Tilikum the Orca: Like a Doberman or Not?

Remember Tilikum from Seaworld? He was/is a captive orca that had developed some behavioural problems (who can blame him). Cnn ran a special on him years ago called Blackfish. I highly recommend watching it. A particular story about him disturbed me the most: A homeless person had broken into his pool and when he was found the next morning, the man had been stripped and his genitals chewed off. I always thought the reason he did that was because Tilly's sperm was being harvested, and his handlers, people he trusted, were responsible for making him have these conflicted feelings. I'm sure I'm anthropomorphising, but this brings me to my post. Kaiser chews the ears off all his toys Logically I know the ears are an easy spot to grab, but I can't help but remember Tilly each time. Do your dogs do this too?

This bunny used to have huge ears.

This giraffe had small ears.

This squirrel had some ears too.

LOL, they will chew off any floppy parts first since they're the easiest to get off. I just don't give our dogs stuffies anymore because they just don't last.

Kaiser2016 said:

Remember Tilikum from Seaworld? He was/is a captive orca that had developed some behavioural problems (who can blame him). Cnn ran a special on him years ago called Blackfish. I highly recommend watching it. A particular story about him disturbed me the most: A homeless person had broken into his pool and when he was found the next morning, the man had been stripped and his genitals chewed off. I always thought the reason he did that was because Tilly's sperm was being harvested, and his handlers, people he trusted, were responsible for making him have these conflicted feelings. I'm sure I'm anthropomorphising, but this brings me to my post. Kaiser chews the ears off all his toys Logically I know the ears are an easy spot to grab, but I can't help but remember Tilly each time. Do your dogs do this too?

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IIRC, Tilikum was the Orca that killed three different people, including one of his Seaworld Orlando Trainers. I remember when that happened. Probably one of the driving forces as to why all the Seaworld locations have curtailed the Orca show programs.

No, I haven't encountered a dog that just sheers off the ears. Although it would seem intuitive for it to do so, as that's the easiest access point to bite off. Just as I believe Tillikum's attack of the drunk man was, again, the "easiest access point" and the "softest tissue" to attack... (no jokes please....)

DD4MSpock said:

IIRC, Tilikum was the Orca that killed three different people, including one of his Seaworld Orlando Trainers. I remember when that happened. Probably one of the driving forces as to why all the Seaworld locations have curtailed the Orca show programs.

No, I haven't encountered a dog that just sheers off the ears. Although it would seem intuitive for it to do so, as that's the easiest access point to bite off. Just as I believe Tillikum's attack of the drunk man was, again, the "easiest access point" and the "softest tissue" to attack... (no jokes please....)

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Haha. That makes sense. You're right, he did kill people, not just the homeless man. I feel they are not treated well enough for the amount of money they bring in, so poor Tilly wasn't left with many options.

It always strikes me odd when I hear about this whale and people describing him as having behavioral issues because he killed a few people.

He's an Orka!
The species of whale nicknamed "Killer Whale"
Hello?


A killer whale killed someone?
Shocking.

Next you'll tell me a song bird sang.

DD4MSpock said:

IIRC, Tilikum was the Orca that killed three different people, including one of his Seaworld Orlando Trainers. I remember when that happened. Probably one of the driving forces as to why all the Seaworld locations have curtailed the Orca show programs.

No, I haven't encountered a dog that just sheers off the ears. Although it would seem intuitive for it to do so, as that's the easiest access point to bite off. Just as I believe Tillikum's attack of the drunk man was, again, the "easiest access point" and the "softest tissue" to attack... (no jokes please....)

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The orca Tilikum died this year I believe.

Gelcoater said:

It always strikes me odd when I hear about this whale and people describing him as having behavioral issues because he killed a few people.

He's an Orka!
The species of whale nicknamed "Killer Whale"
Hello?


A killer whale killed someone?
Shocking.

Next you'll tell me a song bird sang.

Click to expand...

I think it's because of their voracious appetite for killing seals. It's a total blood bath.

Gelcoater said:

It always strikes me odd when I hear about this whale and people describing him as having behavioral issues because he killed a few people.

He's an Orka!
The species of whale nicknamed "Killer Whale"
Hello?


A killer whale killed someone?
Shocking.

Next you'll tell me a song bird sang.

Click to expand...

