FL - Dawn Brancheau, Female Trainer Killed at Shamu Stadium

[Gypsy Road]

CNN HLN reported also that Dawn lost her arm in the attack. So sad.

 

[Penelope]

This article in the Orlando Sentinel provides a few more details:

SeaWorld trainer suffered 'blunt force' injuries, autopsy says

The six-page autopsy report shows the violence with which Tilikum treated the veteran trainer after she was pulled in the water.

The orca removed part of Brancheau's scalp and detached her left arm. She also suffered multiple fractures, including to her back, ribs, legs, arms and face. Her spinal cord also was injured, the report said. Her body was covered in cuts and bruises.

The medical examiner found fluid in Brancheau's lungs, showing that she drowned. A toxicology report, which is routinely performed on autopsies, found no drugs in Brancheau.

 

[Melly53]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/31/florida.seaworld.autopsy/index.html?hpt=T2

The autopsy report by the Orange County, Florida, medical examiner's office says Brancheau's spinal cord was severed, and she sustained fractures to her jawbone, ribs and to a cervical vertebra, in addition to the drowning.

 

[LinasK]

http://www.cnn.com/2010/US/03/31/florida.seaworld.autopsy/index.html?hpt=T2

The autopsy report by the Orange County, Florida, medical examiner's office says Brancheau's spinal cord was severed, and she sustained fractures to her jawbone, ribs and to a cervical vertebra, in addition to the drowning.

Oh man! I hope she died quickly, or she would have been in tremendous pain!

 

[jon_burrows]

Oh man! I hope she died quickly, or she would have been in tremendous pain!

This is so sad for Dawn as well as Tilly.

It's no surprise that Tilly was aggressive considering he was ripped from his pod in the wild and stuck in a tank. It's hard to visualize how cruel this is but here's a video of Orcas being taken captive from the sea...a glimpse into what Tilly probably went through.

[video=youtube;ceLQNl2ZMZQ]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ceLQNl2ZMZQ&feature=related[/video]

 

[LinasK]

Just wanted to let everyone know... I went to a different Marine Mammal park yesterday, not part of the Sea World chain, and they obviously have learned from Sea World's mistakes. It was a lone female Orca. The trainers were not in the water or on the shelf. The trainers had their hair high up in buns on the top of their heads. The volunteer from the audience was a grown woman, not a child, and she petted the whale's tail, not it's tongue! I can remember shows where they used to let children pet the whale's tongue.
On a related note, my 9-year-old daughter was allowed to swim with the dolphins with trainers yesterday!

 

[KaylynnCouture]

SeaWorld Fined $75,000 in Trainers Death

The federal government has fined Sea World Orlando $75,000 for three safety violations that led to the death of a trainer by a killer whale.

Dawn Brancheau, 40, was killed in February when a killer whale grabbed her hair and dragged her into a tank.

Snipped from http://www.foxnews.com/us/2010/08/23/seaworld-fined-trainers-death/?test=latestnews

 

[Kateyes]

Thanks KaylynnCouture for posting this latest article. I just want add my two cents that a $75,000 fine is peanuts to Seaworld, and I doubt it will have enough of a financial impact to be felt!! JMHO

 

[KaylynnCouture]

That's what I was thinking, Kateyes. $75,000 doesn't seem like much to a place that makes multimillions each year.

 

[lizzybeth]

There was a woman on Larry King Live last night talking about that Sea World knew the dangers and that the whale could possibly kill someone, yet did nothing about it.

I searched but couldn't find the link. Maybe it'll be available later today.

 

[Kateyes]

Hi Lizzybeth - was the woman Linda Simons?? Here is an article where she spoke out about the park:

Former employee: SeaWorld obstructed probe

By Jason Garcia and Bianca Prieto, Orlando Sentinel
4:41 p.m. EDT, August 23, 2010

A former employee Monday accused SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment of obstructing a federal investigation into the February death of a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando.

Linda Simons, a former health and safety director at SeaWorld, said that SeaWorld repeatedly refused to turn over certain documents — including records that she said chronicled the aggression histories of the company's various killer whales — that were requested by the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration during a six-month probe into the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, who was drowned by a six-ton orca named Tilikum.

Snipped from:http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news...orld-employee-speaks-20100823,0,7524991.story

This story was in the Orlando Sentinel yesterday. I had lived in Orlando for 21 years, and still read the Sentinel online. In December of 2005 friends of ours from PA came to visit over the New Year holiday. Since they had been to Disney many times they decided to go to SeaWorld. We accompanied them, and went to the "Believe" show and Dawn performed that day. I remember my husband turning to me and making a comment about Dawn's ponytail. It was at the end of the show and a young girl from the audience was brought up, and Dawn was bending down and stroking the whale. As she did, her ponytail was hanging down. It was then that my husband said he was surprised that SeaWorld didn't have rules about hair being totally up. I knew how strict SeaWorld (supposedly) was and dismissed his comment. I guess he was more right than we knew. This tragedy is so upsetting because it was preventable.

