Tilikum

Besides Keiko, the next famous orca is Tilikum. Tilikum has been in the eye of the news media for several years now. Tilikum is still living at Sea World Orlando. He is the largest orca living in captivity. Just like Keiko, Tilikum has a collapsed dorsal fin. Not many orcas have the collapsed dorsal fin in the wild but lately there have been plenty in captivity. Tilikum is mainly focused in the documentary, Blackfish, but I will talk about that in another post. Tilikum has been involved with 3 deaths during his captivity. Although he has been involved with the deaths, Sea World will not return him to the wild.

Tilikum with 2 other female orcas performing at Sea Land.

A former trainer at Siylend Pacific province of British Columbia, Canada, Colin Baird, used to train Tilikum and that "he was very easy to work with." The accident when another trainer, Keltie Byrne, slipped and fell into the tank and the 3 orcas kept her from reaching the surface. Baird says it was and accident and that it was not the orcas fault. Baird does not blame Tilikum for the deaths. Baird understood how Tilikum was and would leave him alone if he had to.

"They have personalities, for the lack of a better word, individual personalities, and they have good days and bad days just as we do," Baird said. "There were some days, Tilikum would have a certain look in his eye -- then I would just say, 'Nope, not getting in the water with him today.' "

Colin Baird with Tilikum during his time at Sea Land.

Baird moved on to Keiko and helping him return to the wild. Baird grew attached to Keiko and took it hard when he learned of Keiko's passing. Keiko was the last orca that Baird trained. The news of Tilikum would continue with the next 2 deaths at Sea World. Baird worries for Tilikum everday and wonders what will happen to him.

 "I felt badly for Tilikum, and wondered what his coming days were going be like in terms of, was he going to be secluded off to some pool just used for stud?" Baird said. 

Sea World was interviewed about how they are keeping things straight. The interview makes it sound like Sea World is perfect and things are improving. Others say that Sea World is keeping Tilikum just for breeding. I would have to believe that as well. Since the death of Sea World trainer, Dawn Brancheau, Sea World only uses Tilikum at the end of the show. He is not trained by any other trainer.

Dawn Brancheau and Tilikum before her death at Sea World.

Tilikum is a great animal just like any other orca and they need to be returned back to the sea. As far as I know, there should not be anything wrong with Tilikum and Sea World says that they are there to rehabilitate and help sea animals, but obviously they like the orcas too much to let them go.