SeaWorld Ends Orca Show After ‘Blackfish’ &Tilikum’s Death – Another Whale Missing & Presumed Dead
Due to public outcry and after the 'Blackfish' documentary that featured the life of orca Tilikum, SeaWorld's killer whale show will finally end. The long -running attraction which has been dubbed educational by SeaWorld will have its last show on Sunday. There are also reports that another whale who is more than a hundred years old is missing from the tanks and is presumed dead.
SeaWorld has announced that after the popular show ends, a new attraction would be put up. Mail Online reported that SeaWorld finally gave in and ended its orca show after so much pressure from different groups as well as declining sales. The killer whale show has been entertaining visitors for decades until the documentary 'Blackfish' revealed the terrible conditions that the orcas were facing in captivity.
The documentary featured the life of Tilikum from the time he was just a cub till he was transferred to SeaWorld. The 36 year-old whale was just a young calf when he was taken from the wild to Sealand of the Pacific in Canada and then to SeaWorld where he became a part of the killer whale show. Tilikum actually fathered a number of calves and was the star of the aquarium till he became violent and killed his trainer Dawn Brancheau.
Meanwhile, Palm Beach Post reported that the show may just be going on hiatus and will unveil a new killer whale show this coming summer. The new 'Orca Encounter' will feature how whales eat, communicate with each other and navigate. Al Garver, former orca trainer and vice president of zoological operations in SeaWorld said that the killer whales will be trained for the show.
Garver mentioned in an interview: "We want to be able to demonstrate behaviors people would see in the wild with the killer whales and their abilities as a top predator in the sea."
Tilikum died Friday at Orlando SeaWorld due to lung infection. 'Blackfish' documentary says that killer whales develop an aggressive attitude when contained in a small area. Orca Tilikum has been feeing pain and battling illness since he was captured and kept in a small aquarium. This could be one reason why he became aggressive with his longtime trainer. Apparently, this was the whale's third victim.
According to SeaWorld, orca shows in Orlando and in San Antonio will end in 2019.
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