Post by TillyxKy on Oct 30, 2010 21:51:27 GMT -7
Birthday: 1979 (estimated)
Birthplace: unknown
Current Age: 31 (estimated)
Tilikum means friend in Chinook.
Offspring: Kyuquot, Taku, Unna, Sumar*, Tuar, Tekoa, Nakai (AI), Kohana (AI), Ikaika, Skyla and Taima*'s 2007 calf.
Often misspelled 'Tillikum' or 'Tillicum'.
History of Tilikum...
In November 1983, Tilikum was captured from Iceland. Two other orcas were also captured along with him, Samoa and Nandu. He was around 4 years old at the time. The young male lived at Sædyrasafnid, Iceland for a year or so.
Tilikum's first park was Sealand of the Pacific. There, he met Haida II and Nootka IV. He was the least dominant of them all. On February 21, 1991, a trainer named Katie Byrne slipped and fell into a pool. All three adult orcas were in the pool. Tilikum grabbed Byrne's leg and brought her down to the bottom of the pool. Though the other trainers tried to save Byrne, Nootka and Haida had joined in and drowned Byrne. The cause of this is probably because the orcas were not used to having humans in the water (they did not do waterworks at Sealand) and they were only trying to play with Byrne. On December 24, 1991, Haida gave birth to the first of Tilikum's many offspring. The calf was a male. Nootka played the part as "Auntie" at his birth. The calf was named Kyuquot. The trainers didn't allow Tilikum to be with his son because they thought that he might hurt Kyuquot. Marine Land of the Pacific lost a lot of publicity after the accident and the park was closed. Tilikum and Nootka were sent to SeaWorld Florida on January 9, 1992, while Haida and Kyuquot were sent to SeaWorld Texas. Other than that, Tilikum has never been moved to another park. He will probably stay at the Florida park as a permanent resident. On the morning of July 6, 1999, trainers discovered a dead man in Tilikum's pool. The man probably hid in the park while it closed and then jumped into the pool with the bull orca. It was found that the man had gotten hypothermia from the frigid waters and drowned. Though he had a few minor scrapes, there was not sign that Tilikum had attacked the stranger. Still, they decided that Tilikum would not be used for waterworks. Of course, it's not because he is aggressive, just that maybe Tilikum doesn't know his own strength. Tilikum is never allowed to be with any of his calved because of his massive size and the only whale he is usually with is Taima.
On February 24, 2010, Tilikum pulled Senior Trainer, Dawn Brancheau around the Close-Up/Dine With Shamu pool by her ponytail. She died from drowning and injuries.
(Post new info and discuss below!)
Birthplace: unknown
Current Age: 31 (estimated)
Tilikum means friend in Chinook.
Offspring: Kyuquot, Taku, Unna, Sumar*, Tuar, Tekoa, Nakai (AI), Kohana (AI), Ikaika, Skyla and Taima*'s 2007 calf.
Often misspelled 'Tillikum' or 'Tillicum'.
History of Tilikum...
In November 1983, Tilikum was captured from Iceland. Two other orcas were also captured along with him, Samoa and Nandu. He was around 4 years old at the time. The young male lived at Sædyrasafnid, Iceland for a year or so.
Tilikum's first park was Sealand of the Pacific. There, he met Haida II and Nootka IV. He was the least dominant of them all. On February 21, 1991, a trainer named Katie Byrne slipped and fell into a pool. All three adult orcas were in the pool. Tilikum grabbed Byrne's leg and brought her down to the bottom of the pool. Though the other trainers tried to save Byrne, Nootka and Haida had joined in and drowned Byrne. The cause of this is probably because the orcas were not used to having humans in the water (they did not do waterworks at Sealand) and they were only trying to play with Byrne. On December 24, 1991, Haida gave birth to the first of Tilikum's many offspring. The calf was a male. Nootka played the part as "Auntie" at his birth. The calf was named Kyuquot. The trainers didn't allow Tilikum to be with his son because they thought that he might hurt Kyuquot. Marine Land of the Pacific lost a lot of publicity after the accident and the park was closed. Tilikum and Nootka were sent to SeaWorld Florida on January 9, 1992, while Haida and Kyuquot were sent to SeaWorld Texas. Other than that, Tilikum has never been moved to another park. He will probably stay at the Florida park as a permanent resident. On the morning of July 6, 1999, trainers discovered a dead man in Tilikum's pool. The man probably hid in the park while it closed and then jumped into the pool with the bull orca. It was found that the man had gotten hypothermia from the frigid waters and drowned. Though he had a few minor scrapes, there was not sign that Tilikum had attacked the stranger. Still, they decided that Tilikum would not be used for waterworks. Of course, it's not because he is aggressive, just that maybe Tilikum doesn't know his own strength. Tilikum is never allowed to be with any of his calved because of his massive size and the only whale he is usually with is Taima.
On February 24, 2010, Tilikum pulled Senior Trainer, Dawn Brancheau around the Close-Up/Dine With Shamu pool by her ponytail. She died from drowning and injuries.
(Post new info and discuss below!)