Even the "whales" are rising up .... at Sea World [Archive]

lynnf

02-25-2010, 05:17 AM

is there something in the water, or maybe the full moon?

before the tragic "accident" occurred:

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/tourism/os-seaworld-orlando-shamu-injury-20100224,0,6076530.story?page=2

...

Outside the park entrance, people were talking about the accident. Several said the killer whales had not behaved normally during the 12:30 p.m. show.

Brad Sultan of Tampa said one of three orcas that was supposed to create a triangle with its trainers didn't do it. Another orca that was supposed to swim around the tank and splash made it only about a quarter of the way, he said.

The show, Sultan said, "abruptly ended."

-----------------------

lynn

Texan4Life

02-25-2010, 05:20 AM

i heard also the same whale killed someone when it was in canada. Then they sold it to us...

What a deal!!

now its a serial killer whale!

nobody's_hero

02-25-2010, 05:30 AM

i heard also the same whale killed someone when it was in canada. Then they sold it to us...

What a deal!!

now its a serial killer whale!

I shamefully lol'd. On the one hand, I can't imagine what little kids are thinking who watch a trainer be killed right in front of them, but on the other, that's a great opportunity to teach them what happens when humans try to domesticate wild animals, and about the reality of nature.

That reminds me of one of my favorite quotes about the animal kingdom:

“Contrary to what most people say, the most dangerous animal in the world is not the lion or the tiger or even the elephant. It's a shark riding on an elephant's back, just trampling and eating everything they see.” - Jack Handy, Deep Thoughts

MelissaWV

02-25-2010, 06:56 AM

The whale had previous issues, and was even split apart due to those problems. Whales are intelligent creatures, so it's no surprise they can go crazy, too. This one seems to have been a bit of a psycho. If he was already in a foul mood, it would spread to the other whales, because the ones in captivity form a de facto pod (albeit a very dysfunctional one).

I really wish Sea World were more like the Audobon Society. Yeah, great, the larger mammals should be "on display" but not all this trained nonsense, and only in cases where they're already rehabbing the animals, or it's obvious they'd die in the wild. Fish and sharks and rays and things along those lines? They really don't seem to differentiate a lot between the giant aquariums and the wild, and their habitats are a lot more complete than those afforded to the orcas. Even the dolphins now have their own "habitats" throughout the park. The whales, though, are in a giant, deep swimming pool with no sensory stimulation other than the trainers. That's pretty craptacular. I'd go crazy, too.

pacelli

02-25-2010, 07:24 AM

Lets put wild animals into a water-filled cage, require them to learn how to tell time in order to get fed, and then call it "tragic" when nature takes its course.

BenIsForRon

02-25-2010, 08:28 AM

The whales, though, are in a giant, deep swimming pool with no sensory stimulation other than the trainers. That's pretty craptacular. I'd go crazy, too.

Yeah, some conservation agency said its akin to a human living in a bathtub their entire life.

jmdrake

02-25-2010, 08:53 AM

i heard also the same whale killed someone when it was in canada. Then they sold it to us...

What a deal!!

now its a serial killer whale!

:eek: Really? I heard today that there was "no chance" the whale would be euthanized. Call me an animal hater, but this is ridiculous. Either release the whale, or if you can't safely do that, put it down. Keeping it cooped up where it's obviously not happy and is a danger to humans is insane. (Yes. I think a human life is worth more than a whale.)

silus

02-25-2010, 10:34 AM

Seaworld should listen to Chris Rock:
YouTube - Chris Rock Tiger Gone Crazy (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kGEv5dC0lo4)

angelatc

02-25-2010, 10:36 AM

Its

a

wild

animal.

Duh.

Danke

02-25-2010, 11:06 AM

Tilikum, the largest killer whale at any SeaWorld park, has been involved in two previous deaths.

He was one of three killer whales blamed for the 1991 drowning of a trainer while he performed at the now-defunct Sealand of the Pacific in British Columbia. In 1999, the dead body of a naked man was found lying across Tilikum's back at SeaWorld Orlando.

wth?!?

Oh well, new meaning to "Dine with Shamu."

Witnesses who watched the attack while eating at the "Dine with Shamu" show — a poolside buffet where trainers demonstrate their connection with the animals — told the Sentinel a female trainer was petting a killer whale when it grabbed her and plunged into the water.

It reappeared on the other side of the tank and leapt up holding the woman, they said.

Within minutes, an alarm sounded, and security workers escorted the spectators out. Some people were screaming, and children were crying, Sobrinho and Oliveira said. The scene was more orderly at "Dine with Shamu."

MelissaWV

02-25-2010, 11:08 AM

wth?!?

Oh well, new meaning to "Dine with Shamu."

The naked guy they found in the tank really shouldn't be blamed on the whale, but as part of the larger pattern, the fact the whale decided to nibble at the corpse should have been a bit of a sign.

torchbearer

02-25-2010, 11:09 AM

YouTube - Cheech and Chong: save the whales (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ndaXQeRPO0g)

angelatc

02-25-2010, 11:32 AM

Different attack, but there is a whale in it:

YouTube - Maximum Exposure-Shamu Attacks (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vca0QYSeAgE)

Danke

02-25-2010, 11:48 AM

What they should do, in front of the other whales:

YouTube - SeaWorld's Punishment For Shamu (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vz8AuKmItwM&feature=related)

Danke

02-25-2010, 11:53 AM

Shamu likes Pelicans too.

YouTube - Shamu attacks and kills Pelican during show (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52o5yV6G7tY&feature=related)

Matt Collins

02-25-2010, 01:47 PM

I was told multiple hand (hearsay), but from a fairly reliable source, that there are videos of the incident that have not surfaced yet and that Sea World PR will be caught lying. I have also heard that they think there was a dog whistle in the stadium giving the whales mixed signals and they got confused/frustrated.

