Sea World Tragedy: Ryan John

I recently heard a radio host talk about this story briefly and he said, “Geez, it’s his [Tilikum] third killing.  Put him down already!”    I have a lot of respect for this guy and I have to think he’s smarter than that comment. 
 
Those lives, although lost in tragedy, are the losses that SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment risk when their main investment is a 6 ton, alpha-orca.  As in any investment, there are risks are rewards.  The rewards-Even if Tilikum doesn’t perform anymore, he is responsible for 13 offspring, 10 of which are alive and remain in captivity surely to be bred and trained for show.  As a superstar, he is literally worth hundreds of millions to the corporation, so putting him down because he took three lives doesn’t make sense from a business standpoint. 
 
Plus, to no surprise, the audience is intrigued by Tilikum and interested to see how other killer whales will react in future shows.  It’s kind of like a crash in NASCAR.  If trainers are willing to work with Tilikum again or other killer whales so soon, than I say let them do so.  Of course it’s an occupational hazard, but I’m sure they love the thrill of the challenge and feel accomplished if/when they get the orca to perform cooperatively.
 
Now, should Tilikum and other animals be caged and on display for our own amusement?  That’s a whole other blogs worth if you ask me.  The fact is zoos, aquariums and aquatic shows like Sea World aren’t going anywhere.  Supporters say it’s educational fun and the animals are treated better than if they were in the wild.  Opponents say we’re inhibiting them from enjoying the natural environment they’re wired to live in.  Personally, I find them boring.  I’m way more interested in observing animals in their natural environments.  Watching a Discovery Channel documentary is way more fascinating than looking at a docile gorilla sitting there in a cage.  I want to see the food chain in action.  I want to see a pack of lions hunt down a pack of zebras, or a killer whale fight off a great white.  So, maybe we as a people will stop taking our kids to these kinds of boring shows and educate ourselves in a different fashion. If we’re not fortunate enough to visit a safari, television and the internet certainly make it possible to benefit from others first hand perspective.