Erica Hill speaks with former SeaWorld trainer Samantha Berg about whether it is safe for Tilikum the killer whale to begin performing again a year after the death of a trainer.
Eanna McGhee no problem.I love animals & have all ways owned dogs.I always thought that keeping a large animal such as a killer whale with huge brains in such a small area is like a person living their whole lives in a 12 by 12 room with room service.All killer whale pods also have their own langauge,so putting orca's in there with other orca's from different pods is also cruel because they can not communicate with each other.Hopefully one day we as humans will get it together & stop being so cruel.Have a great life see ya.
orcas have no place in captivity...they are realted to the dolphin family...highly intelligent...and have social family groups...we do not have the right to take these animals from the wild for human entertainment...heres an idea you want to see these amazing animals see them in the wild...or better still watch a documentary...Txx
@afatcatdragonsden well, we humans are the smartest in evolution, but the dumbest in what is good for ourselves, our planet, and the other animals that inhabit this planet
Thankyou Tilikum for showing the world the cruelty of being used for entertainment. Now Seaworld has been forced to drop the orca shows. Tilikum died on 1.6.17.
who else just came here from blackfish? I am ashamed i paid see one of their shows. granted its a great show. but its not worth it. Its a jail zoo. Sea world needs to be shut down. Like all the other zoos.
Okay here is the thing. Tilikum was abused as a baby whale. He has suffered a very hard life and Tilly was very sweet if you watched Blackfish in the start of his life. Also we would not know what do in some stances if wasn't for Sea World
She doesn’t work at Seaworld anymore and wasn’t at the time of this interview she’s spoken out against them before in other documentaries she left because she couldn’t take the treatment of the animals
EXACTLY THEY COULD TAKE TILIKUM TO A SEABED TEACH HIM HOW TO FIND FOOD AND HOW TO SURVIVE IN THE OCEAN THEN THEN SHOULD RELEASE HIM BACK HOME WITH THE REST OF HIS FAMILY. IT WORKED BEFORE IT DOES WORK SEA WORLD JUST WANTS HIM TO DIE IN THEIR EVIL TANK THAT IS THE TRUTH IF THEY REALLY CARE WHY CAN'T THEY RETIRE HIM HE DESERVES TO BE FREE HE HAS SUFFERED TOO MUCH!
It’s more cruel to release the animals than to keep them because they won’t be able to survive and it’s not as simple as it seems just to teach it how to hunt.
Keiko died because he needed human interaction. He was used to it. Keiko may very well be alive today had he been kept in Oregon. Maybe not be in shows but not released either.
Orcas at seaworld have a lifespan of 14 years, while in the wild they can live till they are 60-100 years old. Keiko (Willy in free willy) got released into the wild and died in the wild. He was free, he was able to swim, he wasn’t forced to do trix, he was happy. He didn’t have a pack tho, which made him lonely, so he came to people and socialized with them. Keiko died at the age of 27, which is almost twice as much as an orca in captivity. Free those dolphins, let them live a life worth living. And shut seaworld down for good.
Stop lying, most Orcas in Seaworld lived more than 30 years. If they realesed them they almost inmediately died because an animal that was raised in captivity can't live on the wild
I think they should take all the people involved with seaworld into a room and ask them all one question; should we free all the whales? Anyone that says no gets life in prison eating nothing but chicken and jello and once a day they get put into a stadium full of people to do cartwheels and flips to get more chicken.
actually the animals do their routine circus act 2-3 times a day. So I think those employees who said no should do the cartwheels and flips 2-3 times/day as well. ^__^ I wonder how much the ticket would be. :v
hugitout23 LOL I actually liked this comment. It's so funny but yes it's paints the same picture as the conditions to which these animals aren't currently living under.
KaZ Smith Obviously he can survive on his own, he's a wild animal. No diseases, no problems nothing. He survived before they kidnapped him from the ocean too.
KaZ Smith Not at sea world. Just search for it, there are tons of videos. Sea world is for pure entertainment and they do in fact take them away from their families and such, even though they are fine.
@KaZ Smith No. He did not need any help. Watch Blackfish on Netflix. Before they captured him he was in the wild and perfectly fine. No injuries, he didn't need help. They captured him and many other orcas to use at Sealand and other parks. Tilikum was fine before they captured him. It was unnecessary.
