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Tilikum (c. December 1981 [1] – 6 January 2017), nicknamed Tilly, [2] was a captive male orca who spent most of his life at SeaWorld Orlando in Florida. He was captured in Iceland in 1983; about a year later, he was transferred to Sealand of the Pacific near Victoria, British Columbia , Canada. [ 3 ]
Tilikum (sometimes misspelled Tillikum) (born circa 1981, ... [160] with 21 offspring, 7 of which are still alive. When he was eight or nine years old, he impregnated ...
On February 24, 2010, toward the end of a "Dine with Shamu" show at SeaWorld Orlando, the orca "Tilikum" pulled down an experienced trainer. [14] [15] Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old with extensive training experience, drowned as at least two dozen tourists looked on from above a whale tank and from an underwater viewing area.
SeaWorld officials report that the infamous whale Tilikum, that dragged a trained underwater to her death in 2010, is in deteriorating health.
Tilikum, Nootka IV, and Haida II dragged and repeatedly submerged her until she drowned, despite other trainers' efforts to rescue her. The poor relations between the whales, unfamiliarity with trainers in the water, and the pregnancy of at least one of the females (Haida II) were cited as possible causes. [6] [7] [8] [9]
Tilikum lived at SeaWorld from 1992 until his death in 2017. [229] [230] In March 2016, SeaWorld announced that they would be ending their orca breeding program and their theatrical shows. [231] However, as of 2020, theatrical shows featuring orcas are still ongoing. [232]
Orkid at SeaWorld San Diego. Dozens of orcas (killer whales) are held in captivity for breeding or performance purposes. The practice of capturing and displaying orcas in exhibitions began in the 1960s, and they soon became popular attractions at public aquariums and aquatic theme parks due to their intelligence, trainability, striking appearance, playfulness, and sheer size.
Tilikum watches as SeaWorld Orlando trainers take a break during a training session. Blackfish was a groundbreaking 2013 documentary that, on the surface, was about the orca Tilikum who killed ...