Ker Than
for National Geographic News
"Shamu" Kills Trainer
Dawn Brancheau, an experienced 40-year-old animal trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, was killed yesterday afternoon. Billed as Shamu, Tilikum, a 12,000-pound (5,440-kilogram) male killer whale, reportedly grabbed Brancheau by the upper arm and pulled the trainer underwater.
Witnesses attending a "Dine with Shamu" show at the time of the trainer's killing report that Tilikum thrashed Brancheau around while swimming rapidly around SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium pool.
Killer whales are known to shake large prey to break them apart, but Perryman doesn't think that's what happened to the SeaWorld trainer.
"I don't think the animal was trying to eat her. It just roughed her up," he said.
Perryman points out that other captive animals are known to snap and turn on their trainers—not just killer whales.
"I think this isn't really a killer whale issue," he said. "It's when you're dealing with large mammals in a captive situation.
"It doesn't make a difference whether its elephants or bears or whatever. These kinds of things can happen."
for National Geographic News
"Shamu" Kills Trainer
Dawn Brancheau, an experienced 40-year-old animal trainer at SeaWorld Orlando, was killed yesterday afternoon. Billed as Shamu, Tilikum, a 12,000-pound (5,440-kilogram) male killer whale, reportedly grabbed Brancheau by the upper arm and pulled the trainer underwater.
Witnesses attending a "Dine with Shamu" show at the time of the trainer's killing report that Tilikum thrashed Brancheau around while swimming rapidly around SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium pool.
Killer whales are known to shake large prey to break them apart, but Perryman doesn't think that's what happened to the SeaWorld trainer.
"I don't think the animal was trying to eat her. It just roughed her up," he said.
Perryman points out that other captive animals are known to snap and turn on their trainers—not just killer whales.
"I think this isn't really a killer whale issue," he said. "It's when you're dealing with large mammals in a captive situation.
"It doesn't make a difference whether its elephants or bears or whatever. These kinds of things can happen."