woman killed at seaworld

[Shadowhills Farm]

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I double anybody is willing to spend the money. Sad but true.

I know when I went on a dolphin swim with my dh in Hawaii many years ago they had an enclosure in the ocean that was quiet large, the dolphins spent much of their time in that they said. it was at least an acre so to speak if not bigger. I would think places on the coast can do it but is sea world on a coast? I remember it being close to Orlando but don't really remember...

The SeaWorld in Florida is in Orlando.

 

[Iowa Roo Mom]

Quote:
I know when I went on a dolphin swim with my dh in Hawaii many years ago they had an enclosure in the ocean that was quiet large, the dolphins spent much of their time in that they said. it was at least an acre so to speak if not bigger. I would think places on the coast can do it but is sea world on a coast? I remember it being close to Orlando but don't really remember...

The SeaWorld in Florida is in Orlando.

And the SeaWorld in Texas is in San Antonio

 

[Sillystunt]

Quote:
Blackstone, the New York-based private-equity giant, will pay $2.3billion in cash plus give A-B InBev the right to participate in as much as $400million of its initial returns. Blackstone will own 100 percent of Busch.

Anheuser Busch-InBev does much, much more than just Seaworld.

The point was that zoos and the like are not all about the money. It is a tragedy, but the majority of the people who work at such parks are doing it purely for the love of the animals.

They sold their parks here in Florida................ and i think others as well. I know all the sea worlds and i think busch gardens as well. 10 parks total.
And i agree, tragedy! And no, zoo's are totally different than amuesment parks. Zoo's run breeding programs to protect species, not the same at these theme parks. Hubby has 18 years in, over 30 parks, 3 countries and he goes behind the scenes. And he has worked at the san diego zoo.....totally different he says.

 

[rodriguezpoultry]

True...

zoos allow their animals to die thanks to exposure.

For example:
http://www.newson6.com/global/story.asp?s=11798644

 

[CocoNUT]

Quote:
I double anybody is willing to spend the money. Sad but true.

Hmm, it could be possible to turn it into an educational attraction, like Sea World. Have the enclosure, then folks can scuba dive around it (not in with the whales) and observe them. One step better than looking at them through glass. People swim with dolphins all the time. I don't know why something like this wouldn't be viable, and less stressful for teh animals.

There are facilities like this in Florida. Dolphins are the only group they do this with...for obvious reasons. Liability issues are too great with the larger dolphins such as "orcas" AKA "killer whales". Let's not mention the potential issues with handling dolphins (spreading diseases to them and vice versa).

Just because these animals are born in captivity, does not automatically make them incapable of being able to survive in the ocean...it does make finding a pod to become an accepted member of moredifficult tho.

Also....the public is generally VERY naieve of how DANGEROUS these animals can be. Dolphins and larger whales do engage in VERY aggressive, nasty and down right HORRIFIC behaviors NOT seen in "amusement parks". Tell some people how "Flipper" and his buddies will GANG-RAPE a members (male or female) from another pod (different species or same) and they'll FREAK OUT! NO...FLIPPER WOULD NEVER DO ANYTHING LIKE THAT! Listen to the semantics of Dolphin/whale show's narration. Now compare it to the words used in SHARK WEEK!

Also...to be a dolphin "Trainer"....you're not really STUDYING THEM...you're studying their responses to OUR stimuli...and OUR "interpretation" of what equates "intelligence". You're essentially training them like a dog. (Most people don't know you need a Psychology degree to work with dolphins...) But again, Sea World has to pay the bills somehow! Sea World is like a zoo...is like a circus. Animals in artificial enclosures...set up for our amusement, "exposure" & "education". Although...placing an animal whose MAIN form of navigating is SONAR...in a CEMENT tank where their squeaks and such can bounce off the walls over and over and over again....is of NO consideration!

Again...humans can't control nature. I feel for the trainer's family. I also feel sorry for the orca...since ultimately, he'll end up paying for our arrogance!

 

[lishah2000]

That particular whale did not originate at Sea World. They took him after he killed the first person. It was under the agreement that no one ever enter the water with him. It's hard to notice, but he always performs at the end of the show and no one is in the water.

Working with killer whales is dangerous work and the trainers know that. They always have to be several steps ahead of them and never ever predictable.

I feel bad for her family.

 

[Sillystunt]

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LOL, it happens...........
Look at my orange tree, dying .......................here in Florida! What is happening people, this world is going mad! LOL

Someone is always gonna drop the ball, people will get hurt and die...............just a fact of life! I know, i killed my trees..............it was just to darn cold to run out in my PJ's and cover them.................burrrrrrrrrr

 

[Sillystunt]

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Like i said" OMG, i would be soooo scared!!!" She was brave and died doing what she loved..................

 

[cluckcluck42]

Someone said something about housing these animals in large open water enclosures, I completely agree. I went to Seaworld in Orlando as well as Marineland in Ontario, I love whales and dolphins, but it made me realy sad to see the size of their homes. They are huge animals, they need tons of space.

This specific whale who killed the lady was an especially large male who was involved in two incidents prior to this one. One was an accident with a trainer that was not deemed his fault, the lady fell in and him and the other two whales tossed her around, playing. The second incident a man was found dead in Tilikums tank after he had hidden in the park after hours to get into the whale tank.

Also- he was not used for anything but splashing water on audience members, they said he was not aggressive b ut didnt know his own strength.

Whales should be kept in appropriate enclosures. There are definite benefits to having a stable breeding population of whale breeds in captivity. Look at what we are doing to our oceans, what if they end up being the only whales alive in the end? But we need PROPER ENCLOSURES. I've seen pictures from friends vacations of dolphin enclosures at sea and they are huge.

 

[CocoNUT]

Quote:
I double anybody is willing to spend the money. Sad but true.

I know when I went on a dolphin swim with my dh in Hawaii many years ago they had an enclosure in the ocean that was quiet large, the dolphins spent much of their time in that they said. it was at least an acre so to speak if not bigger. I would think places on the coast can do it but is sea world on a coast? I remember it being close to Orlando but don't really remember...

I believe you're talking about the Hotel on the Big Island? Hapuna Prince? It's actually an artificial 'ocean' w/i view of the REAL ocean. The holding pens the dolphins are kept in aren't that big. In fact all their dolphins aren't allowed out with the 'divers' at one time. They stagger which dolphins are petted by which group of tourists. At one point, i remember they had a pregnant female in a VERY SMALL pen in isolation from the divers because of fears that 'germs' from the humans could cause her to miscarry.
The Kahala Mandarin on Oahu also has dolphins in their "lagoon"...which of course is artificial and NOT connected to the ocean which is within view. I'm not sure if you can "swim" with those though.
Having grown up in HI, I've had a lot of exposure to those types of attractions. I've never participated though (except through marine studies). As far as the whole "conservation" angle....WHY then do they always use Pacific Bottlenose dolphins? They're not exactly endangered! Orcas as well. There are other lesser known species of dolphin who could REALLY use the help. Amazonian River dolphin, Another riverdolphin from China which is now extinct! Pilot 'whales'. Etc. Oh...but "Save Shamu"!!!

lol