This is an awful tragedy that did not have to happen. It's not the first time, or the last. Tigers turn on their trainers (remember Sigfried and Roy?), bears bite back, and chimps attack. The killer whale involved in today's attach was one of three that had killed another trainer in 1991, at another water park.
This story still continues to make headlines in the media. Please write a letter-to-the-editor of the Austin American-Statesman. Click here to read our guidelines for how to do this. The Statesman ran a piece on this story in Friday's edition. Click here to read the piece. Please begin your letter-to-the-editor like this" Re: Seaworld faces major public relations challeng (Feb. 26.)."
Some points to make:
- killer whales belong in their natural habitat
- killer whales can swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild
- Sea World confines its killer whales in tanks the size of large swimming pools
- killer whales are intelligent, social complex predators who can be unpredictable and dangerous near humans
- killer whales can often exhibit neurotic behaviors in captivity
Seaworld is promoting their killer whale exhibit as a way for youngsters to "learn" about these animals. In your letter-to-the-editor, be sure to let folks know that you learn all about killer whales by reading about them or watching documentaries about them. Thanks.
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I posted about this on the Vegan Police site. Yes, I find it sad that the trainer died. But people have to remember, these are wild animals. This whale does not belong in a pool. He belongs in the ocean. First off, they are not pets and they were not put here for our entertainment. It annoys me when I see Sea World commercials on tv. Caging an animal is not a learning experience for a child. My children will never go to Sea World or the zoo. We take them to animal sancuaries and explain why the animals are there and educate them. Ugh. I get very frustrated by people who are idiots. Like you said, this is not the first time this has happened.
Thanks for posting and sending out the email.
It inspired me to write a letter to the editor!
jluvskster
Matt Damon stands up and says SHUT DOWN SEAWORLD, or as I call it, SHAMEWORLD :)
You can send an e-mail to the President of Sea World from IDA letting them know that this kind of tragedy could have been prevented if they didn't view animals as profit.
https://secure2.convio.net/ida/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=1399&JServSessionIdr004=v9x363if12.app245b
This death could have been prevented by not putting the animal through such unnatural conditions to begin with. A killer whale belongs in the ocean where it can live among others of its kind and lead a life that has some dignity. Unfortunately, modern-day fishing is also a problem that disrupts ocean life and causes pollution. But to parade these whales for some cheap entertainment at Sea World shows that humans aren't thinking of animals as animals; they are thinking of them as means to a monetary end. They could be mechanical whales and it would mean the same exact thing to the Sea World patron.
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