Does anyone else think the media needs to move on from the Seaworld story?

[DisneyBamaFan]

Initially it was 1 witness AND 1 trainer that gave the same version, and the SW spokespeople were saying that she slipped. Now they are saying he did indeed pull her in, as you have seen from other posts. I've also heard that there is video, I wonder when that will be aired?

I hope that the video is never released...

 

[DWGal210]

There is a video out there of this poor woman's death!??!?!? God almighty, I hope and pray it's not already out there for the masses to see. NO ONE except the Sea World people, the woman's famly and their attorneys should be allowed to see this video. This turns my stomach - there is NO REASON for the public to be able to view this video. It's sick.

 

[mickeylove2]

No, sorry, I heard there is video of the time leading up to her being pulled into the water, not of her actual death. I bring it up because if there is, it should show if there was any fault of the trainer, or if she was in or out of the water. The whale's behavior moments before the attack, etc. I would hope that there is no video of her actual death, or if there is that it not be released. But you know how money hungry people can be, I would not be surprised if someone sold a video if it exists. KWIM?

 

[DWGal210]

For what it's worth, here is a letter Bob Barker wrote to Sea World on behalf of PETA.

Bob Barker Letter To SeaWorld Owners
Dear Mr. James:

I am writing on behalf my friends at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and their more than 2 million members and supporters around the world, as well as everyone who wants to see whales and dolphins living free in their ocean homes and human beings protected from needless attacks when those animals are kept in captivity.

The death of yet another trainer at SeaWorld did not have to happen, and I must appeal to you to take strong action now so that it never happens again. I know that the Blackstone Group was asked to close the SeaWorld theme parks when you acquired them last year. I urge you to make that humane move now and to start moving the captive orcas and other marine mammals to transitional coastal and wildlife sanctuaries and replace them with state-of-the-art virtual reality exhibits such as those used in the hugely popular "Walking With Dinosaurs" exhibits that wow youngsters and adults alike. The experience would be like watching free-living wild animals, whereas captive animals' unnatural and neurotic behavior patterns are dull to watch and undeniably linked to their oppressive environments.

This is not the first time that a trainer has been seized, thrown against the walls of the tank, and held down to drown. I cannot imagine what the sight of such a hideous event would do to a child in the audience. Deaths of animals and human injuries are also common.

The intelligent, social, ocean animals kept in the most pitifully small tanks at SeaWorld are denied everything that is natural and important to them. In the wild, they swim up to 100 miles a day in the open ocean, but captured dolphins are confined to small tanks where the reverberations from their own sonar bounce off the walls, driving some of them insane. Some of these animals were violently captured from their homes, many are forced to learn circus-style tricks, and according to whistleblower tips from trainers, withholding food and isolating animals who refuse to perform are common training methods. The only thing that people learn from visiting a SeaWorld theme park is how miserable life is for animals held there.

I am most respectfully urging the Blackstone Group to immediately set in place a firm and rapid plan to release the animals to sanctuaries that can provide them with a more natural environment. I can be reached through PETA at 202-540-2199. I would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Bob Barker

 

[DWGal210]

No, sorry, I heard there is video of the time leading up to her being pulled into the water, not of her actual death. I bring it up because if there is, it should show if there was any fault of the trainer, or if she was in or out of the water. The whale's behavior moments before the attack, etc. I would hope that there is no video of her actual death, or if there is that it not be released. But you know how money hungry people can be, I would not be surprised if someone sold a video if it exists. KWIM?

Oh, you're right about the "money hungry" part....talk about blood money!

 

[Tuffcookie]

From what I heard, the killer whale pulled her ponytail. Is it possible that if she was holding her head down and it was hanging in front of her, the whale thought it was a fish?

TC

 

[mickeylove2]

From what I heard, the killer whale pulled her ponytail. Is it possible that if she was holding her head down and it was hanging in front of her, the whale thought it was a fish?

TC

That's what Seaworld says, but eyewitnesses have said that she was standing on a platform and he grabbed her by her waist/or her arm and thrashed her so violently that 1 of her shoes came off before he drug her underwater.

 

[dzorn]

That's what Seaworld says, but eyewitnesses have said that she was standing on a platform and he grabbed her by her waist/or her arm and thrashed her so violently that 1 of her shoes came off before he drug her underwater.

