Details Revealed
National News
by
Brian Mooar
last edited on
Saturday, February 27, 2010
SeaWorld Orlando will resume its killer whale shows on Saturday but it won't be business as usual.
After Wednesday's fatal attack trainers will avoid direct contact.
"What we'll be doing from here forward until we can reassess everything we do is we will not be getting in the water with the whales,"said SeaWorld President and CEO Jim Atchinson.
The park will present a tribute to Dawn Brancheau the veteran trainer killed when the 12,000 pound Orca pulled her into the water. The park says Tililikum will not be treated any differently.
"His participation in our shows, his engagement in our interactions and so forth is very important to his overall health and husbandry. So he will remain an active contributing member of our team," said Atchison.
There are questions whether the park took proper care with Tilikum. Blamed in two other deadly incidents one at a Canadian park in 1991.
"My conversations with the staff at SeaWorld at the time was that Tilikum and the other two animals were not to be performing animals," said Steve Huxter, who was head of Sealand's Animal Care and Training. SeaWorld officials say Tilikum had his own protocols but only because of his massive size not because he was a threat.