$ea World to Reopen "Dine With Shamu"

$eaworld plans to reopen it's "Dine With Shamu" program this spring, starting with the first park being in San Antonio, Texas on February 26th. The program has been closed for about a year following the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, by a killer whale named Tilikum. "Tilly", as he is called, is a 12,000-pound whale that pulled Brancheau underwater during one of $eaworld's "Dine With Shamu" programs... as visitors were present.

According to an article by CNN.com, written on 1/14/11, "after Brancheau's death, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration fined SeaWorld $75,000 for three safety violations, including one classified as willful". You can read the article in it's entirety, HERE.

"Dine With Shamu" programs at Seaworld San Diego, California, and Orlando, Florida will open later this spring. "Tilly", will not be used in the program... initially. He resides in a seclusion tank, since the incident. $eaworld has, however, used his sperm for artificial insemination with other whales in the park...

This piece of info just enrages me.
According to an article by CBS News.com, it stated that, "on The Early Show Saturday Edition," a former SeaWorld trainer who worked with Tilikum for seven years said letting [him]  out to sea isn't possible, and observed that there's "no better place for Tilikum than SeaWorld.  Jeff Ventre, who's now a physician in New Orleans." The article also said the following, "SeaWorld is said to have Tilikum insured for as much as $5 million, and Ventre said, "He's worth millions, and he represents the future of the breeding program for SeaWorld. He has impregnated - he's produced 13 calves, I believe. I think ten are still alive. I haven't been in the game for a long time. That's a guess, but those are the numbers that I think are accurate." 
You can read the article in it's entirety, HERE.

This makes me sick. First of all, Tilly has been involved in not 1, but 3 human deaths. We CAN not, and SHOULD not blame a wild animal in these deaths, because he is just that. A WILD animal, who should not be held in captivity in the first place. So, if we already know that Tilly MAY be an aggressive whale, (I say "may" be, because WHO knows- if he was actually allowed to be in his natural environment, maybe his actions would be different). I don't know how he relates with other animals. That research is yet to be done- on my part, and I need to see if that research even exists. Anyway, if we know he is an aggressive animal, WHY use him to mate with other whales? Is aggression a desirable trait we want to pass on to future generations of whales?

And here's an idea? Why don't we STOP keeping animals in captivity in the first place? There is argument  that by breeding in captivity, they (Seaworld and other marine parks) are not taking whales from the wild. Well, I can see the big picture here. YES, we are not taking whales from the wild, but I have an idea... work with me here... let's LEAVE those whales in the wild... and NOT breed additional whales as well! WILD animals DO NOT belong in CAPTIVITY. Look at the size of these creatures. Look at the deaths, both of the animals- and now human lives? When is enough ENOUGH? You read the quote above... "He's worth millions" (talking about Tilly). Is this about "education" as this parks claim? Doesn't sound like it there, does it? Sounds like big dollar signs to me.

I don't know... eating lunch next to a whale who is stuck in a bathtub, eating dead fish, doing mundane tricks? I don't know about you... but that just made ME loose my appetite.

Check out Tilly's home. Nice 'eh? Ugh.

Until next time....