Videos:
WESH 2 News (25,369 Subs, 37,508 Views):
-"Infamous orca" at SeaWorld
-Died of bacterial lung infection
-Involved in 3 deaths (mentioned Dawn by name)
-Excerpt from SeaWorld statement
CBS This Morning (133,374 Subs, 18,916 Views):
-"SeaWorld orca best known for killing a trainer and inspiring the documentary Blackfish."
"That highly publicized death of that trainer at SeaWorld changed the future of SeaWorld."
-Story begins with saying "for years the orca known at Tilikum was the star of the show," before cutting to Blackfish excerpt of Samantha Berg speculating Tilly was kept in isolation
-Story actually mentions Dawn by name
-Another Blackfish of John Jett saying "in the end, he basically mutilated that poor girl."
-Tilikum remained performing until 2 months ago. Shows have changed, trainers no longer allowed in the water
-"Just this week, SeaWorld said the theatrical shows will soon be replaced by an educational presentation in a more natural setting." (Incorrect, It was announced by SeaWorld in April 2016)
-Interview with SW VP Brian Morrow "Yes it'll still be in the same space, but the experience, and the subject matter, and the behaviors, and the things you'll see the whales doing, that's all changing.
-"Marine Mammal Scientist Naomi Rose says captive whales can face health challenges." "These animals are confined to such a small space and such artificial social groupings. That kind of stress makes it more difficult to fight of diseases." [Naomi Rose is a well known opponent of cetacean captivity, and works for HSUS, and organization that has works to end captivity. She is also, by no means a scientist. She is an activist, nothing more.)
-Tilikum succumbed to a rhespatory infection "despite receiving what they (SeaWorld) say was the best medical care possible." (Said in a unconvincing tone)
(Features clips of John Jett & Naomi Rose. Only 1 clip of SeaWorld VP Brian Morrow. Clear 2:1 ratio of anti-vs-pro POV)
SeaWorld (19,752 Subs, 46,929 Views):
-In memory of Tilikum
-Shows Tilly as he really was. Healthy, happy and loved
Inside Edition (732,118 Subs, 75,288 Views):
-"The killer whale that attacked a trainer at SeaWorld died today."
-Cause of death due to lung infection
-"In 2010, the world was shocked when Tilikum yanked ponytailed-trainer Dawn Brancheau under the water and killed her. The tragedy was the centerpiece of the investigative documentary Blackfish."
-Clip of WKMG TV anchor says "he's been sick for a while, and ultimately succumbed to the illness this morning."
"The documentary made the controversial argument that Tilikum's life in captivity drove him crazy. He was said to be responsible for a total of three human deaths, including Dawn and a young Canadian trainer who fell into a tank in 1992. (Was 1991).
-Skype interview with Jeffrey Ventre: "Keep in mind that Dawn was his third victim. He pulled all three of his victims in by an arm or a leg." (Tilly was only responsible for Dawn's death. Keltie Byrne fell into the pool and was not pulled in, and then was grabbed the two larger females. The second death was caused due to hypothermia. Tilly more than likely used Daniel Dukes' body as a toy, much as he did with Dawn, causing all the post-mortem injuries. Neither Keltie nor Daniel were pulled into the pool by TIlikum in any fashion. Dawn was pulled in by her ponytail)
-"Reaction to the documentary forced SeaWorld to end the killer whale program." (Wrong. The fact that SeaWorld's old CEO waited years before even acknowledging the existence of Blackfish ultimately lead to the decision made by current CEO Joel Manby to ending SeaWorld's breeding program. The killer whale program will exist for as long as there are still killer whales under SeaWorld's care.)
CBS News (308, 189 Subs, 43,939 Views):
-"The 36 year old whale had been blamed for the deaths of three people at the park, including a SeaWorld whale trainer in 2010. (TIlly was involved in two at SeaWorld. Keltie died at Sealand of the Pacific in 1991.)
PETA (234, 626 Subs, 17,362 Views):
-"Tilikum was bread 21 times and 11 died before him." (2 were stillborn and 1 died before it was given a name. Two of said deaths were calves that were conceived at Sealand of the Pacific, and therefore have nothing to do with SeaWorld.)
