SeaWorld: We will not 'punish' whale, show must go on
SeaWorld president said they will not punish the orca that killed veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau on Wednesday.
The whale will not be subject to punishment in any form, Jim Atchinson, president of SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment said in a press conference on Friday. However, this is the third time that Tillikum has killed a human being.
Tillikum, the 12,000 pound killer whale that grabbed trainer Dawn Brancheau by her ponytail and thrashed her underwater, will continue to be involved in SeaWorld shows.
However, trainers will not be allowed in the water at the theme parks in Orlando, San Diego and San Antonio while they conduct their review.
Atchinson said SeaWorld had video of the attack, but would not describe details of the incident or wounds that Brancheau may have suffered.
He confirmed that Brancheau had been grabbed by her long ponytail, but would not say if her hair length or her interactions with the animal in the moments before her death violated park protocols.
SeaWorld trainer and curator Chuck Tompkins told WESH-Channel 2 that they are still investigating the cause of the accident.
We’re in the process of reviewing exactly what she did and how she handled herself in that environment, and we’re not done with that evaluation.
More on Sea World's Killer Whale:
Dawn Brancheau's ponytail caused whale's attack: SeaWorld curator
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