No words to describe the rotten garbage that Sea World really is!! One day this will be seen the same way we relate old Rome and gladiators to how cruel, barbaric. and obnoxious SW is. Damn you SW for torturing these beautiful and intelligent mammals.
manuel martinez , well... the gladiators are still exist. Now it’s called boxing 🥊. Yes. Death after death on a ring . Why they called it sport ? Where is a sport there ? In a beating shit out of a human head ??? It’s money 💰. Nothing else.
what would he do in the wild? it’s not like he knows how to hunt, where to migrate, and with as sociable as orcas are, he has no pod. He also hasn’t been exposed to any of the germs, sicknesses, or other animals since he was baby, so he would die faster in the wild than in captivity.
TessaBrown273 Maybe that's what Seaworld means when they say whales live longer in Captivity. Maybe they are referring to the captive born ones by saying if they were released, they would die quicker.
Free Tilikum! I understand that some of the information from Blackfish could have been misleading, however, In the years since the attack why have they left Tilikum by himself? Its clear that he isn't taken care of as well as the other whales so they should release him back to the wild or, and I hate to say it, put him down. I have read several stories from different people on how they traveled to SeaWorld, stayed all day and watched Tilikum, and saw no stimulation happening other than him being moved and fed. It's utterly ridiculous that people are even arguing that SeaWorld treats their animals right. If they did then why are all the signs leading to Tilikum being depressed for basically his entire life, now more than ever.
they cant put him down thats mental. its their own fault and by that i mean seaworlds fault. and now instead of doing the right thing they neglect him further isolating him in a tank he dosent move for hours at a time all they have to do is build a sea pen and put him in it for a time prior to releasing him and monitoring him in the ocean just like keiko who did find a pod in norway to join and lived happily in the wild post release. and as for lolita in miami they know where her pod is and she should be released immediately instead of being kept in an illegally small tank being forced to perform.
Knowing orcas have a very strong family bound and relatively high IQ. It's just sad to see these animals kept in captivity. I can't even imagine someone to take my kids away and locking in captivity for 10, 20+ years. blog.seattlepi.com/candacewhiting/2014/03/08/are-orca-whales-too-smart-for-captivity-why-californias-possible-legislation-against-captivity-makes-sense/
I'm amazed at how well the story was suppressed about Dawn Brancheau. All these years I thought the whale drowned her but it actually scalped her and crushed her spine.
Since they are so concerned about Tilikum's well being, how about releasing him back to the wild? He's going to be happy and nobody needs to fear that he might drown another trainer, right?
Listen to this psychopath say that an orca who is stressed and dehydrated needs to be put back to work. This is a clear example of how demented these fuckers are. Incredibly arrogant, selfish and stupid. Not caring about the mentality of the animal is the number one reason why there are deaths to begin with.
Cindy Brady Did you even read carefully what I was saying? I suggest releasing Tilikum back to the wild. What work are you talking about? Are you sure you are not the psychopath here or maybe you simply have really poor reading skills in general?
Adam Sim No problem Adam its easy to get confused with all the commenting I am glad to see so many people passionate about letting the whales go free. It worked for Keiko and they need to give Keiko a friend - Tilly! keiko.com/faq.html
Please set him free. He's probably depressed and stressed with being in a theme park. If I owned SeaWorld, I would only adopt the marine baby animals who had their parents killed or are nearly dead. If there were any depressed animals who hated being in the theme park, I would set them free.
What’s crazy is YOU WOULD NEVER GO INTO A TAKE WITH A SHARK But these guys eat sharks ... let’s go in a tank with one of the smartest animals alive that eats sharks for snacks like LOGIC HAS LEFT THE CHAT
He would not survive in the wild, he has no pod and doesnt know how to hunt, other whales would shun him n even try to harm him and kill him, i dont agree with seaworld putting orcas in csptivity but in tilikums situation hes better off in their as sad as that sounds, hes been a captive whale all his life and hes doesnt know anyother lifestyle
I agree with you that's it's not in Tilikum's best interest to just be released to the wild at this point, it's too risky. BUT, just so you know, Tilikum was actually one of the whales abducted from his real family in the wild when he was already over a year old (forget the exact age). So he hasn't been in captivity ALL his life, he almost certainly does remember what it was like to be free and with his family... Who knows, he may even remember the day he was captured. How sad is that.
Jessica R If whales in the wild live to be 80+ years old I often wonder if his pod is still out there. What sucks is there's really no damn way for us to locate his pod, but I wonder if he was released in the same area he was abducted from, someone would adopt him into their pod and teach him to do all these things on his own? Then again...there's also the chance he'd be rejected by pods and hurt in the process. I don't know what they need to do for him to be happy at this point...I know people are saying it's not in his best interest to be released, but I mean as a human being........give me liberty or give me death? I'd definitely wanna take the chance of being released into the wild and at least TRY to adapt than live out the rest of my days in captivity.