But what do I know?:)

.

Danke

02-25-2010, 02:45 PM

I was told multiple hand (hearsay), but from a fairly reliable source

.

You wouldn't happen to have a photo of you standing next to Shamu, would ya?

.

angelatc

02-25-2010, 02:57 PM

. I have also heard that they think there was a dog whistle in the stadium giving the whales mixed signals and they got confused/frustrated.

That would be horrible. I can imagine being a college student, thinking that it would be funny to try to cue the whale from the audience.

I gave a hand signal to a dolphin at Sea World once, right after the show. When we were walking out the dolphins were still swimming in the show tank, and one looked at me, so I gave it the signal I saw the trainer use for "jump" and damned if it didn't.

Matt Collins

02-25-2010, 03:07 PM

You wouldn't happen to have a photo of you standing next to Shamu, would ya?
.HA HA HA HA!

Believe it or not YES I DO!

I can't find it right now, I am sure it's in my parents archives somewhere in their house. I just e-mailed my parents to see if they can dig it up.

Being raised in Orlando I actually got to sit on Shamu at the end of one of the Sea World shows when I was younger. It was weird, it felt like soft wet rubber.

:D:D

QueenB4Liberty

02-25-2010, 05:21 PM

Lets put wild animals into a water-filled cage, require them to learn how to tell time in order to get fed, and then call it "tragic" when nature takes its course.

Yeah, seriously.

Andrew-Austin

02-25-2010, 05:41 PM

I don't know if this can necessarily be called "crazy" behavior for a Killer whale. They play with their food just like this in the wild.

Damn shame.

Matt Collins

02-26-2010, 11:37 PM

You wouldn't happen to have a photo of you standing next to Shamu, would ya?.

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x93/sonicspikesalbum/MattandShamu.jpg

This picture was taken in 1987 when we moved to Orlando. The first few
weeks we went to Seaworld, Matthew asked me if he could ride the whale.
Not wanting to tell him no, I told him to ask one of the folks standing
nearby that worked there. To my horror she said yes, I nearly had a
heart attack, but Matthew and the whale survived.

I am not making this up. It took my parents a few days to find the picture, but that is as real as can be!
.

Icymudpuppy

02-27-2010, 12:15 AM

Don't feed the raccoons, either.

Don't Tread on Mike

02-27-2010, 12:35 AM

thats what you get when you harass and mock a KILLER whale.

RideTheDirt

02-27-2010, 01:31 AM

Andrew-Austin

02-27-2010, 02:32 AM

http://i185.photobucket.com/albums/x93/sonicspikesalbum/MattandShamu.jpg

I am not making this up. It took my parents a few days to find the picture, but that is as real as can be!
.

First Adam Kokesh bragging about getting his pic taken with you, now a pic of you riding god damn Shamu. You are becoming epic.

I doubt they even let people even do that anymore. Now all they do is let kids feed the whale and maybe touch it. But ride on it?

amy31416

02-27-2010, 05:58 AM

Yet another pic of Collins with someone taller, smarter and prettier than him. :p

I think we have enough of these now to make a deck of cards, no?

wgadget

02-27-2010, 07:23 AM

Maybe this is dumb, but could it be possible that the whale could sense the earthquake that just hit Chile and was feeling a little panicky?

:eek:

lynnf

02-27-2010, 08:46 AM

this has been a hilarious thread..... I vote for it as funniest thread, even though I have gotten many chuckles from other threads.

lynn

s35wf

02-27-2010, 09:19 AM

I think the whale just wanted to play & it was a accident. Their BIG ya know.

Sad for the lady/trainer that died. Ive seen her perform numerous times over the years; she was good & she Loved those whales. She would not want anything bad to happen to this whale. They were her "children".

Flash

02-27-2010, 09:25 AM

Orca attacks Great White Shark

YouTube - Orca attack on Great White (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W8GaDuCvYbE)

Matt Collins

02-27-2010, 09:25 AM

you have to be kidding.I couldn't make this up even if I tried. I swear it's an authentic photo of me in 1987.

.

MelissaWV

02-27-2010, 10:14 AM

How come I'm the first to be even mildly amused that Matt Collins had a conversation along the lines of...

"Mom? Have you seen that picture of me riding Shamu?"

"What? Oh damn it's in a box somewhere, son, do you really need it that badly?"

"Yes! I have to show it to people on the internet! My honor is at stake!"

"Again?!?"

angelatc

02-27-2010, 11:33 AM

Matt Collins

02-27-2010, 11:50 AM

Roxi

02-27-2010, 01:44 PM

Yet another pic of Collins with someone taller, smarter and prettier than him. :p

I think we have enough of these now to make a deck of cards, no?

BWAHAHAHAHAHAHA I've missed you Amy....

I would totally pay for a deck of "Endorsed by Matt Collins" deck of cards

Matt Collins

02-27-2010, 10:47 PM

First Adam Kokesh bragging about getting his pic taken with you, now a pic of you riding god damn Shamu. You are becoming epic. I am not "becoming" epic, I AM epic!

all they do is let kids feed the whale and maybe touch it. But ride on it?I'm Matthew Collins, what do you expect? :rolleyes:

:cool:;):p:D

.

Carole

02-27-2010, 11:23 PM

Not only is this not the first incident, but one on the whale's offspring was involved in a death as well according to the news.

lynnf

02-28-2010, 05:41 AM

Not only is this not the first incident, but one on the whale's offspring was involved in a death as well according to the news.

"whales" can be psychos, too. (killer "whales" are in the dolphin family) and in my experience, psycho runs in families.

nature or nurture or both?

lynn