SeaWorld Orca Snack Attack

A Killer Whale in Orlando’s Seaworld killed its trainer today. The cause is as yet unclear to Seaworld, but I’ll hazard a guess that the animal is a KILLER. Dude, its in the title of the animal! Even the beloved Shamu was known to attempt a murder or two as documented by one of my favorite TV shows, MaxX.

From the Sentinel here:

A veteran animal trainer whose dream was to work at SeaWorld’s Shamu Stadium was killed Wednesday when one of the show’s killer whales dragged her underwater and she drowned.

SeaWorld said Dawn Brancheau, 40, was pulled into the 12,000-pound whale’s tank about 2 p.m.

Witnesses told the Orlando Sentinel that Tilikum, the largest whale at the theme park, 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.

Brazilian tourist João Lúcio da Costa Sobrinho, 28, and his girlfriend, Talita Oliveira, 20, watched the attack from an underwater viewing area where they had gone to take photos.

Suddenly, they saw a woman in the whale’s jaws, her face bloody. The whale circled round and round, turning her over and over, they said.

“It was terrible,” Sobrinho said. “It’s very difficult to see the image.”

Witnesses who watched the attack while eating at the “Dine with Shamu” show told the Sentinel a female trainer was petting a whale when it grabbed her and plunged into the water. It reappeared on the other side of the tank and leapt up holding the woman, they said.

And the whale shouted “Taa DAAA!!!”

My wife had the best comment about this story. She said “The Orca is the Pit Bull of the Cetacean world. Everyone thinks they are all cute and cuddly but they are vicious at heart.”