He would be well suited to "open ocean pens" It is an area of ocean that has a barrier. They can still experience a natural ocean environment, but be protected and cared for. Often they can relearn their ability to hunt and survive in the open ocean. Its like a halfway house for marine animals.
Konig Wolf You speaking about 'no way of knowing what pod he is from' got me to thinking about that. The possibility of some one going out among the differing pods and maybe taking a skin sample to see if his dna matches up with theirs, could be one way of getting him to the correct pod. Then? I don't know, maybe capturing one of them that he matched up with and putting the two of them together for a week and see how it goes, then release them both together....just a thought.
+rob jackson We kill animals all the time. Since we kill animals should we get punished? They're animals. They have a different kind of perspective from us humans. Who knows if they knew what they were doing. They shouldn't be in that tank, they should be free and alone, with their own kind.
To add on to this: The other whales attack him constantly, so now Tilly is kept alone. He barely gets any interaction when he's an animal that is just as social as humans. I'd go insane if I were him too, especially since he has known what it is to be wild. In watching Blackfish, his pod actively tried to save him and the other babies. They aren't dumb, mindless critters.
I watched blackfish and I have been to SeaWorld Orlando 4 times I went this year 2018 I watched the show and I started crying because theses poor killer whales should be in the wild and it’s a proven fact no killer whales and killed anyone in the wild.
Before orcas were captured and put into captivity, there was no recorded deaths caused by orcas. It would have stayed like that if greed didn’t get the better of people.
In the summer of 2002, Keiko joined the company of wild whales and swam nearly 1000 miles to the Norwegian coast. Since then, Keiko has been cared for in a fjord where he was free to come and go by his own choice.
Kiko (Free Willy) was released into the wild but he always came back because he was so domesticated. BUT he had the whole open ocean for him at all times. That's what Tilikum needs.
Ken R Keiko died due to respiratory complications, and was already ill. He was extraordinarily stressed, and while the push to free him came from a good place in the hearts of millions of fans, he was not a good candidate for release due to his fragile condition and many years in captivity. Orcas have a very complex social hierarchy, and even if he had managed to find his pod, that is no guarantee that he would have been accepted back into it. It is worth noting that the aquarium in Oregon that housed him prior to moving him to an open water pen had a special tank built just for him, and the effort to release him was a valiant one. While it is a very good thing that orcas can no longer be wild caught, I personally believe that ceasing all captivity is not the answer, as there is still much that we can learn from these animals. That said, the pools that are currently available are WAY too small for an animal of the size that an orca attains in ALL current facilities. If corporations such as SeaWorld could cease shows for entertainment, provide much larger pools, and simply provide public viewing access through the very thick glass, I do not think captivity would be inappropriate. The trouble comes, in that building a pool of a humane size would require monumental costs that SeaWorld is not going to shell out. We're talking about an animal that grows up to lengths of 30 feet, weighing several tons, and lives in groups. They would have to build a pool to house a pod, and we're talking millions of dollars here. These people that just say "release the whales" are speaking out of a good hearted place, but it is an emotional reaction, and I really don't think they truly comprehend the amount of work or money that goes into rehabilitating an animal of this magnitude. It's really not as easy as driving the orca down to the bay and watching them clear a wall, as awe inspiring as that CGI scene was in the film Free Willy. They have to be taught how to hunt for live fish. They have to learn to detach and avoid humans (And humans need to avoid them in order for them to adapt to a life in the wild, which tourists are loathe to do. "Look at the cool, cute whale mommy! He let me touch him! This is so magical!" Without even realizing it, those tourists are setting the animal up for failure. Google an orca by the name of Luna, and watch her story.), they have to adjust to a new environment. The list goes on and on.
