[RIP]Tilikum died at the age of 39

[PACOX]

Tilikum, the captive orca who killed a trainer at SeaWorld in Orlando, Fla., in 2010 and later became the subject of the documentary “Blackfish,” died on Friday.

The whale had been suffering from a persistent infection from a bacteria found in wild habitats and natural settings, but the exact cause of death will be determined by a necropsy, SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment said in a statement. The orca, a male estimated to be about 36 years old, had been kept by the organization for 25 years.

“While today is a difficult day for the SeaWorld family, it’s important to remember that Tilikum lived a long and enriching life while at SeaWorld and inspired millions of people to care about this amazing species,” the statement said.

“Tilikum had, and will continue to have, a special place in the hearts of the SeaWorld family, as well as the millions of people all over the world that he inspired,” said the president of SeaWorld, Joel Manby.

Tilikum’s caretakers had said in March that the whale was afflicted with the infection that was likely to lead to his death. The whale was at the center of a controversial orca breeding program, which SeaWorld ended last year.

The company also ended its killer whale performances in San Diego, where state lawmakers had brought intense pressure on the company after the documentary’s release.

With the death of Tilikum, SeaWorld now holds 22 orcas at its three facilities in Orlando, San Antonio and San Diego.

SeaWorld also noted that Tilikum was “inextricably connected” with the death of his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, in 2010. “While we all experienced profound sadness about that loss, we continued to offer Tilikum the best care possible, each and every day, from the country’s leading experts in marine mammals,” the SeaWorld statement said.

Tilikum bit down on the ponytail of Ms. Brancheau, his 40-year-old trainer, before dragging her underwater and killing her. After her death, SeaWorld conducted an extensive review that resulted in trainers further isolating themselves from the animals for safety.

In 2013, the documentary “Blackfish” examined Ms. Brancheau’s death by looking at the mental state of whales that are taken from their pods in the wild and raised at marine parks. But SeaWorld pushed back against the film’s claims that the whales in captivity suffer physical and mental distress because of confinement.

Tilikum has also been connected with the deaths of two other people: Keltie Byrne, a 21-year-old student and part-time trainer who slipped into a pool containing Tilikum and two other orcas in 1991, and Daniel P. Dukes, a 27-year-old man who slipped into SeaWorld after hours in 1999.

Mr. Dukes was found dead, draped over Tilikum’s back.

Tilikum came to SeaWorld in 1991 from Sealand of the Pacific in Canada, and the organization said it had not collected a whale from the wild in nearly 40 years.

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/01/06/sc...blackfish.html

He dead, they killed him . No not really, but he did die today after his health has been incline for almost a year.

Sea World Orlando's most notorious killer whale died. Tilikum is the one that was involved in the death of 3 people and was featured in the controversial documentary, Blackfish.

I got to see him a couple of times. Sucks to see him go. I'm undecided on the whole zoo/captivity thing but orcas are pretty large and intelligent creatures to just be swimming in circles all day. Despite what I've been seeing on social media, he lived about just as long as any orca in the wild and outlived those typically in captivity (19 years, not listed below).

males typically live for about 30 years, but can live as long as 50-60 years;
females typically live about 50 years, but can live as long as 100 years

http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/species/...ler-whale.html

[Deleted]

Harambe will see you now.

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

Till I Cum?

Who the fuck comes up with these names?

[Aeula]

I remember watching that documentary in college. The whale was completely batshit, I'm surprised they didn't put it down.

[Deleted]

Does anyone really give a shit?

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

Does anyone really give a shit?

No not really.

[alemaite]

Does anyone really give a shit?

Nope, cause most people are ignorant like you. Pay ridiculous amounts of money to see animals doing silly stuff for their entertainment and give 0 shits if they suffer or not. Then when some tiger eats your child at a zoo people like you are the first to ape-shit and wonder what went wrong.

[Deleted]

Nope, cause most people are ignorant like you. Pay ridiculous amounts of money to see animals doing silly stuff for their entertainment and give 0 shits if they suffer or not. Then when some tiger eats your child at a zoo people like you are the first to ape-shit and wonder what went wrong.

Nah im actually against paying money to see animals that are incarcerated, but that doesn't mean one of the animals needs to become just another one of the trends to talk about out there, harambe is enough.

[derpkitteh]

Nah im actually against paying money to see animals that are incarcerated, but that doesn't mean one of the animals needs to become just another one of the trends to talk about out there, harambe is enough.

i highly doubt this will blow up like harambe. nobody unjustly shot the whale, he just got sick.

maybe it'll at least get people talking about the wrongness of keeping such intelligent beings incarcerated.

[alemaite]

Nah im actually against paying money to see animals that are incarcerated, but that doesn't mean one of the animals needs to become just another one of the trends to talk about out there, harambe is enough.

So you do care? If you didn't you probably wouldn't even have posted.

[Super Friendly Kitty Cat]

Nope, cause most people are ignorant like you. Pay ridiculous amounts of money to see animals doing silly stuff for their entertainment and give 0 shits if they suffer or not. Then when some tiger eats your child at a zoo people like you are the first to ape-shit and wonder what went wrong.

I am against captive animals. Outside of sanctuaries for injured animals unable to properly survive in the wild, Zoos, and Aquariums should be closed.

And no, I don't give a shit about this fish.

[PACOX]

Nah im actually against paying money to see animals that are incarcerated, but that doesn't mean one of the animals needs to become just another one of the trends to talk about out there, harambe is enough.

Then you should know the significance of Tilikum then. It has nothing to do with a meme. As (was) the largest orca in captivity and one with a spotted past, he has been at the center of debates about animals in captivity and those used for entertainment. You've never seen Blackfish?

No one is saying to go out and mourn the whale or even think longer than it took the headline...

But since you brought it up memes...

Harambe grabbed one kid and got shot in the face.

Tilikum caught 3 movies, had a show, and a movie deal.

Tilikum is obvious the better meme.

[Deleted]

Orcas kill n eat other dolphins dudes, they eat great white sharks, seals even cute penguins!
But they don't go after humans to kill then it's by mistake.

WHY THEY NO NOM HUMANS, DAMN RACIST ORCAS!

[Deleted]

Does anyone really give a shit?

Nope, cause most people are ignorant like you. Pay ridiculous amounts of money to see animals doing silly stuff for their entertainment and give 0 shits if they suffer or not. Then when some tiger eats your child at a zoo people like you are the first to ape-shit and wonder what went wrong.

Aren't you fast to judge....

I don't care either. And last time I went to a zoo was... 18 years ago? maybe? When I was still a kid and my parents thought it would be nice. For a kid sure, growing up you might change your values on how it works.

Personally, I don't care. Got enough stuff going on in my own life to worry about.

[alemaite]

I am against captive animals. Outside of sanctuaries for injured animals unable to properly survive in the wild, Zoos, and Aquariums should be closed.

And no, I don't give a shit about this fish.

It was an Orca.

[Sinndra]

setting up enriching environments that animals can live peacefully in, is fine.

tricking/baiting/training/forcing animals to perform daily shows for our entertainment is not. its even worse with the few species showing sentience.

shame the whale died, but its probably for the best. hope we learn from this tragedy.

[Deleted]

Can someone plz answer, why orcas intentionally choose to not eat us, this has bothered me for years..

[Techno-Druid]

I don't believe orcas should be kept in captivity, too much research showing how detrimental it is on them. Same applies to elephants to en extent, I don't believe elephants belong in the circus, although certain zoos take excellent care of elephants (.i.e. Smithsonian Zoo).

[Jakisuaki]

Till I Cum?

Who the fuck comes up with these names?

Your brain does. There's nothing wrong with that name.

[Evil Midnight Bomber]

Can someone plz answer, why orcas intentionally choose to not eat us, this has bothered me for years..

Here you go:

https://ww2.kqed.org/quest/2011/07/2...d-legend-meet/

TLDR: Orcas are picky eaters and Humans taste nasty.