For Sea World Feb. 24, 2010 will be a horrifying day no one at the theme park will soon forget. One of their veteran trainers, Dawn Brancheau was killed by one of the Orcas she worked with and loved.
When something like this happens everyone wants answers but not many will follow. The public has many opinions but who is correct? People want to see footage of what happened but many do not understand why someone would want to watch another humans life come to an end in such a tragic way. When things like this happen it is not uncommon for it to turn into a high public debate where many voice their opinion. Blogs, video blogs, articles, and public opinion pages on Squidoo and other sites are one of many places you will find pages of opinions.
Animal rights groups are calling for the release of this whale. Others want Tilikum put down like you would any other animal that kills someone. Some will defend the animal saying it did what is natural for that type of animal or that it was a accident. But who has the correct view and opinion on this matter?
There is one thing for sure, everyone thinks that their opinion is what is right. But decisions will not be made on public opinion or even their outcries. Sea World has been a leader worldwide at caring and rescuing sick and injured wildlife. Their opinions and decisions will outweigh anyone else’s because they are considered the experts.
Part of why Sea World is a leader in helping wildlife is because of the interaction they have daily with the animals they have at the parks. They are learning more everyday about these beautiful whales which gives them the ability to know better how to help sea life when it is needed. The theme park was founded on the emphasis of education and interaction. The public in general loves to be able to watch and interact that closely with animals normally unseen by many. Just like Dawn Brancheau what 9 year old child does not leave Sea World with dreams of one day being a trainer at Sea World. In your opinion Sea World may not make the best decision, but it is not up to you or me. This decision is left up to Sea World and we have to trust that they will make the right decision based on what they know.