[42][43] In 2015, SeaWorld was cited again, in San Diego, for not adequately protecting orca trainers. SeaWorld review to study how close is too close for a killer-whale trainer Killer-whale experts say: Reintroduce Tilikum to the wild, Amy L. Edwards and Henry Pierson Curtis and Orlando Sentinel. He is twice as big as any other orca at the park. The court agrees with Dr. Duffus. The OnlyFans model and Twitch streamer's Estonian stalker is back, attempting to break in before leaving a mysterious box and key at the front door of her home. They'll drop straight into your inbox and you can unsubscribe whenever you like. SeaWorld review to study how close is too close for a killer-whale trainer, Killer-whale experts say: Reintroduce Tilikum to the wild. Local government investigators and OSHA had obtained SeaWorld's video surveillance footage, which captured her death, as well as photographs, which showed the effects of the attack. [4], On Christmas Eve, 24 December 2009, two months before Brancheau's death, another SeaWorld-owned orca, Keto, killed a trainer, Alexis Martnez, at Loro Parque's Orca Ocean in the Canary Islands. New in the final report was: A synopsis of a 24-minute surveillance video, which began at 1:37 p.m., about one minute before the orca grabbed Brancheau. Brancheau lived her dream for 15 years. He would periodically lift himself above the pool wall.". Dawn Brancheau was an American animal trainer who worked at 'SeaWorld Orlando.' Brancheau was an animal lover from a very young age. The report also showed that she dislocated her left elbow and left knee and had lacerations on. It took nearly two hours to retrieve her body, orca gave no indication that he was about to grab her. [16][29][30], Brancheau and Alexis Martnez are the two SeaWorld trainers killed by an orca. [8][35], The court made clear that while SeaWorld's expert, "Mr Andrews concludes his report by stating, 'My expert opinion is that SeaWorld can safely allow trainers to closely interact with killer whales, including waterwork, with the administrative and engineering controls that existed prior to February 24, 2010' (Exh. While living her dream, she was a source of inspiration and . [4] Moving from pool to pool in the complex, they eventually directed Tilikum to a smaller, medical pool, where it would be easier to calm him. She suffered spinal cord injuries, and her ribs as well as bones in her legs, arms, and face were broken. Transcripts of witness statements and a preliminary report of the death were released previously. An autopsy ruled that he died of hypothermia in the 50-degree water. [25] This was cause enough for him to turn around to push the alarm button. Lynne told cops that she knew Dawn was in trouble as Tilikum was a 'possessive' animal, and once he had things in his mouth he would not release them. FOR years Dawn Brancheau dreamed of working at SeaWorld - but it was a job that ultimately killed her when she was attacked by Tilikum the orca. Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right. How smart are killer whales and can they decide to kill a person? At just 2 years old, he was torn from his mother and their ocean home and sent to the rundown marine park Sealand of the Pacific. DAWN BRANCHEAU OBITUARY. tilikum kills dawn autopsy photos. She was the youngest of six children and always had a love for animals. Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. Seaworld-Orlando-Shamu-1510 | David R. Tribble | CC BY-SA 3.0. The autopsy determined that Dawn Brancheau died of blunt force trauma to the head, neck and torso, and drowning when the giant orca yanked her into SeaWorld's pool Feb. 24. Subscribe for new episodes. And why did SeaWorld continue to rely on those failed measures? [59], The Dawn Brancheau Foundation was created by her family in Brancheau's honor. The medical examiner reports that no drugs or alcohol were found in Dukes' system. Dawn had been working with Tilikum, SeaWorld Orlando's biggest orca, for 16 years, (Image: Tribune News Service via Getty Images), Dawn Brancheau had spent 16 years working closely with the killer whales at SeaWorld, This distressing image shows a black tarp covering Dawn Brancheau's body in the pool after the attack. As a family, they've built playgrounds for local communities, planted community gardens, sponsored youth development programmes , helped low-resource areas with tutoring and counselling, supported charities and supplied personal care products to . Welsch stated it is "implausible" and "difficult to reconcile" with comments repeatedly made by management and with the litany of trainer incidents and injuries that have occurred over the years. Tilikum finally found freedom from his notoriety - and the mundaneness of his daily life - when he died in January 2017. Dukes. The autopsy report said that Brancheau died from drowning and blunt force trauma. Thomas said it was when she was removed from the water and he observed that she had been scalped that he realised that she had died. After approximately 45 minutes, Tilikum released Brancheau's body. Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. According to one of SeaWorlds own employees, the event was unpredictable and the orca gave no indication that he was about to grab her. The animal attack was deemed accidental. Dawn, an experienced SeaWorld trainer, died of 'drowning and traumatic injuries' after she was mauled by Tilikum, a 5.4 tonne orca measuring more than 22ft in length. [8] Tilikum was also involved in the deaths of two other people: Keltie Byrne[9] and Daniel P. [15], She was featured on SeaWorld billboards throughout Orlando. The court amplified this, aligning itself with the OSHA expert witness: "Dr. Duffus stated, '[T]he training program that SeaWorld uses is influential. Transcripts of witness statements and a preliminary report of the death were released previously. It is still not known what triggered Tilikum to attack that day. SeaWorld has removed Tilikum from its daily shows and ordered its trainers to keep their distance from the animal. Not long after Kelties death, Sealand closed its doors, and its orcas were purchased by SeaWorld. The gory details of Dawn Brancheau's death in the jaws of a killer whale are not for the faint of heart. The 41-year-old was snatched and dragged into the water during a live show so quickly that no one saw it happening - not even the trainer working as her 'spotter'. DAWN THERESE BRANCHEAU (nee Lo Verde) St. He added that he watched as she struggled to free her hair from the orca's mouth. Upon applying for the permit, SeaWorld hadnt even looked at the incident report about the Sealand trainers death, and after being urged by the NMFS to do so, SeaWorld attributed the previous attack to a design flaw at Sealand. One of her SeaWorld colleagues is certain she "loved" the 12,000-pound orca and that he loved her back. [4]:347[5][11] In 1996, the same year she married Scott Brancheau,[12] a SeaWorld stunt water skier,[4] she started working with orcas. It was a horrifying end to the life of a woman who was fulfilling her childhood dream of working as a SeaWorld trainer. Jan Topoleski told investigators that "Dawn was lying on her stomach Tilikum was interacting with her nose to nose. Unless a judge intervenes, the material will become public under Florida law once the Orange County Sheriff's Office concludes its investigation. We dont know for sure what motivated Tilikum. Chuck Tompkins, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment's corporate curator of zoological operations, said possessiveness wasn't considered a safety risk for SeaWorld's killer-whale trainers, noting that trainers were only permitted to work with Tilikum from the edge of pools because of the orca's massive size and his involvement in the drowning of a trainer at a Canadian marine park in 1991. This was a brutal end to a womans life who had dreamt of working closely with marine mammals as a SeaWorld trainer, ever since she saw the Shamu show as a child. We never considered the impact of these actions on the animals involved. Dawn Brancheau, a trainer at SeaWorld Adventure Park who died in a savage attack by one of the park's killer whales in Februaary, is shown while performing in 2005. Hence, she earned degrees in psychology and animal behavior from the 'University of South Carolina.' [59], On behalf of the family, Mills argued in court that disclosure of media by state agencies is equivalent to dissemination, based on the Nikki Catsouras photographs case, in which retrospective attempts to limit public access have not been fully successful. WARNING: Graphic content. Current subscribers: You will continue to receive e-mail unless you explicitly opt out by clicking, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. Dawn, an experienced SeaWorld trainer, died of 'drowning and traumatic injuries'. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Tilikum, a male or bull whale, has lived at the park since 1992, and is the largest of SeaWorld's eight killer whales. So just how did one of SeaWorlds most experienced and celebrated trainers end up crushed and drowned by the jaws of the marine parks largest attraction? [12][55], After its release in 2013, the film awakened a national dialogue about the issue. [3][4] She worked with orcas at SeaWorld Orlando for fifteen years, including a leading role in revamping the Shamu show,[3][5] and was SeaWorld's poster girl. When defending the actions of Tilikum on the sad day that Dawn Brancheau died . It took nearly two hours to retrieve her body. Staff "asked for control" by slapping the water, but Tilikum ignored them, and became more agitated the more people tried to get Dawn from his jaws, "thrashing violently back