March 7, 2010 – Veterinary Surgical Technicians sounds like it would be like surgical nurses but are vet techs better with a broad scope of experience or as specialists?

March 7, 2010 – As technology advances and gives us better options for training, how do they translate to read world application?

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People do stupid things around both captive wildlife and wild creatures in the natural environment.

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February 28, 2010 – Interesting question but why would you euthanize a wild predator for doing natural behavior? Plus, body disposal is a bigger issue.

February 28, 2010 – The big debate that will probably endure this incident is the ethical one over animals in captivity.

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Also, Sea World has always been close mouthed with a pretty good public relations department and corporate family that is very tight lipped.

Today’s press conference illustrated just how structured this corporate entity is.

When I had the opportunity to join that “family” I declined because it was not a good fit no matter how enticing the offer of working with orcas was.

My first intimate interactions with an orca was on the stage at Sea World San Diego in the early 1980s with other professional members of IMATA (International Marine Animal Training Association) and it was pretty awe inspiring.

I knew the orcas at Hanna Barbera’s Marineland but only through window and tank side interactions and on stage was a different matter.

It has also been at Sea World where I have watched orcas come onto the slidouts and stages after their trainers.

It wasn’t anything new, it is part of the job risk–and has been so since man has been working with wild animals so closely in captivity.

Why do these incidents occur with any wild animal?

Speculation as always…but bad cues, frustration, and other unknowns might be factors.

I always kept my hair short in my early career because I have seen animals grab people by the hair, by limbs and other appendages.

Both animals and trainers are individuals with likes and dislikes.

They have good days and bad days.

Sometimes they “go off” and you don’t know what triggered it.

Orcas are large predatory animals and so are inherently dangerous despite what the media or the general public wants to believe.

Training animals is also complex.

It is not just a science but an art.

You can have the best protocol but things happen.

Think of the neighbor’s dog that gets out and bites someone.

It happens–and it happens a lot.

Most companion animal incidents get dismissed but they are an animal with teeth and the propensity to do harm.

The difference is that they are bred for traits to get along with man and to be amiable.

Wild animals are wild and maybe they are trained but they not are “tame” in the sense people want to believe they are.

In the captive animal world, both management and training personnel have directives they are expected to follow.

I’ve been present when there have been issues within a collection.

We could “feel” it and later saw it being demonstrated through fights and edgy behavior.

Could we say what caused (or triggered) the behavior changes?

No.

In that situation (a large zoo) we were ordered to commence with the regular show despite our concerns.

We were not inside with the animals but did not want to escalate a situation we knew nothing about.

However, management ordered the show go on.

I have to say not all trainers agreed that there was underlying stress but those of us who had been training a long time were concerned.

So, we did see animals acting up and the orders issued were to get at least one animal to perform successfully.

There was nothing discernibly different about the animals or the environment but there was something wrong.

Anyway, my point is that in any given day things can go wrong.

Is it management’s fault? Is it the trainer’s fault? Does it really matter?

Today everyone is ranting and raving over whether or not the trainer broke the protocol or not.

Wow, the woman just died working with a large predator. Maybe she did or maybe she did not.

Ultimately the responsibility falls upon the owners of the animal but like many entities the blame might get passed on.

Okay, then there is the issue of freeing the animal.

Is everyone forgetting how quickly Keiko died and the issues around him?

Everyone wanted him to be free because they watched that movie and wanted to believe it was true.

Uh, hello? That isn’t the real world.

Sea World has successfully rehabilitated many stranded sea animals but would release be best for the animal?

There are groups of people who have experienced whales out at sea and animals in their natural habitats but a vast majority don’t have that opportunity and flock to captive environments.

It is a viewpoint that not everyone holds but one that everyone will argue.

We all are concerned about the orca and about the other trainers and those grieving the trainer’s death.

Good thing they are going to be out of the water. They need to be on their game when working with those large predators.

Now, I find it interesting that I know many retired trainers who are working for non-profits.

Non-profit corporations pay salaries, make money, but just are sanctioned as being better than standard corporations.

Are those corporations really any better or worse? Take a look at their facilities and the status of their collections.

Just sayin’ that before fingers start getting pointed you better do some digging and research.

Plus, any facility will tell you just how much it costs to maintain the health of their collections. It is lot.

I am not a particular fan of edu-tainment (as it is now called) but it does impact and influence the vast majority of people who visit such parks or facilities.

Back before I was born, all zoos and collections started as private menageries and it is only now, with education and affluence, that people are changing their viewpoints.

BUT I wonder just how many of them take actions to help the aberrant conditions of other animals such as those bred for food or those used in animal sports activities.

