The News Tracker

Is it time to free Willy the whale, or Shamu, or whatever else we want to call those beautiful, large black and white mammals known as killer whales that have entertained millions of spectators at aquarium type shows over the past decades? Animal rights activists are undoubtedly renewing the call to return as many of those animals to the wild as possible following the death of a trainer at Sea World in Orlando caused by Shamu, the killer whale, or Tilikum, his real name. Forty-year-old trainer Dawn Brancheau reportedly was rubbing the killer whale follow a show on Thursday when it grabbed her and drug her to her death in the water. The killer whale has been involved in two other incidents involving the deaths of people in the past in 1991 and 1999. Killer whales weigh upwards of six tons and obviously would fare better in the deep blue sea than in tiny aquariums where they are kept captive all their lives. Sea World officials have said hey will investigate the killer whale incident and compile a full report. Continue reading “Killer whale Shamu drags trainer to her death in Orlando” »