and forth". The 41-year-old was snatched and dragged into the water during a live show so quickly that no one saw it happening - not . He was swimming manically, only coming to the surface long enough to breathe before diving again. You'll have to find the ghoul in under 11 seconds, so can you do it? But as Lynne Schaber waited for the whale to come to the window, she saw "him pull her in.". She saw the orca, and he "impacted her squarely in the chest." [31] Brancheau was the third fatality associated with Tilikum[4][8] and the fourth by a captive orca. Tilikum continues to live in the park's seven-tank orca complex and learns new behaviors now that trainers don't get close to him. The report states that Brancheau was horribly bruised, cut, and scraped, with her left elbow and knee being dislocated, along with multiple broken bones, including her ribs, jaw and neck. However, the horror wasn't just caught on camera. [3][14] The Shamu show's interaction of animal trainers with orcas was regarded as SeaWorld's star attraction. The orca's was so violent with Brancheau that part of her scalp was "forcibly torn from the head," the autopsy said. The optical illusion will leave you stumped as it's asking people to spot the ghost hiding inside the room. Some witness said he shook her "violently"on occasion. [40] Given the court rulings, even after 2010, although water work during shows stopped, SeaWorld trainers still entered the water with orcas during "safety desensitization training" and for other care. Cloud, FL, formerly of Cedar Lake, IN, passed away February 24, 2010 doing what she loved. Cloud, Florida Dawn Therese Brancheau, nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. urge the marine park to stop forcibly breeding other dolphins. Tilikum, the killer Orca whale, was responsible for at least three horrific deaths during his 36-year life span. But then the whale pulled her under, swinging her around in his mouth. The gory details of Dawn Brancheau's death in the jaws of a killer whale are not for the faint of heart. Why did the marine park wait for 27 minutes to call for paramedics after Tilikum pulled Brancheau into the water? Emily Atack won't stop accepting sexy TV roles despite cruel online trolls, The Inbetweeners actress and comedian Emily Atack has vowed to keep accepting racy on-screen roles despite the horrific abuse she's received from online abusers, Police hunt for East London gang setting foxes on fire with 'lighter fluid', The sickening criminals have reportedly been torturing foxes, setting them on fire, and smoking out their dens with police are appealing for more information from the public. [8], Subsequently, in late May 2012, Judge Ken S. Welsch formally sided with OSHA over SeaWorld's orca safety practices. Terms for automated texts/calls from PETA: http://peta.vg/txt. Celebrate the life of Dawn Brancheau, leave a kind word or memory and get funeral service information care of . 10-1705, Secretary of Labor v. SeaWorld of Florida, LLC", "Trio of Deaths: The Portrayal of Daniel Dukes", "Trainer Dawn Brancheau decided as child to work with killer whales", "WESH 2 interviewed late SeaWorld trainer in 2000", "Video: High Stakes Battle Between Sea World and the US Government", "United States Court of Appeals Argued November 12, 2013 Decided April 11, 2014 No. The optical illusion will leave you stumped as it's asking people to spot the ghost hiding inside the room. Dawn Brancheau was said to have a special bond with Tilikum, the killer whale she trained most days. He argued that the trainers should have used other resources before canceling the show, despite SeaWorlds official position that trainers could end a show at any time if they felt uncomfortable. They eventually coaxed Tilikum to release her by raising the bottom of one of the pools. Turn on desktop notifications for breaking stories about interest? [37] SeaWorld challenged the OSHA fine and the safety report in legal proceedings, stating that "OSHA's allegations in this citation are unsupported by any evidence or precedent and reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the safety requirements associated with marine mammal care. She lived the dream for 15 years, and she was survived by her husband, Scott. IN THE CARE OF. Once Tilikum had Brancheau in his mouth, he alternated holding on to her by her neck and shoulder and other parts her body. As PETA President Ingrid E. Newkirk states, These were not love bites, but the vented fury of an angry and frustrated being who has been deprived of everything in life: family, friends, freedomall for the sake of human profit and a few giggles.. For whatever reason, you are now asking the question: Why should animals have rights? READ MORE, Ingrid E. Newkirk, PETA President and co-author of Animalkind. 