Orca attacks on humans
Encyclopedia
Killer whales are powerful predators capable of dispatching prey much larger than humans, such as leopard seal
s and great white shark
s. They have also been recorded preying on usually terrestrial species such as moose
swimming between islands. However, wild orcas are not considered a real threat to humans, as there are few documented cases of wild orcas attacking people, and none of the recorded attacks have been fatal. There have been about two dozen cases of orcas attacking humans since the 1970s, almost exclusively perpetrated by captive animals. Experts are divided as to whether the injuries and deaths caused by captive killer whales have been accidents or deliberate attempts to cause harm.
In 2004 a video purporting to show a Korean in a kayak
being capsized by a jumping orca and surviving circulated the Internet; however according to folklorist David Mikkelson of snopes.com, this video is a fake originally made for a commercial for an energy drink.
Two other orcas have killed a trainer.
Leopard Seal
The leopard seal , also referred to as the sea leopard, is the second largest species of seal in the Antarctic...
s and great white shark
Great white shark
The great white shark, scientific name Carcharodon carcharias, also known as the great white, white pointer, white shark, or white death, is a large lamniform shark found in coastal surface waters in all major oceans. It is known for its size, with the largest individuals known to have approached...
s. They have also been recorded preying on usually terrestrial species such as moose
Moose
The moose or Eurasian elk is the largest extant species in the deer family. Moose are distinguished by the palmate antlers of the males; other members of the family have antlers with a dendritic configuration...
swimming between islands. However, wild orcas are not considered a real threat to humans, as there are few documented cases of wild orcas attacking people, and none of the recorded attacks have been fatal. There have been about two dozen cases of orcas attacking humans since the 1970s, almost exclusively perpetrated by captive animals. Experts are divided as to whether the injuries and deaths caused by captive killer whales have been accidents or deliberate attempts to cause harm.
Wild orca attacks
There are few recorded cases of wild orcas threatening humans; none of these have been fatal.- In the 1910s the Terra Nova ExpeditionTerra Nova ExpeditionThe Terra Nova Expedition , officially the British Antarctic Expedition 1910, was led by Robert Falcon Scott with the objective of being the first to reach the geographical South Pole. Scott and four companions attained the pole on 17 January 1912, to find that a Norwegian team led by Roald...
recorded that killer whales had attempted to tip ice floes on which an expedition photographer and a sled dogSled dogSled dogs, known also as sleigh man dogs, sledge dogs, or sleddogs, are highly trained types of dogs that are used to pull a dog sled, a wheel-less vehicle on runners also called a sled or sleigh, over snow or ice, by means of harnesses and lines.Sled dogs have become a popular winter recreation...
team were standing. In this case the whales may have mistaken the dogs' barking for seal calls and grown curious.
- On September 9, 1972, a Californian surfer named Hans Kretschmer reported being bitten by a killer whale at Point Sur; most maintain that this remains the only fairly well-documented instance of a wild orca biting a human. His wounds required 100 stitches.
- In August 2005, while swimming in four feet of water in Helm Bay, near Ketchikan, AlaskaKetchikan, AlaskaKetchikan is a city in Ketchikan Gateway Borough, Alaska, United States, the southeasternmost sizable city in that state. With an estimated population of 7,368 in 2010 within the city limits, it is the fifth most populous city in the state....
a 12 year old boy named Ellis Miller was "bumped" in the shoulder by a 25 foot transient killer whale. The boy was not bitten or injured in any way. The bay is frequented by harbor seals, and evidently the whale initially misidentified him as prey.
In 2004 a video purporting to show a Korean in a kayak
Kayak
A kayak is a small, relatively narrow, human-powered boat primarily designed to be manually propelled by means of a double blade paddle.The traditional kayak has a covered deck and one or more cockpits, each seating one paddler...
being capsized by a jumping orca and surviving circulated the Internet; however according to folklorist David Mikkelson of snopes.com, this video is a fake originally made for a commercial for an energy drink.
Captive orca attacks
There have been several attacks on humans by captive killer whales, with some of them being fatal.- In 1968, the young female orca, Lupa, of the New York AquariumNew York AquariumThe New York Aquarium is the oldest continually operating aquarium in the United States, having opened in Castle Garden in Battery Park, Manhattan in 1896. Since 1957, it has been located on the boardwalk in Coney Island, Brooklyn. The aquarium is managed by the Wildlife Conservation Society as...
chased her trainers out of the tank, snapping her jaws threateningly. Trainers were cleaning the tank at the time of the incident.
- In 1970, Cuddles, a male orca who resided in both the Dudley ZooDudley ZooDudley Zoological Gardens is a zoo located within the grounds of Dudley Castle in the town of Dudley, in the Black Country region of the West Midlands, England...
and Flamingo Park (now Flamingo Land) in England, became so aggressive towards his trainers, having attacked them twice, that his keepers were forced to clean his pool from the safety of a shark cage.
