• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
What happened to Seaworld's Tilikum after it was involved in three deaths including trainer

Home> News

Published 20:31 11 Dec 2023 GMT

What happened to Seaworld's Tilikum after it was involved in three deaths including trainer

The captive orca was heavily featured in the 2013 documentary Blackfish

Jess Battison

Jess Battison

Back in 2010, orca Tilikum took his final victim in a fatal attack at SeaWorld Orlando, Florida.

The captive whale was a star attraction at the theme park and marine zoo, performing alongside experienced animal trainer, Dawn Brancheau.

However, on 24 February, Tilikum latched onto her ponytail and dragged her into the water.

Brancheau was rubbing the killer whale’s head at the end of their popular routine as he snatched her and began thrashing her around the pool.

Watching on, horrified guests were ushered away by SeaWorld staff as the orca kept a tight grip on his trainer for about 45 minutes.

Advert

When her body was eventually retrieved from the water, an autopsy later showed she had died by drowning and blunt force trauma.

It was also determined the 40-year-old suffered fractures to her jawbone, ribs and a cervical vertebra.

While 22ft long Tilikum had Brancheau between his jaws, it’s reported he severed her spinal cord, scalped her and tore off an arm.

There have only ever been four human deaths due to interactions with captive orcas as of 2023 – with this particular one reportedly responsible for three of them.

The last image of Dawn was taken moments before her horror death.
X/@fasc1nate

Advert

In 1991, Canadian student and animal trainer, Keltie Lee Byrne, fell into the whale pool at Sealand of the Pacific and was then dragged under by Tilikum and two other orcas.

Her death was ruled as an accident and the orcas were later sold to SeaWorld.

In 1999, it’s reported that Daniel Dukes trespassed into the Florida theme park.

SeaWorld maintains that he climbed into Tilikum’s pool and drowned although his corpse was found ‘severely mutilated’ by the whale.

His death was ruled an accidental drowning.

Advert

Having taken several victims and being a main attraction at the park, the orca was heavily featured in the 2013 documentary, Blackfish.

Tilikum returned to performing just over a year later.
Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

The film accused SeaWorld of horrific treatment of its killer whales and claimed orcas in captivity suffer psychological damage, becoming unnaturally aggressive.

After the death of Brancheau, Tilikum returned to performing just over a year later in March 2011, with high-pressure water hoses reportedly used to massage him instead of hands.

Remaining at SeaWorld, the orca was announced to be deteriorating in health in March 2016.

Advert

He died in early 2017 after numerous health issues, including a persistent bacterial lung infection.

While close contact between orcas and trainers became restricted, Tilikum continued performing after killing Brancheau.

But nowadays, the Shamu shows (the performing orcas) is reportedly virtually non-existent in SeaWorld parks. Rest in peace, big fella.

LADbible previously contacted SeaWorld for comment.

Featured Image Credit: Youtube/WESH 2 News/Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

Topics: Animals, US News

Jess Battison
Jess Battison

Jess is a Senior Journalist with a love of all things pop culture. Her main interests include asking everyone in the office what they're having for tea, waiting for a new series of The Traitors and losing her voice at a Beyoncé concert. She graduated with a first in Journalism from City, University of London in 2021.

X

@jessbattison_

Advert

Advert

Advert

Choose your content:

7 hours ago
8 hours ago
  • 7 hours ago

    Mysterious bright green pigeon spotted in UK town has experts 'sounding the alarm'

    The bird has been attracting visitors from all over the country

    News
  • 7 hours ago

    Distressing new bodycam footage shows police woman with bloodied face after Manchester Airport brawl

    Pc Lydia Ward suffered a broken nose following the incident at the Terminal 2 car park pay station area on 23 July, 2024

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Scientists dropped a cow carcass into the sea and it got some very unexpected visitors

    The visitors were reminiscent of a certain Finding Nemo character

    News
  • 8 hours ago

    Doomsday prepper hoarding for WW3 shares everything on his list incase of global disaster

    Shahzad Kayani has stockpiled loads of essentials so that he is ready for anything

    News
  • Terrifying simulation shows what happened to man that was swallowed alive by a whale
  • What happened to animals 'left in abandoned zoo' as man left in shock at what he discovered while exploring it
  • Elon Musk urges release of Epstein files weeks after accusing Trump of being involved in fiery X rant
  • Chilling image shows final moment before orca found with dead SeaWorld trainer in its mouth