There have been conflicting reports. I think alot depends on angle of view. I could depending on the angle of view for the witness the trainer bent over and him grabbing the ponty tail (some report are that hair caught on teeth) would look like he grabbed the waist from behind. Unless you were at a side view it may look like the waist was grabbed.

At least one disboarder with a relative at the show gave her relatives account which involved the pony tale.

There are a couple of threads on the subject. Cannot remember what board I was on.

Denise in MI

 

[dzorn]

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?p=35583949#post35583949

Her it is. On second reading it may not be a relative of Peg but just one of the reports from a family.

It is news today. I would be surprised if the stopped reporting it so soon.

Densie in MI

 

[mickeylove2]

There have been conflicting reports. I think alot depends on angle of view. I could depending on the angle of view for the witness the trainer bent over and him grabbing the ponty tail (some report are that hair caught on teeth) would look like he grabbed the waist from behind. Unless you were at a side view it may look like the waist was grabbed.

At least one disboarder with a relative at the show gave her relatives account which involved the pony tale.

There are a couple of threads on the subject. Cannot remember what board I was on.

Denise in MI

Just curious...have you seen the pics of her? Her hair is very short when pulled back, it would take a LOT of convincing for me to believe her hair got caught in his teeth. My common sense tells me that unless she was doing a backbend with her head 4 inches from his mouth, it would be awfully hard to get her hair caught between his teeth. That sounds like a bit of a stretch don't ya think?

 

[ZephyrHawk]

Whales don't murder. Murder is a human concept which requires human morality. To imply that a whale could ever "murder" anything is to both grant it the level self-awareness which we have thus far only confirmed in chimpanzees, orangutans and dolphins, and then take that a further step to imply that it comprehends that other beings are self-aware. Then you have to take the farcical metaphor even further to say that, even though they recognize that other beasts are aware, they respect them enough not to kill them out of hand...which clearly, we as humans, often do not.

Whales kill. They are killer whales. They are predators. They hunt in packs and alone. They beach themselves in order to grab baby seals in the shallows. They drag the carcasses out to deeper water and play with them, batting them back and forth with their tails, in actions that help teach their offspring how to handle prey. They are social animals, and will respect a hierarchy, until they tire of being a subordinate member and, like any teenager, push their boundaries.

It doesn't matter how the whale went about killing the human, because there is no why. Why is for creatures that premeditate and consider their actions. I like to anthropomorphize as much as the next person, but come on.

 

[lillygator]

there was video on a sarasota station last night, at least two people had videoed as well. I imagine Sea World has them by now. I am surprised they let them leave the park.

 

[DWGal210]

Whales don't murder. Murder is a human concept which requires human morality. To imply that a whale could ever "murder" anything is to both grant it the level self-awareness which we have thus far only confirmed in chimpanzees, orangutans and dolphins, and then take that a further step to imply that it comprehends that other beings are self-aware. Then you have to take the farcical metaphor even further to say that, even though they recognize that other beasts are aware, they respect them enough not to kill them out of hand...which clearly, we as humans, often do not.

Whales kill. They are killer whales. They are predators. They hunt in packs and alone. They beach themselves in order to grab baby seals in the shallows. They drag the carcasses out to deeper water and play with them, batting them back and forth with their tails, in actions that help teach their offspring how to handle prey. They are social animals, and will respect a hierarchy, until they tire of being a subordinate member and, like any teenager, push their boundaries.

It doesn't matter how the whale went about killing the human, because there is no why. Why is for creatures that premeditate and consider their actions. I like to anthropomorphize as much as the next person, but come on.

Very well said!!

 

[LeslieG]

I wonder how long this "attack" lasted? I'm wondering if there was not enough time for one of the other trainers to do something other than try to distract the animal. Wouldn't you think they would have some policy in place for such a possible emergency?

 

[Jennasis]

I wonder how long this "attack" lasted? I'm wondering if there was not enough time for one of the other trainers to do something other than try to distract the animal. Wouldn't you think they would have some policy in place for such a possible emergency?

I believe they do have a policy. Distracting the animal seems to be part of the protocol. JUMPING in after her would have been a bad idea. Also, can't shoot into the water with a gun. What else could they do?