12-1375 SeaWorld of Florida, LLC, Petitioner v. Thomas E. Perez, Secretary, United States Department of Labor", "SeaWorld trainer killed by killer whale", "Killer whale Tilikum to be spared after drowning trainer by ponytail", "Sea World trainer killed: Shamu Believe show resumes with standing ovation", "30-minute nightmare in orca's death grip", "Tilikum is dead, but his story lives on", "SeaWorld trainer 'dragged to death by her long hair', "New details emerge in death of SeaWorld Orlando trainer in orca incident", "Hundreds Turn Out for SeaWorld Trainer's Funeral", "SeaWorld fights fine over trainer's death", "SeaWorld appeal of OSHA citations denied", "SeaWorld won't appeal ruling pulling trainers from water at killer whale shows", "SeaWorld's whale pool is no place for trainers", "Sea World Just Took a Blow That Will Change the Controversial Company Forever", "Exclusive: SeaWorld Appeals Ruling in Trainer's Death as Eyewitness Interviews Are Released", "OSHA fines SeaWorld for worker safety issues following orca trainer's death", "SeaWorld-OSHA hearing in recess until mid-November", "SeaWorld Will Fight $75k Fine in Trainer Dawn Brancheau's Death", "SeaWorld OSHA ruling: Judge rules SeaWorld killer-whale trainers must be protected by physical barriers", "Killer whales: Court weighs lifting ban on trainer-orca contact", "What the case of a killer whale tells us about Brett Kavanaugh", "SCOTUS Nominee Kavanaugh Backed SeaWorld in Case Involving 2010 Trainer Death", "Years of troubled waters for SeaWorld's killer whale shows", "SeaWorld trainer's family hires lawyers", "After SeaWorld, a 'Blackfish effect' on circuses and zoos? Dawn Brancheau Autopsy Report Uploaded by Tim Zimmermann Description: The Orange County Medical Examiner's Autopsy Report on Dawn Brancheau Copyright: Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC) Available Formats Download as PDF or read online from Scribd Flag for inappropriate content Save 45% 55% Embed Share Print Download now of 8 Related Interests Sign up to the Daily Star's newsletter. [4]:347[5][11], In 2000, she appeared on NBC affiliate WESH and talked about staying physically fit in order to deal with the intense rigor of working with orcas. A report into Dawn's death by the Sheriff's Office refers to an . [5] As a senior trainer, she appeared in various SeaWorld public performances for many years. The incident was documented in the 2013 film Blackfish. One witness said she saw Dawn "scrambling" to get out of the water, and Tilikum swim straight towards her and "impact her squarely in the chest". Some SeaWorld visitors witnessed Dawn's struggle with Tilikum, including a boy who reportedly . BRANCHEAU Dawn Therese nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. In the new investigative reports, Brancheau's co-workers describe the swiftness of the . "He never showed any indication that he looked at you as a play toy that he wanted to own," Tompkins said. [10], Brancheau was born Dawn Therese LoVerde in Cedar Lake, Indiana, and was the youngest of six children. He only came to the surface to breath, avoiding the other trainers who were trying to get control of him. In response, SeaWorlds vice president for animal training criticized their actions in a two-page document claiming that the show should not have been ended early because it brought unnecessary attention to the incident. Perhaps the most likely explanation is that after 26 years being confined to a concrete tank, this magnificent wild animal had simply snapped. PETA is a nonprofit, tax-exempt 501(c)(3) corporation. While living her dream, she was a source of inspiration and . [30], SeaWorld filed a series of appeals, seeking to return to water performances. On February 24, a day with the whales turned into a nightmare for tourists and SeaWorld staff. SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau began her Dine With Shamu show on February 24, 2010, just as she had many times before, but this particular show included a gruesome finale that left Brancheaus body without her left arm or part of her scalp, among other injuries. She had worked at the park, training enormous marine mammals, including Tilikum, for 16 years. to experiment on, eat, wear, use for entertainment, or abuse in any other way. This led SeaWorld to repeatedly seek the lifting of various aspects of OSHA's citations and rulings until 2014, when it decided to not go to Supreme Court. The agency cited SeaWorld for multiple violations and demanded that the company stop putting trainers at risk by making them interact with orcas during shows. Tilikum, one of the largest orcas held captive at SeaWorld, was in captivity for over 30 years. [60] The confidentiality considerations turn on issues that resemble those in the case of the murder of Meredith Emerson in Georgia; the laws that Georgia and Florida enacted in response to these situations are similar. When her death was announced, former and