This article is presented for your information only. I thought it was quite interesting…considering Sea World is continuing to use Tilica in its shows. I do not know exactly how I feel about this. Was the animal only doing what a killer whale does? Is it the fault of Sea World for expecting wild animals to behave according to learned behaviors in human situations? Sea World has said that the whale would die if released back into the ocean, as it has none of the hunting and feeding experiences that whales in the sea learn from birth. They also say that he is very useful for breeding.

Here is the article:

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Sea World Killer Whale Must Die, Bible Insists

By Lester Haines ?Ģ

Posted in Bootnotes, 4th March 2010 11:21 GMT

The revelation that Tilikum – the killer whale which last week lived up to its species’ name by killing SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau – had killed before, prompted much debate as to whether the tragedy could have been avoided.

In 1991, Tilikum was involved in the death of Keltie Byrne at an aquarium in Victoria, British Columbia. After his transfer to SeaWorld, he was implicated in another death – that of a man who’d “apparently sneaked into SeaWorld after hours to swim with the whales” and was “found draped dead across his back”, as the Orlando Sentinal puts it.

Well, two lives could have been saved “if the counsel of the Judeo-Christian tradition had been followed” back in 1991, according to this insight into Biblical provision for dealing with murderous animals.

Bryan Fischer of the American Family Association notes: “Says the ancient civil code of Israel, ‘When an ox gores a man or woman to death, the ox shall be stoned, and its flesh shall not be eaten, but the owner shall not be liable.’ (Exodus 21:28)”

You ignore this at your peril, because if your ox kills again, then “‘the ox shall be stoned, and its owner also shall be put to death.’ (Exodus 21:29)”

Mercifully, not even Fischer wants SeaWorld management executed for Tilikum’s multiple murders, and in a suitably modern American-style take on the Judeo-Christian tradition suggests that “if I were the family of Dawn Brancheau, I’d sue the pants off SeaWorld”.

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I think that my opinion would be to continue to care for the whale and use him for breeding, but refrain from using him in any shows . I do think Sea World has a responsibility to care for the whale…but, for me, 3 strikes-you’re out. He should not be used in shows. What do you think?