Kill, save or free "Willy?"

A few weeks ago at SeaWorld Orlando, a killer whale named Tilikum killed his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, by pulling her underwater and causing her to drown. Since then, as with any event like this, there has been a hubbub of controversy about what to do with this whale.

This is not the first time this whale has been involved with killing humans.

According to an article on Time.com, “In 1991 … he and two other killer whales drowned a trainer during a performance at Sealand of the Pacific in Vancouver (and) in 1999, a man who trespassed in SeaWorld after hours and apparently jumped in the whale tank was found dead the next morning, lying across Tilikum’s back.”

Does this mean three strikes and you’re out?

Apparently not. Tilikum did what he does best and killed, as a “killer” whale is liable to do. While animal attacks are rarely taken lightly, I am somewhat disappointed at the lack of action from SeaWorld. Brancheau’s family pleaded for the life of Tilikum, so he won’t be put down, isolated or even punished for bad behavior.

Tilikum is back to swimming with his pod, while SeaWorld is “changing safety protocols.”  Chuck Thompkins, head trainer at SeaWorld, says there likely won’t be any drastic changes made to this protocol.

Although SeaWorld has already decided what to do with Tilikum, many people are still outraged, confused and concerned. Why does this third-time offender killer whale get to live, but not the dog that bit off Eric Fox’s nose and lip? What’s wrong with releasing the whale into the wild? Why do we still keep whales captive when they are proven human killers?

This tragic event does bring new light to an old situation: since the 1960s when the first killer whales were put in captivity, there have been five documented attacks on trainers (three fatal), one fatal attack on the man who snuck in and an attack on a SeaWorld secretary who needed 200 stitches. There are only two documented attacks from wild killer whales, and no one was hurt in either attack. Obviously, captive killer whales are responsible for many more human injuries and deaths than wild killer whales, which I think should tell us something.

Tilikum won’t be released into the wild because he is unlikely to survive.

Chuck Thompkins said, “I think it’s unfair to do that to an animal” since it’s basically a death sentence. True, if Tilikum were dumped off the shores of Florida without so much as a by-your-leave, he probably wouldn’t do very well.

But there are coastal nurseries and rehabilitation centers that specialize in preparing animals like Tilikum for a life in the wild. It wouldn’t be impossible. But getting SeaWorld to part with their money-maker? Now we’re talking impossible.

Displaying captive animals has always been controversial. Aside from domestication and family pets, there are some “good” reasons for captivity, such as breeding endangered animals or education. The origins of zoos and places like SeaWorld were not for conservation or education, but to display the “wild” and “natural” characteristics of these animals (sometimes people were displayed, too!).

But in most cases, animals that attack or kill humans don’t get as many chances as Tilikum. According to former SeaWorld head trainer Thad Lacinak, Tilikum and other captive killer whales serve as ambassadors of the species to educate the public and help protect them in the wild.

Don’t get me wrong, I’m all for protecting the animals (I’m a member of World Wildlife Fund). I also think people need to be educated about the variety of life found on Earth. As far as I’m concerned, Tilikum and other animals didn’t ask to be ambassadors and would probably be happier roaming around their natural habitat. So, should we kill, save or free Tilikum? I think he never should have been in a position to kill a person in the first place.