"Sold with restrictions, for breeding purposes only." That is the legal agreement between a now defunct zoo in Vancouver B.C. and SeaWorld, when they purchased Tillicum the orca or "killer whale." The agreement was a safety precaution caused by a tragic incident in the now
closed Vancouver zoo, where Tillikum and two female orcas killed a trainer, before his move to SeaWorld, where a man who climbed into his tank was killed, and now the latest tragedy Wednesday with a professional trainer.
Orcas like Tillikum are worth two million dollars, due to the U.S. ban on capturing them, hence the price. They’re pod animals, accustomed to living in groups, and swimming great distances. Watch the video and see the isolated tanks where he and other orcas spend their lives when they’re not performing, it’s the equivalent of a human staying in a small closet. Our mental balance might veer off under those circumstances.
It’s merciful that the home video stopped filming just seconds before the incident, but it doesn’t change the fact that a full house at Sea World stood helpless and watched something we as humans could and should have prevented. I only hope this tragedy causes some serious changes in how we treat animals, in this instance one of the most intelligent animals on the planet. We’ve tortured wild creatures in zoos, stage shows, and the circus for far too long. Perhaps it’s time for us to use our allegedly superior brain to let creatures live the way they were intended.