Tilikum Tragedy

In 1990, a twenty-two and a half foot long orca whale named Tilikum was the largest in captivity. He started out in Canada, in an aquarium called Sealand. Due to his size, all of the trainers and handlers couldn't swim with him in the pool, because there was a risk of being accidentally crushed or overpowered. He was placed in a tank with two other killer whales, for about a year before tragedy struck. According to "The Story Behind Tilikum the Killer Whale" by Martin Evens, in 1991 Tilikum and the two other whales in captivity dragged a part-time trainee into the tank, submerging her underwater until she drowned. That following January, Tilikum was moved to SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.

Reading this, some might think that Tilikum is a monster, and that the trainee was the only victim in this situation. And that may be true, but it's important to look at other factors as well, such as the treatment the orcas were receiving in their habitats, how being in captivity tampered with their natural instinct. The death was a tragedy, one that could have been prevented.

From the audience, watching a whale show at SeaWorld is a fun, thrilling event. Whales and dolphins flying to and fro, seals performing incredible flips and tricks, leaping from the water to catch a fresh fish. Handler and orca, cooperating side by side to wow and entertain the people watching. …show more content…
This stress causes for many consequences, but there are also physical consequences that occur too. There have been many cases where their teeth have been damaged, the enamel wearing off or even teeth falling out, because they chew on the metal bars along their tanks. All male orcas in captivity have collapsed dorsal fins, a condition that rarely occurs in the wild. It's a sign of a lack of health, and is caused by an inability to swim freely or an unhealthy