Well here’s some interesting news from SeaWorld. It seems as though they are going to very slowly start putting trainers back into the pools with the killer whales.
As most people know, SeaWorld has not allowed any of the Orca whale trainers into the water with any of the whales since SeaWorld Orlando trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed by a 6-ton orca named Tilikum on Feb. 24, 2010.
But now they say they are going to very slowly start some water works with trainers in the water with the whales. At first it will be just restricted to small medical pools equipped with false-bottom floors that can be lifted out of the water.
They also are going to spend millions of dollars outfitting their bigger whale pools with special fast rising floors that will lift the whales out of the water in case of an emergency with a whale and trainer.
SeaWorld spokesmen have also said they are training the whales a different way, using a type of “water desensitization training.” With this the whales are trained to ignore distractions, such as a trainer getting into the water.
They have not said when, or even if, trainers will once again be in the water with the killer whales doing shows. For now they are designing this years Shamu shows with just the whales in the water.
So it will be interesting to see how much SeaWorld lets the trainers interact with the Orcas and how much they will be in the water with the whales. I don’t think they will allow any trainers in the water with the whales during the shows this year.
However it’s clear that they want to once again use the trainers with the whales in the shows, which is a highlight of the Shamu show as trainers come blasting out of the water on the back or nose of a killer whale.
For now they will just let the trainers in the water with them in small medical pools. Time will tell if we once again see trainers interacting with the whales in the water during the whale shows.