willful and malevolent.

Well, sure - I believe killer whales also do this to seals resting on ice. When something's trying to catch us and eat us, it's not likely to be anything other than willful and malevolent as far as we're concerned. There's a reason "killer" is their first name.

[exDemMom]

We went to Sea World for the holiday shows a couple days after Christmas. Although I’ve seen orcas perform before, it was still amazing that a vicious animal can be taken into captivity and trained to act cute.

On the one hand, it increases their visibility, and therefore helps gain support for conservation efforts.

On the other hand, such shows are probably a large part of why we have animal rights loonies and dedicated vegetarians who believe that the only vicious animal is human, and that the rest of nature lives in some kind of Disneyesque paradise like Bambi and his friends.

[peeps36]

I'm not a big fan of taking large animals from the wild and holding them captive in small spaces. I really hate seeing the elephants being used to give rides at the traveling fairs. I can't blame the elephants for wanting to run wild after riding across the country in a trailer and being chained to a tree when it's not carrying people on its back.

[SkipW]

I would love to spit on the grave of Walt Disney.

[Badabing Badablonde]

Oy.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I would love to spit on the grave of Walt Disney."

Whatever for?? Disney didn't run any parks or attractions that used wild animals.

[piytar]

Not malevolent - that’s ascribing human morality aka evil - just hungry. Although I’m sure for the intended food, that’s a difference without a distinction...

[Shellback Chuck]

I second that. People that anthropomorphize animals are morons. That includes cat and dog owners.

[mplsconservative]

I would love to spit on the grave of Walt Disney.

Why?

[Jack Hydrazine]

The trainer was probably on her period and the orca smelled blood.

[shineon]

[jackibutterfly]

"The trainer was probably on her period and the orca smelled blood."

If so, then the trainer should have known better. I would think they would be trained in such matters.