Media Hysteria Maligns Misunderstood "Killer" Whale

There is no getting around the tragedy of what occurred at SeaWorld Orlando on Feb. 22, when veteran trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed in an incident that involved one of her charges, a bull Orca named Tillikum. What seems to be escaping the vast majority of media outlets are not the facts of what transpired that day, but the facts about the captive animal itself. Because Tillikum had been involved in two other human deaths, the media is all to eager to portray him as some serial killer cetacean, using sensationalistic phrases such as "rap sheet" and 'history of violence" in their screaming headlines. Several outlets have gone so far as to strongly hint that what took place was the premeditated act of a calculating killer.

Nightline's Cynthia McFadden described the incident which unfolded in front of two dozen horrified tourists as the, "latest example of a wild animal lashing out with deadly consequences." She then paused for dramatic effect before adding, "and tonight we know, it's not the first time Tili has killed." Her subsequent video segment included clips from Orca, the 1977 Bo Derek Jaws knockoff about a crazed killer whale bent on vengeance.

But before we grab our torches and pitchforks and join the rest of the villagers on their march to SeaWorld it should be first pointed out that though killer whales are regarded as "apex predators" —  meaning that they have no natural predators  — wild killer whales are not considered a threat to humans. In fact, there is not a single recorded instance of a wild killer whale being involved in a human fatality. With 40 Orcas (which are actually not whales, but the largest species of the dolphin family) currently in captivity around the world, and the inherent dangers of working in such close proximity to wild animals, the rate of incidence could be considered remarkably low.

For an in-depth discussion, visit our friends at Scientific American.

Photo by milan.boers via Flickr.