I was ill when I read that her arm had been severed, her spine also severed, and that she drowned. I had hoped her death was so quick she never knew what hit her. But after reading those details of her autopsy, I fear she suffered unspeakable terror and pain before she passed away. These mega parks make mega money, and I firmly believe SeaWorld should have received a mega fine!! Yes, the whale trainers areas will be tightly watched for safety. But what about all of the other areas of the park that involve human and animal interaction??? What other infractions are there that could lead to another tragedy?? JMHO

 

[lizzybeth]

Yes Kateyes, that's the woman. Thank you. I totally forgot about looking for a link later in the day.


Isn't it sad that your husband, who as far as I know has no training in animal/whale behavior, would notice the pony tail? Dawn's death was a horrible (and preventable) tragedy. I'm sure those that witnessed it will live with the horror for many years and most likely the rest of their lives.

I agree that SeaWorld should have been given a heftier fine. When it comes to a company like that the only thing they understand is money.

 

[Celeste]

Will this judgment make it easier for Dawn's family to sue Sea World and win millions?

 

[Gracenote]

Hello old thread. I have missed you and often wondered how you were.

I think that someone (whoever that would be) should look into the treatment of animals at water parks. But we have talked that out already, the pros and cons. I still think it is cruel.

Kateyes, I think it was probably over pretty quickly. I don't think Dawn really knew what was happening until she opened her eyes in heaven. I have to believe that anyway.

 

[jon_burrows]

Thanks KaylynnCouture for posting this latest article. I just want add my two cents that a $75,000 fine is peanuts to Seaworld, and I doubt it will have enough of a financial impact to be felt!! JMHO

I agree $75,000 is nothing to SeaWorld.

The breeding and torture of these beautiful, intelligent animals will continue all in the name of money and entertainment. It's only a matter of time before another trainer gets injured or killed. It's so sad to think about Tilly and all the other orcas swimming in circles day after day, year after year, performing stupid tricks for food. I wonder if/when the trainers will start riding them again like they're surfboards.

IMO

 

[KaylynnCouture]

Seaworld Killer Whale Returns to Show

Tilikum, the killer whale involved in the death of a SeaWorld Orlando trainer last year, returned to the theme park's show schedule Wednesday morning.

It was the first public performance by the 6-ton Tilikum since the Feb. 24, 2010, death of trainer Dawn Brancheau during a "Dining With Shamu" experience.

Tilikum was not mentioned by name during "Believe," which was seen by a near-capacity stadium at the 11:30 a.m. show. Traditionally, the whales are not identified and perform under the stage name of "Shamu," a symbol of the theme park.

Trainers have not been allowed in the water with any of SeaWorld's whales since Brancheau's death.

SeaWorld says it has made changes to improve trainer safety, including guardrails around pool ledges and quicker ways to deploy safety nets. The theme park plans to install fast-rising floors that can rapidly lift trainers and whales out of the water.

Snipped from http://www.orlandosentinel.com/business/os-seaworld-tilikum-back-20110330,0,2263997.story

 

[Kimberlyd125]

I was at Seaworld Orlando a few weeks ago. I did notice the metal guardrails they move around and place in front of the trainers when they are on the platforms. Looked much safer.
They do not get close enough to the whales for the whale to get them now.

 

[Penelope]

I understand that they may have learned something from their mistakes, but I still believe it is better to not have these captive whales performing in these shows. As I get older, I just get more weary of the lack of respect and caring humans have for other species on this earth. It is so sad... but I guess it's better than swimming in an ocean contaminated by uranium and other radioactive nuclear waste.

 

[peeples]

Well at least the poor whale is finally getting interaction again. Whales are so social and he'd come to expect the attention of the trainers(anything to help break up the boredom of being in a bathtub). Then when the trainer died everyone was told hands off tilli and he was relegated ro seeing the people and the other whales but couldn't interact anymore

This whole situation is sad.
I'd rather see a wild animal suffer a natural death (even if it's from japanese radiation and iodine and plutonium), than do stupid tricks all day and finally die of lonliness.

 

[Penelope]

Well at least the poor whale is finally getting interaction again. Whales are so social and he'd come to expect the attention of the trainers(anything to help break up the boredom of being in a bathtub). Then when the trainer died everyone was told hands off tilli and he was relegated ro seeing the people and the other whales but couldn't interact anymore

This whole situation is sad.
I'd rather see a wild animal suffer a natural death (even if it's from japanese radiation and iodine and plutonium), than do stupid tricks all day and finally die of lonliness.

Yes, Peeples, you're correct. IMO they should release Tilikim into the ocean, and whatever happens, happens. He may surprise everyone and survive for a few years. When I made my previous post I was just depressed and saddened by everything going on in the world today and it clouded my judgement. :innocent: