The Sandspur

Issue date: 3/5/10 Section: News

Media Credit: MCT Campus QUESTIONS TO ANSWER: President and CEO of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment, Joe Atchison, speaks during a news conference and answers reporters' questions.

In a tragic event this past Wednesday, Feb. 24, Dawn Brancheau was killed at SeaWorld. Brancheau was a 40-old veteran trainer from northwest Indiana. Her family replied that Brancheau died doing what she loved; she was living her dream.

"You could just tell by looking at her face. She loves what she is doing," replied Brancheau's sister Diana Gross.

The whale that killed Brancheau, Tilikum, is a 12,000-pound orca whale. Thus far, he remains at the exhibit, continuing with shows and working with trainers. According to WFTV Local News, Sea World issued a statement reading, "We have every intention of continuing to interact with this animal, though the procedures for working with him will change."

In addition to that of Dawn Brancheau, Tilikum has been involved in two prior deaths. One of these included a Canadian trainer in 1991, who was drowned at the now-closed Sealand of the Pacific aquarium near British Columbia. In 1999, a man who snuck into SeaWorld's orca tank at night was found dead on Tilikum's back, suspected to have drowned.

According to authorities, Tilikum saw Brancheau's braided hair and grabbed onto it, while a horrified crowd watched. Brancheau most likely died from several traumatic injuries and from drowning. Trainers had to lift the whale out of the water in order to remove Brancheau from its jaw.

Consequently, SeaWorld President Jim Atchison is prohibiting any trainers from being in the water at theme parks in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio until their review is completed. Additionally, Atchison stated that colleagues from other sea mammal facilities and members of the United States Navy are going to help with the review of this death.

"We're hoping if we get new eyes on this, we'll find something we missed," Atchison stated. Currently, park officials are working on creating the Dawn Brancheau Memorial Charitable Foundation. A video tribute was featured this previous Saturday. According to Brancheau's family, she knew she wanted to train whales since she visited SeaWorld 30 years earlier.

"She talked about it her whole life. She knew she wanted to work with the animals and SeaWorld was her dream," stated her sister.

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