current trainers were astonished that she had been the one killed. Brancheau suffered a fracture to part of her vertebra and lower jaw, according to the autopsy. To help all animals held captive by SeaWorld, please never buy a ticket, visit the parks, or support SeaWorld in any other way, and urge the marine park to stop forcibly breeding other dolphins! When he turned back, his colleague was gone. When her death was announced, former and current trainers were astonished that she had been the one killed. Almost all of us grew up eating meat, wearing leather, and going to circuses and zoos. In this case he seemed to hold on to Brancheau as if she were his possession, by one witness account. Bringing killer whale to SeaWorld Orlando after death of trainer in Canada stirred debate in D.C. Nude man found dead on back of killer whale. "Catastrophic" injuries sustained in the fatal attack were laid bare. PETA Leads the Charge: Inside the Global Effort to Take Down Exotic Skins, Challenge of Monterey Zoos Alleged Violation of Californias Bullhook Ban to Proceed, Step Away From the Birkin Bag! "[16]:24. [1][11] She set her heart on becoming a Shamu trainer during a family vacation to Orlando. While all attention is focused on Tilikum and Blackfish, with SeaWorld and their supporters picking spots off the film, the death of one of their other trainers by an orca born and bred at SeaWorld seems to be going unnoticed. Your Crocodile Purse and Snakeskin Boots Have a Disturbing Past, Ugandas First Vegan School Wins PETA Kindness Award, Diane Warren Is Standing With PETA to Help End the Iditarod, And the Winners of PETAs Sixth Annual Oscat Awards Are. This was precisely the issue at the center of the Occupational Safety and Health Administrations (OSHA) investigation. One of the horrified tourists noted that the whale was violently shaking her body. ORLANDO, Fla. A SeaWorld Orlando trainer attacked by a killer whale died of drowning and blunt-force trauma to her head, neck and torso, an autopsy released Wednesday showed. Tilikum severed her spinal cord, fractured her ribs and jawbone, and tore her scalp and left arm. So I think thats a serious mistake on SeaWorlds part that they werent letting people know the history of all the animals.. One of her SeaWorld colleagues is certain she "loved" the 12,000-pound orca and that he loved her back. But the autopsy report has been released today, and it makes it very clear that Dawn Brancheaus last moments were filled with tremendous suffering. Some people questioned if he had mistaken her ponytail for a toy. Also among Wednesday's revelations was a brief account of how much SeaWorld treasured Brancheau. As if the incident itself wasn't harrowing enough, an autopsy report revealed Dawn, who had always dreamed of working with killer whales, suffered greatly in the beast's jaws. She had bruises and cuts all over her body. [58], In 2011, Florida passed Statute 406.136, which provides for confidentiality of media obtained by public agencies that depicts or records the killing of a person. [8] Since orcas were first placed in captivity in the 1960s, there have been more than 40 documented safety incidents, with dozens of trainers being seriously injured by various orcas. What happened next would shock the audience - and the world. [26], No SeaWorld trainer entered a pool to perform a show with an orca following Brancheau's death. [17] The autopsy concluded that Dukes' cause of death was drowning. The report also showed that she dislocated her left elbow and left knee and had lacerations on her right ear. It marked the third time the animal, named Tilikum, had been involved in a human death. Yet it cannot remove the element of unpredictability inherent in working with killer whales. SeaWorld issued a statement that called OSHA's findings "unfounded". You'll have to find the ghoul in under 11 seconds, so can you do it? According to Dawn's Foundation, she saw the Shamu show at SeaWorld when she was a child and knew she wanted to become a trainer and work closely with the marine mammals. Do you think marine parks and dolphin shows should be banned? On February 24, 2010, Brancheau performed a 'Dine with Shamu' show with Tilikum,[17] the largest orca at SeaWorld Orlando. The park imposed the restrictions while it reviews its killer whale safety protocols. SeaWorld had previously been warned of the potential danger of incorporating Tilikum into its marine park when obtaining a permit for the orca from the National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS), long before Dawn Brancheaus death. Her left elbow and left knee were dislocated. Dawn Therese Brancheau, nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. The cause of death was listed as drowning and traumatic injuries that the 23-foot-long killer whale caused on Brancheau's 5'7, 123-pound frame. But theres no doubt