Tilikum, the notorious killer whale and star of the documentary film Blackfish, is having some bad days.
Tilikum's health has been deteriorating due to an incurable bacterial infection in his lungs. The orca's illness was announced by SeaWorld in early March.
#SeaWorld update on #Tilikum's health https://t.co/jtc7Zr1MzD #Blackfish pic.twitter.com/nXCcZmUqSH— Marine Connection (@MC_org) April 19, 2016
— Marine Connection (@MC_org) April 19, 2016
Tilikum is 22 feet long, weighs around 12,000 pounds, and is estimated to be about 35 years old, which, SeaWorld claims, "is near the high end of the average life expectancy for male killer whales."
However, according to the Center For Whale Research, the lifespan of a killer whale depends upon its lifestyle.
"Male orcas in the wild live 29 years on average, with a maximum of 50–60 years."A captive orca's lifespan is typically much shorter, often by 25 years or more."
"A captive orca's lifespan is typically much shorter, often by 25 years or more."
"As we've noted from the onset, Tilikum has some good days and some not so good days. He recently had a few of the not so good days in succession. Over the weekend and today his appetite improved a good deal, and we are encouraged by his increased engagement with trainers."
Trainer John Hargrove, who worked with orcas at SeaWorld for 12 years, told National Geographic that the announcement likely means Tilikum's days are nearing an end.
"Historically, we never put out that kind of stuff unless we were pretty sure they are going to die."
Despite the fact that the orca violently killed his trainer and two other people, the general public seems to feel an almost unanimous combination of sympathy and affection for him. As Tim Zimmerman, producer for the movie Blackfish, explained, "Tilikum so touched our empathy that few in the public, and few on the staff at SeaWorld, could direct anger and blame at him for the death of Brancheau, a gloriously charismatic and well-liked trainer.
"It was as if everyone understood deep down that it was Tilikum's circumstances, not Tilikum himself, that killed Brancheau."John Hargrove, who was a senior trainer at SeaWorld Texas when Brancheau died, says that most trainers, including some of Brancheau's closest friends, did everything they could to care for Tilikum after the incident: 'We did feel sorry for Tilikum, because we knew his life would be drastically changed forever. That he would become more isolated, with less contact and connection. We wanted him to be treated with dignity and respect on a daily basis, and not as a monster.'"
"John Hargrove, who was a senior trainer at SeaWorld Texas when Brancheau died, says that most trainers, including some of Brancheau's closest friends, did everything they could to care for Tilikum after the incident: 'We did feel sorry for Tilikum, because we knew his life would be drastically changed forever. That he would become more isolated, with less contact and connection. We wanted him to be treated with dignity and respect on a daily basis, and not as a monster.'"
"Tilikum's life was the subject of Blackfish, but when I began the film, I was terrified of him. I had nightmares about him. It was only when I learned about his capture, his life in captivity, that I began to understand the depth of this tragedy on so many levels."