They are going to yell that this whale is “lashing out” because he is unhappy, etc., etc., because that is how they feel.

But what about those horses that stand in those tiny stalls most of their days?

Anyone making a stink about that?

What about a bull the gores the rider or a horse that bucks his ride?

Are those animals lashing out?

Just consider that rabbit trail…follow it if you dare open that can of worms.

Now, freedom means different things to different people.

I moved from a city to a rural area. It is a different life that needs different skills and many urban folks hate it.

I happen to love it.

Do I want to move to the bush and live in a tent?

No, but some people like it.

My point is that animals are not humans.

Animals have different cultures. Captivity and close relationships with people alter those animals.

I’m not making a judgment call, I am making an observation.

A person who studies orcas in the wild will have a different take on the species than those that work with orcas in captivity.

One will tell you more about the animal and its environment and affiliations while the other is going to tell you more about the individuality of the creature in his or her care.

Both will tell you about the species and the issues facing it.

Those who never have encountered one, or have only seen one from a distance, will tell you what they surmise from that view but not personal knowledge.

Makes a difference.

So, when you move an animal from one environment into another, change its culture, and change its sphere of relationships–is it the same animal?

Ponder that a while.

Next, you have to consider the facts.

First, this orca is considered the property of a large corporation.

Second, can a human habituated animals be successfully back reintegrated into the wild and a whale pod?

Once Keiko was released, nobody really gave a sh**, did they?

I mean, how much did you hear about that? Did you know he died?

Third, how do you definitively define whether or not an animal is happy or unhappy?

Questions you need to ask and questions that are not so easily answered.

Finally, I am still wondering if small proprietary airtanks and breathing hoses are used as part of the regular safety protocols for those doing water work?

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February 19, 2010

February 19, 2010 – A British Columbia ruling holds owners liable for their wolf-hybrid attack. Read for more on this issue and see the Wolf Dog Series at http://www.arkanimals.com for additional details surrounding these animals.

February 19, 2010

February 19, 2010 – This attack was kept under the radar. Captive chimps can be very aggressive. This incident boils down to human error once again.

February 19, 2010 – This is great news for early cancer detection–maybe for multiple species.

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Tilikum from the Orcas & their Trainers Group

The recent killer whale incident that cost the life of trainer, Dawn Brancheau is a tragedy.

Any time you work closely with a captive wild animal, or have a close encounter of the wild kind in nature, a human is at risk.

Granted, it is a calculated risk–but one that all animal trainers take.

To boil it down for you, death or dismemberment by an animal attack is actually an occupational hazard, something that most people tend to dismiss, push under the carpet, or conveniently forget.

I was traveling all day yesterday and was sad to hear about the incident but there are lots of incidents that happen every year and that we don’t hear about because most don’t result in the death of a trainer.

Now everyone is chiming in on this topic and here are a few of my comments.

First, I am so very sad–as I always am when someone loses their life working with animals. My best wishes and condolences go out to all those who knew or worked with Dawn Brancheau.

I’m also saddened at the people who jump to conclusions without examination of the incident.

Captive wildlife exists and they are exactly why people even care about whales and other wildlife.

I know, I was narrating whale watch trips and going to Marineland of the Pacific when whaling was still a common practice.

People thought they were fish and fishermen shot whales because they were competition for the human fishing industry.

Today the pendulum has swung in the other direction and people think they need to be set free.

Is captivity right or wrong?

I really don’t have an answer for you.

I’ve worked with captive wildlife so long that I do believe those close encounters make a difference but the captive conditions and practices of animal management vary greatly.

To those who say the killer whale was playing–what an irresponsible suggestion. The killer whale trainer was pulled into the tank by her pony tail but the reason for the action has not been identified.

Sometimes things just happen and you don’t know the trigger. Trainers discuss, analyze, and hypothesize but only the animal knows for sure.

Also, in response to the person that likened it to that behavior of playing with the seals?

That is predatory behavior, and make no mistake, it is aggressive.

If you have watched footage of previous attack incidents with other killer whale trainers, the orcas take those same actions and they don’t resemble play.

I’ve only witnessed two types of things happen when trainers or caretakers die.

The first is human error and the second is the intent to harm by the animal.

Maybe “intent” is the wrong word because predators (or any wild animals) just do what they do, unlike human intentions, it is part of their regular behavioral makeup or repertoire.

I’ve seen pissed off whales come onto the stage to threaten trainers before and we don’t know if Tilikum (aka Tilly) was agitated.

There is one thing I know for sure, someone is dead and the wild animal, a killer whale (Orcinus orca), was responsible.

Wild animals that are predators are good at it.