 

[PaulaSB12]

I'm gonna play devil's advocate here, if this had been a pit bull everyone would be calling for it to be put down, but a whale? 1 eye witness says that the whale grabbed her and shook her violently then held her under and she died, so we come up with excuses to not blame the whale? This woman was drowning while help was right there and all they would do was try and distract him away from her, makes no sense- if a woman is being attacked by a dog and responders get there, the 1st thing they do is beat the dog off of her or shot it. Why was he not tranquilized so they could possibly save her? The animal needs to be euthanized immediately! Just MHO

Killer whales in the wild kill their prey in such a manner this is how they are designed to be by putting yourself so close to a big preditor you are taking the chance of advertising yourself as dinner. The whale should not be killed for the stupidity of humans who think keeping a large angry animal in a small fish tank is a good idea.

 

[LeslieG]

I believe they do have a policy. Distracting the animal seems to be part of the protocol. JUMPING in after her would have been a bad idea. Also, can't shoot into the water with a gun. What else could they do?

Well, I don't really know what else they could have done. Maybe a large tranquilizer gun to be kept within so many feet of the tank at all times? I mean I suppose a whale could kill someone within seconds. But if this went on for many minutes, maybe they could have tried something else? Just thinking outloud.

 

[Jennasis]

Well, I don't really know what else they could have done. Maybe a large tranquilizer gun to be kept within so many feet of the tank at all times? I mean I suppose a whale could kill someone within seconds. But if this went on for many minutes, maybe they could have tried something else? Just thinking outloud.

The tranq dart has to be delivered up close, so unless the whale surfaced and happened to be within a foot or two of the person shooting, it wouldn't work. Plus, shooting into the tank where the victim could be hit...not a great idea...ALSO, you can't shoot into water. The water 1)distorts the angle of entry so accuracy goes right out the window and 2)the speed of the bullet/dart hitting the water causes the object to basically disintegrate upon hitting the water. Mythbusters did a whole show on this. FAscinating. Even an "elephant gun" bullet disintegrated. AND a 50 cal!

 

[PaulaSB12]

For what it's worth, here is a letter Bob Barker wrote to Sea World on behalf of PETA.

Bob Barker Letter To SeaWorld Owners
Dear Mr. James:

I am writing on behalf my friends at People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) and their more than 2 million members and supporters around the world, as well as everyone who wants to see whales and dolphins living free in their ocean homes and human beings protected from needless attacks when those animals are kept in captivity.

The death of yet another trainer at SeaWorld did not have to happen, and I must appeal to you to take strong action now so that it never happens again. I know that the Blackstone Group was asked to close the SeaWorld theme parks when you acquired them last year. I urge you to make that humane move now and to start moving the captive orcas and other marine mammals to transitional coastal and wildlife sanctuaries and replace them with state-of-the-art virtual reality exhibits such as those used in the hugely popular "Walking With Dinosaurs" exhibits that wow youngsters and adults alike. The experience would be like watching free-living wild animals, whereas captive animals' unnatural and neurotic behavior patterns are dull to watch and undeniably linked to their oppressive environments.

This is not the first time that a trainer has been seized, thrown against the walls of the tank, and held down to drown. I cannot imagine what the sight of such a hideous event would do to a child in the audience. Deaths of animals and human injuries are also common.

The intelligent, social, ocean animals kept in the most pitifully small tanks at SeaWorld are denied everything that is natural and important to them. In the wild, they swim up to 100 miles a day in the open ocean, but captured dolphins are confined to small tanks where the reverberations from their own sonar bounce off the walls, driving some of them insane. Some of these animals were violently captured from their homes, many are forced to learn circus-style tricks, and according to whistleblower tips from trainers, withholding food and isolating animals who refuse to perform are common training methods. The only thing that people learn from visiting a SeaWorld theme park is how miserable life is for animals held there.

I am most respectfully urging the Blackstone Group to immediately set in place a firm and rapid plan to release the animals to sanctuaries that can provide them with a more natural environment. I can be reached through PETA at 202-540-2199. I would appreciate hearing from you. Thank you for your time and consideration.

Sincerely,

Bob Barker

I don't like peta but they are completly correct in this matter we don't cover ourselves with glory turning intelligent animals into toys like this.

 

[Rora]

Exactly! My thought after I saw this on the news is why in the world did SeaWorld take this whale after two other deathsJust a matter of time before something else happened, and it did.My heart is sad for this woman's family but very upset at SeaWorld's bad judgment.

My thoughts exactly.

I think this is such a tragic situation and I feel for both the trainer AND the whale-- I hope they don't decide to put him down.

This just proves that animals are animals, regardless of domestication. Plain and simple.