Most Americans interact with animals only on a limited basis. People own dogs, cats, fish and ferrets, but those are the only animals most of us encounter in our daily lives.
Perhaps that’s why it was so shocking when SeaWorld whale trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed Feb. 24 by one of the orcas she worked with.
Reports say the animal grabbed Brancheau by her ponytail and dragged her underwater, drowning her.
It’s worth noting that orcas aren’t called “killer whales” because people die from gazing at their cute looks; they are named that way because the species at one point had a reputation for being deadly.
But this minor detail is usually forgotten or ignored.
Animal advocates have downplayed the danger of orcas and other animals in their efforts to conserve environments and species.
In a world where nature is saved for zoos and national parks, people have pushed to the side the fact that all animals, domestic or otherwise, have the potential to harm.
To people, animals have stopped being predators to be feared and respected, prey to consume or laborers to provide aid.
Instead, in almost all situations, they are no more than a source of entertainment.
Dogs exist solely to make us smile, not to protect our homes; cats are kept for their company, not to kill mice. Sure, there are seeing-eye dogs, guard dogs and farm animals, but those are exceptions to the norm.
We’ve forgotten that although they seem trained and tame, even our beloved pets have the teeth and claws able to seriously injure a human.
Stories of pit bull attacks make headlines simply because people are so shocked when an animal acts in an instinctual way.
So perhaps, in some way, Brancheau’s tragic death had a small positive effect; it served as a reminder that even animals that appear to be tame can still be deadly.
When the SeaWorld killer whale show reopened Saturday for the first time after Brancheau’s death, the trainers had taken additional safety precautions.
All the women wore their hair in buns instead of ponytails, and none of them got into the water with the animals the way they usually do.
The orca responsible for killing Brancheau was not involved in the show.
These precautions would have seemed excessive before the incident and will likely disappear over time, but for now, the orcas are finally getting the respect they deserve as majestic and dangerous animals.
Casey Goodwin is an engineering freshman and may be contacted at [email protected]