-"Tilly's life was tragic and full of pain" (Appeal to emotion and anthropomorphization)
-"Tilikum should be the last animal to die in misery at SeaWorld." (Tilikum died surrounded by those who loved him most. Trainers, veterinarians and his pod. There was no misery in his death, assuming animals can feel such a complex human emotion as misery at all)
-"SeaWorld should do the right thing...and rehabilitate and release (all their animals) into nature, or to coastal sanctuaries where they can spend the remainder of their lives in an as natural a setting as possible. Which, contrary to SeaWorld's claims is reasonable and achievable. (SeaWorld has never said that coastal sanctuaries are unreasonable or unachievable. However, SeaWorld has continually said that it would not be in the whales' best interests. Rather the best place for the animals to remain would be at their home at SeaWorld. This, for almost half of them, is the only home they’ve ever known.)
-The whole video has the same tone as the "sad neglected animal shelter" videos you see all the time. Strong appeal to emotion.
CNN (1,742,992 Subs, 7,727 Views):
-First part of video is largely regurgitating the same content as many of the other news sources.
-"SeaWorld has come under fire for it’s' treatment of killer whales since a 2013 CNN documentary. The film Blackfish gave a disturbing portrayal of the captivity of SeaWorld's whales. SeaWorld called the film 'false, misleading and emotionally manipulative.'" (CNN is making it look like its SeaWorld's word against theirs, and therein lies an obvious conflict of interests.)
The Dodo (24,138 Subs, 762 Views. *This video has over 10 million views on their Facebook page*):
-"Tilikum spent 33 years in a tank after being stolen from his family in the wild. He became famous after Blackfish exposed SeaWorld and spent his last years nearly alone." (This strongly implies it was SeaWorld who was the "evil empire that heartlessly ripped Tilikum from the screaming arms of his mother" or something. Very misleading and a strong appeal to emotion. Secondly, Tilikum was never kept alone, except in the last week of his life when he was confined to the medical pool due to his rapidly deteriorating health. He was kept with Taima before her death, and later with his grandson Trua and his daughter Malia.)
-"Because of him, people started to care about orcas in captivity and realize they deserve better." (While this is certainly an argument one could make, I believe the better argument is Blackfish was the catalyst. Tilikum was one of the main subjects of the movie, but people took the movie and ran with it. The movie is what made people "care" about cetacean captivity, not Tilikum.
Articles:
Washington Post/Associated Press
Tilikum, orca that killed trainer, dies at SeaWorld Orlando by Mike Schneider and Jennifer Kay
-"(Dawn) Brancheau was interacting with Tilikum before a live audience at SeaWorld Orlando when he pulled her from a platform by her arm and held her underwater. An autopsy report said Brancheau drowned but also suffered severe trauma, including multiple fractures." (There is little to no evidence that TIlikum grabbed Dawn by her arm. Several eye witnesses reported he grabbed her ponytail. The official tapes of the incident have never been released, but SeaWorld officials who have seen said tapes stand behind the claim that Tilikum grabbed her ponytail.)
-"'Tilikum has been sick, very sick, for so long, and after everything he’s had to endure, this is to me like he’s free,' said (John) Hargrove, who left SeaWorld in 2012 and was featured in the documentary Blackfish. 'He lived a tortured existence in captivity. I think all the whales do, but if you had to pinpoint one of them, hands down I would say Tilikum.'" (Another example of animal rights activists exploiting the death of an animal to push forward their agenda. Tilikum also received the highest standard of care, and in my informed opinion, lived the highest quality of life possible for a killer whale, as do all the animals under SeaWorld's care.)
-"'His story is a complicated one, but I also think he represented his species well,' said Grey Stafford, president of the International Marine Trainers’ Association. He’s also a former SeaWorld employee, though he never worked with Tilikum."
-"'In retrospect, there are a lot positives to say.' SeaWorld President and CEO Joel Manby said, 'Tilikum had, and will continue to have, a special place in the hearts of the SeaWorld family, as well as the millions of people all over the world that he inspired.'
