captive orca profiles 41 Tilikum

TILIKUM SW - Tilikum (sometimes misspelled Tillikum) is a bull orca who lives at SeaWorld Orlando. He has been involved in three human deaths and is a prolific sire. He was captured near Iceland in November 1983 at about two years of age. Tilikum measures 22.5 feet (6.9 m) long and weighs 12,000 pounds (5,400 kg). His pectoral fins are 7 feet (2.1 m) long, his flukes curl under, and his 6.5 feet (2.0 m)-tall dorsal fin is collapsed completely to his left side. He is the largest orca in captivity. In the Chinook Jargon of the Northwest, the name means "friends, relations, tribe, nation, common people." Tilikum was first sent to live at Sealand of the Pacific near Victoria, British Columbia. While living in British Columbia, Tilikum sired his first calf when he was about eight or nine years old. His first son, Kyuquot was born to Haida II on December 24, 1991. Just a few months prior to the birth of Kyuquot, Tilikum was involved in an incident which resulted in the death of a female trainer. Because of his huge size, Seaworld requested an emergency transfer to their facility. Tilikum was moved to his current location at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida on January 9, 1992. Sealand of the Pacific closed soon thereafter. Tilikum was at the scene of a death on July 6, 1999. A 27-year-old male intruder was found floating naked in Tilikum’s pool, with the coroner's official report stating he had died from a combination of hypothermia and drowning, though that is highly sceptical and the autopsy report says differently. Investigators determined that the man had been bitten by Tilikum either before or after death, the autopsy shows both. The man's body had been badly mutilated, and his genitals were completely bitten off. On February 24, 2010 Tilikum was involved in a third incident, when he killed a 40-year-old experienced trainer. The trainer was drowned following a popular Dine with Shamu show as at least two dozen tourists looked on from above a whale tank and from an underwater viewing area. Employees used nets and threw food at the whale in an attempt to distract him but one worker said it only made the animal more agitated. Moving from pool to pool in the complex, they eventually captured Tilikum and released Ms Brancheau's body. A SeaWorld executive confirmed what witnesses saw, that the trainer was pulled into the water by Tilikum. At present, Tilikum has returned to performing; just in time for the parks new killer whale show "One Ocean". Contrary to numerous claims that he is kept alone and separated from the remaining whales, he has in fact been spending some time with his grandson Trua on numerous occasions, and can often be seen performing alongside of him during the show finales. Tilikum is kept separate from Katina and Kayla because they have been known to rake him. 1991/02/20 Sealand of the Pacific, Canada Haida 2, Nootka 4, Tilikum Trainer Keltie Byrne, 20, slipped into the whale pool and was carried into the middle by 11-year-old female Haida 2, and repeatedly submerged as the other two orcas, 11-year-old female Nootka 4 and 10-year-old male Tilikum, joined in. After futile attempts of rescue, Byrne drowned. 1999/07/05 Sea World Florida, USA Tilikum A dead man’s naked body was found at SeaWorld Florida in Orlando, scratched, bruised and draped over 18-year-old male Tilikum, the largest killer whale in captivity. The 27-year-old, later identified as a man with a history of mental illness, apparently made his way past security at SeaWorld, remaining in the park after it had closed. Wearing only his underwear, the man either jumped, fell or was pulled into Tilikum’s huge tank. A medical examiner concluded the man suffered hypothermia and drowned. 2010/02/24 Sea World Florida, USA Tilikum A veteran animal trainer whose dream was to work at SeaWorld Florida was killed Wednesday when one of the show’s killer whales dragged her underwater. SeaWorld said that 29-year-old male Tilikum pulled Dawn Brancheau, 40, into the orca’s tank about 2pm. Witnesses told that the animal suddenly grabbed Brancheau by the upper arm, tossed her around in his mouth and pulled her beneath the water as dozens of tourists looked on in horror. Most people are aware of the reasons behind Tilikum being as he is due to the successful release of Blackfish.

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