Should Tilly be killed, blamed?

No, definitely not.

The other definite here? He is one big predator. 12,000 pounds of muscle and grace in the water.

Should all the commentators blab this for ages about this? Lets hope not. I liked this commentary by Hal Boedeker.

Best to move on.

In the meantime, some professionals are stepping up and commenting. I think this excerpt from Karen Pryor’s Clicker Training website said it best:

Does this mean that we should not work with these animals in captivity? We believe that the great work from what we learn from these animals far outweighs the small risk. For decades, dolphins and whales in captivity have served as ambassadors for their species. Before oceanariums existed, there was little education or respect about these magnificent animals. Killer whales were used by the military for bombing practice. Dolphins were strictly viewed as competition by fisherman and treated as pests the same way that a farmer views a trespassing coyote. Without oceanariums, there would be no Marine Mammal Commission or worldwide protection regulations. We have made tremendous progress in our respect and understanding of animals, none of which could have happened if it had not been for Flipper and other animals in captivity.

My hope is that the professional animal training and management industry will do something useful with this incident to move the profession forward and to educate the general public.

You can read some of my previous killer whale attack, orca attack, and other killer whale commentaries on the Ark Animals website plus I’ve include a couple of other notable links:

• 2006 Orca Attack
• 2006 Killer Whale Attack
• Keiko of Free Willy
• Article about Keiko before his death.
• Frontline’s Whale of a Business discussed Tilly
• Perks of a killer whale trainer’s job
• Flagship species Orcinus orca

Diana L Guerrero has been working in wild and domestic animal training and management since the 1970s. Known as the Ark Lady, she is graduate of the exotic animal training and management program and holds certifications in captive breeding and conservation and endangered species and other animal specialties. She is contributing editor to Resources for Crisis Management in Zoos & Other Animal Care Facilities and wrote an animal behavior and training column for the zoo industry for ten years.

Last updated on 2-26-2010
Sea World corporate will issue a statement at 10am PST.

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February 19, 2010 – Another situation that could have been prevented with enough enforcement personnel and earlier action.

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February 11, 2010 – My favorite story this week has to be a project from the Center for Biological Diversity

February 11, 2010 – Pack of pit bulls results in multiple injuries, one child still on life support.

February 11, 2010 – Young child was attacked in his backyard. Video report online.

February 11, 2010 – News reports this as the third dog attack in a week.

February 11, 2010 – Amy Smoothey, head of the Shark Tracking Research Programme will study bull shark behavior in a study that will run for 10 years.

February 11, 2010 – This incomplete report raises questions as to the real nature of the dog attack.

February 11, 2010 – A new study will be done to determine elements surrounding shark attacks and look at how they might be decreased.

February 11, 2010 – I’ve been including some of the reports of dog attacks here just to highlight how common they are and that there is a need for increased enforcement of leash laws.

February 6, 2010 – Images from this dog attack show massive amounts of blood. Local news video report included.

February 6, 2010 – Dog attacks happen every day but many never get reported unless they seek professional treatment.

February 6, 2010 – Some breeds have been targeted for breed legislation but breeds are often misidentified. In cases where the animal is caught on camera it is still speculation and it is my hope that DNA markers will help conclusively identify animal attack trends in the future.

February 6, 2010 – Can aggressive dogs really be rehabilitated or are they ticking time bombs. Not every professional agrees, should you euthanize or manage behavior for life–and could this happen to you if you don’t manage it?

February 6, 2010 – CSI, “shark edition” will determine the identity of the species that attacked Stephen Schafer through forensic investigation of the bite pattern. Irresponsible reports suggest that it was a great white but experts believe that it was not.

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February 5, 2010 – In this post an attorney discusses his interpretation of the law and who is culpable.

February 5, 2010 – Dog attacks happen on a daily basis but breed legislation is not the issue–the issue is enforcement of current leash laws.

February 5, 2010 – Despite what people think, shark attacks occur regularly. Each year the results are tabulated in the Shark Attack Files.

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In the quest to “be one” or “connect with” an animal, people tend to do really stupid things.

A few get close to captive animals, while others climb into enclosures, and still others think that if they have a significant moment such as sustained eye contact, or interactions through feeding an animal, that all will be well in the world.

Nothing could be further from the truth.

The video below is disturbing & graphic footage of a tiger that tore off the arm of a spectator who was trying to get a photo. I don’t have all the details for you but the tiger is consuming his arm and he is still alive and waiting for help.

As a counter piece to that video. The next video shows what a big cat will do if he or she likes you.

You can hear the tiger “chuff” in greeting and then “wham!”

Consider it a badge of honor. LOL

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