that he knew exactly what he was doing. Elevenyears after the accident, there are still concerns about Dawn Brancheaus last day as a SeaWorld trainer that have grave implications. The incident is the subject of Blackfish, a documentary film available to watch on Netflix. She graduated from the University of South Carolina with degrees in psychology and animal behavior. [33] SeaWorld discontinued water work at its three parks for about a week immediately after Martnez's death. The 40-year-old trainer was at ease with the killer whale and had just petted him on the nose. The cause of death was officially recorded as "drowning and traumatic injuries" after blunt force trauma. To stay up to date with all the latest news, make sure you sign up to one of our newsletters here. The orca's was so violent with Brancheau that part of her scalp was "forcibly torn from the head," the autopsy said. Dutch tourist Susanne De Wit witnessed the death of Dawn Brancheau, who had worked at the resort for 15 years, back in 2010. . Stay up to date on the latest vegan trends and get breaking animal rights news delivered straight to your inbox! It does work. [4] Judge and later Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh, a dissenting judge in a legal case involving her death (see below), stated that "To be fearless, courageous, tough to perform a sport or activity at the highest levels of human capacity, even in the face of known physical risk is among the greatest forms of personal achievement for many who take part in these activities. She was lying with her face next to Tilikum's on a slide-out, which is a platform submerged about a foot into the water. As always you can unsubscribe at any time. Subscribe for new episodes. Dawn Therese Brancheau, nee Lo Verde, 40, of St. As Dawn Brancheau lay next to Tilikum, petting him in just a few inches of water, she likely had no reason to suspect that she was about to be torn apart. [33], On August 23, 2010, SeaWorld was fined US$75,000 by OSHA for three safety violations, one directly related to Brancheau's death. WARNING: Graphic and upsetting content. Something went wrong, please try again later. In response, SeaWorlds vice president for animal training criticized their actions in a two-page document claiming that the show should not have been ended early because it brought unnecessary attention to the incident. But during one well practised segment, where she lay down to kiss the huge 30-year-old mammal, he grabbed her, dragging her in to the pool and under the water. The body of Daniel Dukes, 27, was found naked and draped across the giant whale's body in July 1999. My point is that it does not work all the time' (Tr. Her hair and skin were recovered from the bottom of the pool. New in the final report was: A synopsis of. Welsch did, however, agree that the fine classification was too severe and had it downgraded from "willful" (total of $75,000 for the 2 citations) to "serious" (total of $12,000) stating that the company had emphasized trainer safety, even if the safety procedures weren't effective. We use your sign-up to provide content in the ways you've consented to and improve our understanding of you. Want all the latest shocking news and views from all over the world straight into your inbox? Tilikum has been involved twice before in human deaths. (Fletcher/AP). According to Dawn's Foundation, a non-profit that Brancheau's family founded in the wake of her death that aims to improve the lives of both children and animals in need, Brancheau saw the famous Shamu show as a young girl and was determined to become a whale trainer. Dawn Brancheau developed a "close bond" with a SeaWorld orca called Tilikum. 27 febrero, 2023 . Inspired as a child after seeing a Shamu show, Brancheau knew at an early age that she wanted to perform with the whales. Topoleski was one of 44 witnesses who talked with Orange County Sheriff's Office investigators who looked into how and why the orca, Tilikum, killed Brancheau after she was yanked into the water Feb. 24 shortly after a Dine With Shamu show. Learn more about SeaWorld on The PETA Podcast: Listen to more episodes on iTunes, Stitcher, and Spotify! Despite massive public relations efforts on SeaWorlds part to smooth over the incidenti.e., death by killer whaleby characterizing it as play that went a bit wrong, the autopsy shows that Tilly was not in the mood for affection. SeaWorld looked at rising pool floors and "spare air" systems in an attempt to get their staff back in the water during shows. In fact, there had been 30 incidents between killer whales, and trainers prior to my being hired at the park. Wearing only his underwear, Dukes jumped, fell or was pulled into the frigid water of Tilikum's huge tank. In one case, trainers ended a show after an orca began to ignore signals, swim rapidly, and grab at one of the trainers arms.