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tilikum
Family of Slain Whale Trainer Defers to SeaWorld
By Lisa Flam - AOL NewsThey lost their loved one to a killer whale, but relatives of trainer Dawn Brancheau have no unkind words for SeaWorld's decision to return Tilikum to performing at the popular tourist attraction in Florida last week. Brancheau, a 40-year-old trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, was killed Feb. 24, 2010, when the 6-ton whale dragged her into the water by her ponytail, tossed her violently and drowned her before a horrified crowd. Her siblings today recalled her love for the whale and said they know she'd want what's best for Tilikum, whom SeaWorld says is performing once again. Visit ...
For Tilikum, the Whale Who Killed His Trainer, the Show Goes On
By Mara Gay - AOL NewsSeaWorld Orlando put Tilikum, the killer whale who drowned a trainer last year in front of horrified crowds, back on the job today for the first time since the death. The orca, which at 6 tons is one of the largest in captivity, appeared in a performance of the park's show, "Believe," this morning. In February 2010, the whale dragged his trainer, 40-year-old Dawn Brancheau, into the water, tossed her violently in his tank and drowned her. SeaWorld Orlando said performing is an important part of the 30-year-old whale's "physical, social and mental enrichment," and it outlined a series of ...
Death at SeaWorld: Where Is Tilikum, the Whale Who Killed His Trainer?
By Donna Trussell - Politics DailyDawn Brancheau, the SeaWorld performer who died last February, had not crossed my mind in months. But last night I saw some year-end stories on 2010 newsmakers and what they were doing with their 16th minute of fame. One was Isaiah Mustafa, who found fame and fortune on a Super Bowl commercial for Old Spice. Another was Antoine Dodson, who scared away a would-be rapist from his sister's bedroom and whose comments to a news crew led to the "Bed Intruder Song." Tilikum, the killer whale, became a household name on Feb. 24, after he turned on his trainer Dawn Brancheau. When I first saw her ...
Tilikum, the SeaWorld Killer Whale Who Killed His Trainer: Where Is He Now?
By Harry Bradford - AOL NewsTilikum momentarily grabbed the spotlight in 2010 and dominated a news cycle or two while getting 15 minutes of fame. In this series, AOL News is checking in on 25 such newsmakers and giving them a 16th minute. Matt Stroshane, Getty Images SeaWorld no longer allows its trainers to swim with killer whales. Tilikum Made News in 2010 When He: Fatally attacked animal trainer Dawn Brancheau at SeaWorld Orlando. The Full Story: On Feb. 24, an orca known as Tilikum pulled 40-year-old trainer Dawn Brancheau into his tank while she was patting him and feeding him fish. Tilikum grabbed ...
SeaWorld to Contest $75,000 Fine for Orca Trainer's Death
By David Knowles - AOL News(Aug. 23) -- When it comes housing killer whales in captivity, the word "safety" may be a relative term. On Monday, six months after trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by a 12,000-pound orca whale during an exhibition at SeaWorld's Orlando, Fla., theme park, officials at the U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration announced that SeaWorld was being fined $75,000 for what it called the theme park's "plain indifference" to the safety of its employees. Brancheau died after the whale, named Tilikum, grabbed her by her ponytail and pulled her underwater. OSHA ...
A Death at Sea World, and What It Means
By Donna Trussell - Politics DailyI remember Sea World trainer Dawn Brancheau. Years ago I saw her perform with the killer whales she loved. On Wednesday one of them, a large male named Tilikum, killed her. A seven-minute tourist video shows Brancheau interacting with the whale up until just seconds before the attack. An autopsy revealed Brancheau died from multiple traumatic injuries and drowning. When I heard the trainer had wanted to work with Shamu since her first trip to Sea World at the age of 9, I realized I'd heard that story before. Brancheau was the woman I'd made my way downstage to see after the show. ...
Opinion: SeaWorld Death Sparks Orca-Sized Debate
By not in system - AOL News(Feb. 25) -- The death of a SeaWorld trainer by a killer whale has sparked a debate not only about what do with Tilikum, but about captive whales generally -- with most weighing in in favor of freedom. A BBC dispatch, for example, quotes two experts arguing for freedom: "They are highly social animals that tend to live in cohesive groups, so it's quite an artificial environment to capture them and put them in a small area," says Dr. Andrew Foote, an expert on wild orcas from the University of Aberdeen, U.K. "The tragic events are a reminder that orcas are wild, strong and often ...
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