Trainer killed at Seaworld

[k374]

Just a matter of time when something like this was bound to happen, not sure if this was posted elsewhere:

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationw...orlando-shamu-injury-20100224,0,5560011.story

 

[idocsteve]

Make it a clickable link using url tags.

 

[k374]

thanks, URL'd it!

 

[idocsteve]

Now back to the story.

That's very said.


It just reinforces the old saying, that you "never know what a wild animal might do".

 

[Blue Sparkle]

Darn. I'm sorry about the trainer - that's horrible. On the other hand, I wonder how orcas can be kept in captivity and not do things like this? Maybe I'm anthropomorphizing them, but I would be pretty cranky/bored if I were living in a theme park.

I notice that the article's headline said the trainer "slipped," but the article does not mention any slipping that I noticed, and instead makes it sound like the whale leapt into the air and grabbed the trainer.

B.

 

[idocsteve]

I notice that the article's headline said the trainer "slipped," but the article does not mention any slipping that I noticed

It was on page 2 of the article. It was a "slip of the tongue" not a physical slip.

The trainer was joking with another trainer and said something like "eat me" and the whale overheard and took it as a command and apparently the whole thing was a tragic misunderstanding.

 

[Digger54]

Article I read outlined several attacks on trainers at wildlife parks. Including one fool that slipped into the park after hours and ended up in the orca pool and his survivors wanted to sue the park.

Mess with predators, even "trained" ones, and eventually your gonna get bit/attacked/mauled. Just ask Siegfried and Roy.

 

[ScubaInChicago]

There was a special on the Discovery channel which gave really fascinating insight on orcas and their ability to improvise and communicate with each other. They even have video of an orca attacking a Gray Whale here. The documentary shows them killing dolphins, a Great White shark, seals, ect..... They are extremely smart animals and have the ability to tell others how they did it......Facinating stuff, and although it is sad that people have lost their lives.....I would equate it to being a lion tamer or wrestling with a croc.

 

[idocsteve]

.....I would equate it to being a lion tamer or wrestling with a croc.

Or struggling with a stingray?

 

[vondo]

According to CNN this orca killed a child in the 90's too. And was considered to big and dangerous to "work" with.