Actually, orcas are technically, the largest species in the "Delphindae" family, or "Dolphins..." They are all cetaceans, of course (within the odontocetes parvorder) but they branch off into the dolphin family, whereas there are other more "whale like" odontocetes like the "sperm whale" (as opposed to mysticetes or baleen whales). They behave more like other dolphins, travel in pods, hunt in teams like dolphins, etc. etc.

Tropicalbri's said:

The orca Tilikum died this year I believe.

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Yes, January 6th of this year, due to a bacterial infection.

Tropicalbri's said:

I think it's because of their voracious appetite for killing seals. It's a total blood bath.

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And smaller whales (calves)....

JanS said:

LOL, they will chew off any floppy parts first since they're the easiest to get off. I just don't give our dogs stuffies anymore because they just don't last.

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They're so cute with the stuffies, and once these are done, I just won't buy anymore. Well, I always say that, but then I go to Costco and the price always looks so good

Gelcoater said:

It always strikes me odd when I hear about this whale and people describing him as having behavioral issues because he killed a few people.

He's an Orka!
The species of whale nicknamed "Killer Whale"
Hello?


A killer whale killed someone?
Shocking.

Next you'll tell me a song bird sang.

Click to expand...

If he was going about his killing business in the ocean it wouldn't make the news but humans made him crazy. Humans make each other crazy, what's a whale to do? I still can't blame him. At least he is at peace now.

Well... Java had her first raw bunny head this weekend. She chewed the ears off first.

Rits said:

Well... Java had her first raw bunny head this weekend. She chewed the ears off first.

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What!!! No way!! Tell us more!

DD4MSpock said:

Actually, orcas are technically, the largest species in the "Delphindae" family, or "Dolphins..." They are all cetaceans, of course (within the odontocetes parvorder) but they branch off into the dolphin family, whereas there are other more "whale like" odontocetes like the "sperm whale" (as opposed to mysticetes or baleen whales). They behave more like other dolphins, travel in pods, hunt in teams like dolphins, etc. etc.

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They may be a dolphin by definition, but they didn't earn the nickname just because.

Kaiser2016 said:

If he was going about his killing business in the ocean it wouldn't make the news but humans made him crazy. Humans make each other crazy, what's a whale to do? I still can't blame him. At least he is at peace now.

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The AR wackos want Sea World to release the poor Orkas from captivity.
I say do it
And implant them with trackers and assign a film crew to follow them.

Imagine the horror of the AR nuts when these whales..er, Orkas, do what they do.
Hunt, kill and eat.
Hunting in packs of highly intelligent creatures that coordinate and communicate with one another.


Seals and sea lions are cute. So are Orkas in their own way. Would love to be the fly on the wall when that goes down.

DD4MSpock said:

And smaller whales (calves)....

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Don't know if you have seen but there were a bunch of shark sightings and brushes here in Ca the last couple months. On the news almost nightly.
A week or so, maybe two? There was a large pod of Orka spotted off San Pedro.

Haven't seen any shark sightings or stories in the news since.

In the wild there have been no reported attacks on humans from Orcas. Tillicum was crazy but rightfully so. While I have twice enjoyed seeing orcas perform at Vancouver and again in San Diego, I do wish they would stop Orca breeding worldwide and stop all shows. Unfortunately reintroducing orcas to the wild, especially those born and raised in captivity, has thus far not been successful. There are some manuevers taught by trainers that help assess health and really those are the only necessary ones.

Orcas are named killer whales because of the fact they kill other whales and seals. The other members of the dolphin family, including porposies, are too small to do damage to much else than fish (and occassionally each other.) Bottlenose dolphins have been seen killing small porpoises and commiting infanticide for sport (they dont eat the prey.) But 35ft dolphins travelling in a pack of 20 can take down a grey whale calf.

Back to subject, I had a dog that used go chew the eyes and noses off my stuffed animals. He would calmly remove them, then go get another bear, and calmly remove the eyes and noses on that. Not sure why my mother allowed him to chew up 4 or 5 stuffed animals like this but c'est la vie. I think your pup just likes chewing the bits that stick out. Try a moose next time and see how long the antlers stay. Lol. If he still only goes after the ears then maybe he does have an issue.

Brinks isn't allowed stuffed animals anymore but his favorite was a certain pheasant that I had to keep replacing, his favorite part to chew on was the feet! However he isn't permitted this luxury anymore because as he methodically removes body parts it's so he can EAT THEM.