@@OldWorldNobility captivity is what killed him, not being set free. he survived for over a year on his own. he got pnumonnia from living in bad conditions in Mexico for so long. he only had 6 months to live so the fact he lived 5 is amazing.his story is not a tragedy but success
This former Sea World employee calls the withholding of information from trainers by Sea World about "incidents" that occurred in the past "a serious mistake". Is it a mistake or just an intentional omission?
this ex-trainers information does not add up. From another sea world trainer, Tilikum was always strictly forbidden from doing water work with the trainers due to his past record but also because he was known to be very possessive of toys in the water, refusing to relinquish his toys, much like he refused to relinquish his trainer when he had her in his jaws. It was already very well known Tilikum was an insanely dangerous whale if in the water.
i say let him go, let him enjoy the last years of his life in the wild.....hes been in captivity so long that he may not know how to survive long, but maybe he can be in a sea pen, atleast he would be in the ocean....better than a tank....or just release him into the wild and he can be free for as long as he survives....i just hate too see the poor guy isolated in a tank alone!!
WTF??? He WOULDNT survive? WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU??? the reason this whale is so fucking un healthy is because it is kept in a fucking box. Im absolutely gobsmacked that you can even think that animal needs our "TREATMENT" to stop it from dying???? and whats that shit your saying about NEW infections?! DIFFERING TEMPERATURES?! and last but not least..... THE FUCKING TIDES??!?!?!? THE FUCKING TIDES?????? I bet youre one of those dumb cunts who buys a t-shirt at the Sea World gift shop and gives yourself a pat on the back because the tag says they give one dollar of the profit to the saving of marine life. YOU ARE A MORON.
All these years everything was hush, hush and even myself believed as a child that all was well and the companies were doing right by these mammals and trainers. How we were all fooled into "believing" (hmmm, is there pun on the show name?) I can't say I don't feel angered by all of it and just relieved that I now know the truth!
+underworld actually, he only killed these people BECAUSE he was captive. Imagine if you were to be in basically a bathtub (for us) for over 25 years when you're suppose to be out in the wild. I'm pretty sure you would go insane as well and become emotionally unstable. this poor animal is in prison basically. This is a WILD ANIMAL, not some pet who does tricks to make humans money. He or any other wild animal should not be held in captivity. And don't say he should because he killed 3 people. If they would've never captured him and taken him from his family this would have never happened to any of the trainers. Dawn or any of the trainers did not deserve this. But Tilikum didn't either.
Yeah I agree. They should have put him back but now it is too late because he is not use to wild life since he's been in captivity for years. But I understand why he was aggressive.
Also no. Watch blackfish. Female whales do NOT fear Tilikum. A couple years ago the females actually would attack Tilikum and leave rakes all over his body that's why he was separated.
He has been with then for 32 or 34 years . he has a bent fin because he doesnr swim much. the pools are very small. they keep them in captivity . so their fins bend
From swimming in endless circles at low speed, near the surface of the pool where warm air temperatures also break down the collagen in the dorsal fin. It gets floppy. Whales in the wild swim at high speed, in deep waters and in multiple directions. It's another sad by-product of captivity.
These animals should be in the wild: not confined for own amusement ! Just because these pointless tricks they are taught make things look happy clappy, doesn't mean that these tricks are enjoyed by animals. SHUT DOWN SEA WORLD AND SAVE THESE ANIMALS!
Tilikum's story and history (along with many other animals enslaved in captivity) are truly heartbreaking. please STOP taking these beautiful animals from their natural habitats... please release all in captivity!!! ❤ 😢
why dont you just put tilikum and the other orcas back in the ocean! that's the best thing you can do to avoid deaths! i thought humans are the smartest but then everything shown here proved me wrong!
30 years in captivity... even humans get to retire... Set this poor animal free and let him experience freedom, even if for a few days, months or years... I went to Sea World as a kid, but in 2014 Id rather view these magnificent animals in the wild where they belong.
Ok so i used to love seaworld when i was younger and i watched blackfish a couple days ago. I'm so upset that words cannot describe. I thought seaworld truly cared for the ocras and dolphins etc. did you know that even having the dolphins in captivity can affect their mental health? When interacting with humans too often or get too personal it will start to affect them
If there’s 1 animal that should not be held in a concrete swimming pool, it’s an orca. They are so smart and social they should never be in captivity. That is an apex predator, they are the rulers of the sea.
Its not his fault that the humans captured him out of the wild when he was 3 years old. He is acting out his aggression and killed the humans because he is traumatized and is going crazy. Wouldn't you go crazy if you were stuck in a bath tub with 6 other people and could not get out. The only way you could get food is if you preformed tricks for people's entertainment. Wouldn't you attack the person who what making you do this in hopes you could be set free? He does not need to be killed,
I haven't seen Blackfish. But I was extremely surprised to hear on this i interview that Tilikum was still at seaworld. Wky?! Surely he should've been rescued. And Why is that terrible place still open!?
