Tilikum was a male orca who almost lived his whole life in captivity. He was only two years old when authorities captured him in the waters off the coast of Iceland in 1983. At first, he lived in a concrete holding tank in Hafnarfjördur Marine Zoo. Gradually, he grew in size and became over 22 feet long. In 1984, Sealand of the Pacific in Vancouver became his new home.
Tilikum faced problems in this new place as it was already home to two older orcas: Haida II and Nootka IV. These two orcas reportedly attacked him, which forced authorities to transfer him to an isolated medical pool to heal.
Throughout his life, Tilikum killed three individuals: Keltie Byrne, Daniel P. Dukes, and Dawn Brancheau. In 2013, CNN Films released a fascinating documentary titled Blackfish, exploring the exploits of the infamous orca. Furthermore, it even questioned the controversy over the captivity of these beasts.
According to its official trailer, Blackfish’s synopsis reads, “Many of us have experienced the excitement and awe of watching 8,000-pound orcas, or ‘killer whales,’ soar out of the water and fly through the air at sea parks, as if in perfect harmony with their trainers. Yet this mighty black and white mammal has many sides — a majestic, friendly giant, seemingly eager to take trainers for a ride around the pool, yet shockingly — and unpredictably — able to turn on them at a moment’s notice.”
It continues, “BLACKFISH unravels the complexities of this dichotomy, employing the story of notorious performing whale Tilikum, who — unlike any orca in the wild — has taken the lives of several people while in captivity. So, what went wrong?”
Who was Tilikum’s last victim?
Tilikum’s last victim was a trainer in SeaWorld Orlando named Dawn Brancheau. After Sealand of the Pacific permanently shut down, he was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando. When he arrived at his new home, Tilikum killed another trainer named Keltie Byrne. However, on July 6, 1999, he even took the life of yet another individual named Daniel P. Dukes. According to an autopsy report, the cause of his death was due to drowning.
Following this incident, an entire decade passed without any casualties. Tilikum’s new trainer, Dawn Brancheau, established a strong bond with him. Dawn began working at SeaWorld Orlando in 1994, and by 2010, she became the theme park’s poster girl.
Unfortunately, on February 24, 2010, Tilikum became the reason for her tragic death. During one of SeaWorld’s Dine With Shamu shows, visitors witnessed the orca grabbing Brancheau and pulling her into the water. Dawn’s death was brutal because witnesses allegedly noted that Tilikum pulled her into the water by her arm or hair.
As per All That’s Interesting, “her left arm was torn from its socket.” Moreover, the autopsy report revealed that she had severed her spinal cord during the attack and even broke her jaw. Employees later discovered Brancheau’s hair and skin at the bottom of the pool.
One of SeaWorld’s senior trainers at the time, John Hargrove, stated, “He had a great relationship with her, and she had a great relationship with him. I do believe that he loved her, and I know that she loved him.”
At the time of her death, Dawn Brancheau was 40 years old. Meanwhile, the outlet reported that Tilikum died in 2017 at the age of 36.
