Where Were The Harpoons: Shamu Show Resumes Amid Questions

The AP reported that today the Orlando Sea World resumed it's killer whale Shamu show, "Believe," less than three short days after the death of one of its most experienced trainers, Dawn Brancheau, who was killed by one of the whales after a dinner show, "Dining with Shamu."

As one who was present at a show over twenty years ago where a male orca became agressive with a female trainer at another park (now defunct) in Southern California, it surprised me that it was "business as usual," less than three short days after what was reported has occurred, and the history now of this particular killer whale, although he was not part of the performances.

I am no animal rights activist, but in the case of these killer whales and the manner in which they have been showcased and displayed by this and many other marine "zoos," is rather disturbing.

Especially after the tragedy of the several days ago.

At least for the short term, the trainers were not getting into the tanks and performing physically with the whales.

But who knows as this event recedes from the public consciousness when such stunts may resume.

It appears in order to draw in the crowds, bigger and better stunts are the marketing ploys, no matter that these animals have proved that they are quite unpredictable, and highly intelligent in their methods for expressing their displeasure at being made to perform for the masses and entertainment.

There is an educational focus somewhat of these shows, and wonder if the parks are also recipients of some of those government grant monies as an "educational" institution.

Maybe that would explain why there has been so little real regulation over these parks, and accountability for both their purchases, and training methods.

This whale was purchased from a park in Canada, and had been involved in another death of a trainer along with two other whales, and a female trainer also was drowned as a result. So "playful" was this whale and the two others, that her clothes were ripped from her body and she was naked when they eventually were able to recover the body.

And according to media reports, the sale to Sea World of this particular whale specified he would only be used as a stud, and not for performance purposes.

Sea World was sold to a Wall Street investment firm, Blackstone Group, last year by Annheuser Busch for over 2 billion dollars. The "Dining with Shamu" show was initiated in the 90's in order to bulk up revenues of this multi-billion dollar theme park, and just for the average family to visit this park is now over $300 conservatively estimated for a Sunday afternoon family outing, or vacation.

He has been described as the "alpha" male of this pod of whales at Orlando's Sea World, and according to the marine biologist we spoke with after the incident my family witnessed in the early 1980's where a male orca was aggressively pursuing his female trainer while in the water, he indicated that the males are much more aggressive by their very nature than the females as the "hunters" of the group.

The whale involved in the incident we witnessed actually actively prevented a male trainer who was attempting to distract and intervene in what was occuring from assisting and "rescuing" the female trainer.

I'm sure most of the trainers do know that there is an inherent safety risk in working with such animals, but in this instance, this animal had a prior history of aggression, yet was being asked to perform three or four shows a day on command.

In a tank that given his size and age, would seem that this accident and outcome was only a matter of time.

At this point, I can only assume that those that would get any enjoyment out of these shows would be those that thrive on "reality" television shows such as "Fear Factor," or own police radios and are the first on the scene at most auto accidents.

And asking those trainers to get back in the tank, or even working with these animals just two short days after the horrific death of one of their co-workers, seems that corporate greed knows no bounds.

I hope if such events continue and for their own protection, those trainers have access to a gun and harpoons, and not merely "noise buckets." Just where was OSHA? I mean with all the bank bailouts now for global corporations, and now this involving another "global" corporate entity, we do certainly have a problem with adequately regulating "commerce" in this country now that is impacting and affecting Americans more and more every day in both loss of homes, and their lives. Ms. Brancheau just might be alive today if simply one shot of a harpoon hit that whale, which would have truly been the distraction needed in order to potentially save her life.

Are the federal and state governments so greedy also for the sales and other taxes these global corporations bring, that it appears that the larger and more profitable some fo these global businesses are, the more "privileges and immunities" it appears they seem to receive at both the state and federal levels?

Since it appears that this little scenario went on for several minutes before the trainer's death by drowning, at least providing those trainers with guns and harpoons in any event would prevent another trainer's life being offered up for corporate profits