-"According to National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration figures , male killer whales in the wild typically live about 30 years and females typically live about 50 years. Institutions displaying marine mammals and their critics disagree over whether orcas’ life expectancy in captivity differs from their life span in the wild." (Orca life spans have been a hotly disputed topic since the release of Blackfish. It has even been mentioned in some of these articles and videos. This should settle any dispute, but still the arguments rage on.)
-"He was born off the waters of Iceland and brought to Sealand of the Pacific in Canada after being captured. While at Sealand in 1991, Tilikum and two female orcas were responsible for the death of a part-time trainer who fell into their pool and was submerged by them." (The proper telling of the events involved with the death of Keltie Byrne. Another topic where the exact details are not well known, and often are used to push agendas.)
CNN
Killer whale at center of 'Blackfish' dies by Ray Sanchez
-Tilikum, the killer whale involved in the deaths of three people, including SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010, has died, SeaWorld reported Friday. Tilikum was at the center of the 2013 CNN documentary "Blackfish." (Here we are again with CNN's conflict of interests on the subject.)
-The film gave a disturbing portrayal of the captivity of the killer whales in SeaWorld (The film partially produced by and first aired on, you guessed it, CNN.)
-In a Twitter post on Friday, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals shared a photo of the whale with the message: "R.I.P. Tilikum Dead after three decades of misery." (This is a perfect example of how animal rights activists have used Tilly's death to push their agenda. They won't just let the SeaWorld community grieve. They use him as their martyr.)
-Tilikum became a part of SeaWorld 25 years ago, according to the company. The whale was near the high end of the average life expectancy for male killer whales according to an independent scientific review. (This statement is 100% factual. However, it is a blatant contradiction from what Blackfish, the movie partially produced by CNN, would have you believe.)
-"(Dawn Brancheau) was recovered by SeaWorld staff members after Tilikum was coaxed into a smaller pool and lifted out of the water by a large platform on the bottom of the smaller tank, authorities said...In 1999, Tilikum was also blamed for the death of a 27-year-old man whose body was found floating in a tank at SeaWorld, the apparent victim of a whale's "horseplay," authorities said then. The sheriff's office said the man apparently hid in the park until after it closed, then climbed into the tank." (This statement is consistent with the theory that Tilikum used the bodies of Dawn Brancheau and Daniel Dukes as toys. Tilikum has also repeatedly been observed as being rather aggressive and possessive of his toys, and sometimes unwilling to release.)
Orlando Sentinel:
Tilikum, the infamous SeaWorld killer whale, has died by Sandra Pedicini
-"Tilikum "was a phenomenal ambassador" for wildlife, said Brian Ogle, an anthrozoologist at Beacon College in Leesburg. "Because of him, people are very well-connected to orcas. He created awe and inspired them." At the same time, Ogle said, "because of his size and behavior, he definitely sparked that conversation of, 'Is this appropriate?'"
-"Tilikum lived longer than almost any other captive male orca has, but his life was one of deprivation and difficulty," Animal Welfare Institute marine mammal scientist Naomi Rose said in a news release. "It is long since time for SeaWorld to begin serious consideration of retiring all of its orcas to seaside sanctuaries. Forcing these large, intelligent, socially complex animals to live out their sometimes decades-long lives in barren concrete tanks must end." (Here again we see Naomi Rose being called a scientist. Rose, has on more than one occasion, been called out by her peers in scientific journals discrediting her biased “findings.”)
-"Because of his size — nearly 6 tons — and his dangerous reputation, SeaWorld took precautions with him. Trainers could not swim with him as they often did with the theme park's other orcas. About a dozen handlers were trained to work with him from pools' edges. SeaWorld often kept him separate from the other whales." (Tilikum, as I've stated many times before, was never kept alone.)
General Conclusions:
-Most of the articles only push forward an agenda. More often than not, the agenda pushes forward the anti-captivity, anti-SeaWorld message.
-In several cases, Tilly's death is used as an excuse to talk about changes to SeaWorld, such as the end of the breeding program, the end of theatrical shows, etc.
-Some details were left out of sections to reduce the amount of repetition.
Note: Due to having to print in black & white, the italicized words are misinformation, since red color lettering would not print.
Green lettering also would not print in color, so my notes are in parenthesis or brackets
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