Tragedy at Sea World

[Jogeephus]

Let me first say that I think its awful what happened to the trainer at Sea World and my thoughts and prayers go out to her family. I think there is a lesson to be learned here about dealing with animals. I think most of us are guilty of dropping our guard at times around our wards even though most could do each of us in with one move. Maybe this tragedy can be used as a reminder. But I'm not shocked in the least. I learned my lesson years ago when I tried to feed and elephant and was nearly pulled between the bars and made into pasta. What does amaze me - though it shouldn't - is how the morning news was treating this tragedy. Debating whether or not the death of this lady by the orca was "premeditated". Premeditated? I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether or not you think an animal is able reason enough to commit a premeditated murder.

 

[angie1]

No, it was not premeditated ~ you can't swing a cat by the tail w/o hitting stupid apparently.

I believe the decision to attack or flee is thought out by more advanced animals (dogs, apes etc...). I believe we are only beginning to understand the complex intelligence of marine mammals (specifically dolphins, but others as well), but I do NOT believe the whale thought "I've had about enough of this lady......"

 

[SRBeef]

This reminds me of the incident at Las Vegas a few years ago where a tiger turned on his long time trainer in a show during a famous act. Sorry I don't remember the name.

Something just snapped in the tiger and he reverted to primal behavior rather than the "pet" behavior the trainer had counted on over the years. I think it is just instincts, not "premeditation".

As has been said here many times, it is often the trusted, "good disposition" bulls that will get you mostly because of us letting our guard down. The ornery ones we know to keep an eye on or escape route. Even a playful heifer can hurt you when she wants to butt you like her buddies or wants you to scratch her.

We always need to remind each other to not turn our backs and leave and escape route.

Jim

 

[GMN]

Wild animals are just that wild. This whale was trained but its instincts are still unpredictable. They said her braid swaying in front of his face may have disturbed him somehow, is why he grabbed her. How frightening for the spectators, as the whale swam around with her in his mouth for some time.

GMN

 

[MO_cows]

I found it very disturbing because we have been there. And those trainers are very dedicated to their animals and seem to live their lives around them. We enjoyed the orca show a lot and were amazed at the behaviors those animals will do on cue. But the thought did cross my mind when we were there, what if that giant thing gets tired of eating those little bitty fish one at a time?? Apparently this orca has killed two people prior to this. He was originally at a park in Canada and killed a trainer, so he came out of the show and was sold to Sea World and just supposedly to be a breeder. Then some fool from the public got into the tank with him and was killed, now this. That is, if you can believe what you hear on the news, sometimes they don't get it right.

 

[angie1]

But the thought did cross my mind when we were there, what if that giant thing gets tired of eating those little bitty fish one at a time??

I am sure that is what people wonder about me at the Catholic smelt fry. :shock:

I have rehabbed many coons, and they can be terribly affectionate ~ yet I have scars on my arms from where they have bit me. GMN is right, wild is wild. Also, to credit animals with an awareness of "death" is to personify them, and that is a set up for animals and people alike.

 

[cross_7]

Let me first say that I think its awful what happened to the trainer at Sea World and my thoughts and prayers go out to her family. I think there is a lesson to be learned here about dealing with animals. I think most of us are guilty of dropping our guard at times around our wards even though most could do each of us in with one move. Maybe this tragedy can be used as a reminder. But I'm not shocked in the least. I learned my lesson years ago when I tried to feed and elephant and was nearly pulled between the bars and made into pasta. What does amaze me - though it shouldn't - is how the morning news was treating this tragedy. Debating whether or not the death of this lady by the orca was "premeditated". Premeditated? I'd love to hear your thoughts on whether or not you think an animal is able reason enough to commit a premeditated murder.

i think some animals(border collies) are smater than we give them credit for but i don't believe any animals has the mental capacity to "plan anything".
dogs have been domesticated years and years.
i have one that is the smartest animals i've ever known, but when he is working livestock and the instinct of predator vs prey kicks in, domestication has left him and he is a wild predator.
so i don't believe you can capture a wild animal and domesticate it or even in captive breeding in a few generations.

they are still aniamls and do not have the the ability to understand right from wrong
animals don't have the mental capacity to reason or plan
when they get hungery that want to eat or drink or sleep but they don't plan

 

[1982vett]

OSHA 3071
2002 (Revised)
Job Hazard Analysis

How do I identify workplace hazards?
A job hazard analysis is an exercise in detective work. Your
goal is to discover the following:
• What can go wrong?
• What are the consequences?
• How could it arise?
• What are other contributing factors?
• How likely is it that the hazard will occur?
To make your job hazard analysis useful, document
the answers to these questions in a consistent manner.
Describing a hazard in this way helps to ensure that your
efforts to eliminate the hazard and implement hazard controls
help target the most important contributors to the hazard.
Good hazard scenarios describe:
• Where it is happening (environment),
• Who or what it is happening to (exposure),
• What precipitates the hazard (trigger),
• The outcome that would occur should it happen
(consequence), and
• Any other contributing factors.
A sample form found in Appendix 3 helps you organize
your information to provide these details.
Rarely is a hazard a simple case of one singular cause
resulting in one singular effect.

In my opinion, a traineer getting killed by an Orca (killer) whale is just a plain old hazzard of the job. Not much different than getting killed by your "pet" bull.

 

[peg4x4]

Question posed on "fuglyhorseoftheday",can a horse be truly insane--something compleatly wrong with the brain that nothing can fix.
There was an Arabian stallion at the Scottsdale show attacked his handler in the ring 3 times! Many excuses are being made for the horse.. Trainer is out of the hospital.
If you work with animals,you're gonna get hurt.
I'm so very sorry for the trainers family.

 

[cross_7]

Question posed on "fuglyhorseoftheday",can a horse be truly insane--something compleatly wrong with the brain that nothing can fix.
There was an Arabian stallion at the Scottsdale show attacked his handler in the ring 3 times! Many excuses are being made for the horse.. Trainer is out of the hospital.
If you work with animals,you're gonna get hurt.
I'm so very sorry for the trainers family.

i think there are good and bad animals, just like people.
some are better suited for domestication.
why didn't early man domesticate a zebra
it's basically a donkey

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I figure if you play with critter's beg enough to eat you sooner or later you are gonna get ate. Had a fellar around here that had lions and tigers a pair of black lepoards and a mountian lion. They was all his pets and wouldn't harm any one or any thing. One of the tigers got loose and ate the neighbors dog. I figure he would have ate most any thing else he could catch.

 

[larryshoat]

Anybody that's ever had to get a 1400 lb steer trained good enough for a 9 year old girl to lead it into a ring and show it without having trouble, would have known to get rid of the thing after it killed the first person. Just like the steer that jerks the rope out of the kids hand, sooner or later it will do it again. I mean, how many people does it have to kill before ya catch on?

Larry

 

[Calman]

Until people start realizing an animal will always be an animal and can never ever think like a human stuff like this will continue to happen.People just need to wake up.

Cal

 

[peg4x4]

Chimpanzes scare me silly,but people will keep them for pets! Then wren they kill/maim someone,they're sooo supprised!