- On April 20, 1971, SeaWorldSeaWorldSeaWorld is a United States chain of marine mammal parks, oceanariums, and animal theme parks owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. The parks feature captive orca, sea lion, and dolphin shows and zoological displays featuring various other marine animals. There are operations in Orlando,...
secretary Annette Eckis was talked into riding the park's main attraction, a 10-year-old female orca named ShamuShamuShamu was the fourth killer whale ever captured and was the third orca ever displayed in a public exhibit. She was the first orca to survive more than 13 months in captivity and was the star of a very popular killer whale show at SeaWorld San Diego in the mid - late 1960s...
, at the park in San Diego, CaliforniaCaliforniaCalifornia is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
as a publicity stunt. As the ride was coming to an end Eckis was suddenly thrown off the whale's back. The orca seized the woman by her leg and began pushing her through the water. Trainers on the side of the tank grabbed the young woman and attempted to pull her out of the water but the whale again grabbed a hold of the woman's leg and refused to let go. Shamu's jaws had to be pried apart with a pole in order to free her. Eckis was carried away on a stretcher and required 100 stitches to close the wounds she suffered. Shamu may have done this out of curiosity, as Eckis was wearing a bikini while riding the orca, instead of the traditional wet suit that is usually worn.
- In the early 1970s, a Marine World California trainer, Jeff Pulaski, while riding a young female orca named Kianu during performances, was thrown off and chased out of the tank.
- In the early 1970s, trainer Manny Velasco recalls both Hugo and LolitaLolita (orca)Lolita is an orca who has lived at the Miami Seaquarium for 40 years.-Early life:On August 8, 1970 in Puget Sound Lolita along with seven others were caught to be sold to marine parks and aquariums. Tokitae, as she was originally named, was purchased by Seaquarium veterinarian Dr. Jesse White for...
of the Miami SeaquariumMiami SeaquariumThe Miami Seaquarium is a oceanarium located on the island of Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay, Miami-Dade County, Florida, United States and is located near downtown Miami. It is the longest operating oceanarium in the United States. In addition to the marine mammals, the Miami Seaquarium also...
becoming aggressive, lunging and snapping at the trainers standing on the center work island ending the training session for the day.
- In the early 1970s, during a water work session Hugo refused to allow trainer Chip Kirk to get out of the water, Kirk explains to a journalist from the Palm Beach Post. Hugo bit him several times on the arm bad enough to leave a scar which he showed to the reporter.
- In the early 1970s, Hugo grabbed trainer Bob Pulaski by the wetsuit and began thrashing him, Pulaski struggled but it only made things worse, then Hugo's tank mate Lolita joined in to and began a tug of war. Pulaski managed to free himself from the tangled wetsuit and get to safety. Pulaski did not mention if he sustained any injuries. In both incidents Kirk and Pulaski believe the orcas were only playing.
- In the 1970s, another Marine World California trainer, Dave Worcester, was dragged to the bottom of the tank by the park's young male orca, Nepo.
- In the early 1970s, an unidentified Marineland of the PacificMarineland of the PacificMarineland of the Pacific was a public oceanarium and tourist attraction located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast in Los Angeles County, California, USA. Architect William Pereira designed the main structure. It was also known as Hanna-Barbera's Marineland during the late 1970s and early 1980s...
(USA) trainer was seized by the young male, Orky II, and held at the bottom of the tank until the man nearly lost consciousness.
- On May 2, 1978, another Marineland of the Pacific trainer, 27-year-old Jill Stratton, had an incident with Orky II. Stratton was nearly drowned when the 10-year-old Orky II suddenly grabbed the young woman and dragged her to the bottom of the tank, holding her there for nearly 4 minutes.
- In the 1970s, a Vancouver AquariumVancouver AquariumThe Vancouver Aquarium Marine Science Centre is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, conservation and marine animal rehabilitation.The Vancouver...
trainer, Doug Pemberton, recalls that "Skana once showed her dislike by dragging a trainer around the pool. Her teeth sank into his wetsuit but missed his leg." Pemberton described both young female Skana and her male companion Hyak II as "moody", but states that Skana was the dominant animal in the pool. "She is capable of changing moods in minutes".
- On February 23, 1984, a 7-year-old female orca by the name of Kandu V grabbed a Sea World California trainer, Joanne Hay, and pinned her against a tank wall during a performance.
- In 1986, an unidentified MarineLandMarinelandMarineland can refer to multiple places:*Marineland of Florida, an oceanarium in Florida**Marineland, Florida, the community where the oceanarium is located*MarineLand, an oceanarium/amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada...
, Ontario trainer was taken to the hospital after he fell off the park's male killer whale, Kandu 7 (not to be confused with Kandu V), and was dragged by his leg around the pool during a trick.
- In 1986, a 4-year-old female orca, Nootka V (not to be confused with Nootka IV), whacked an unidentified MarineLandMarinelandMarineland can refer to multiple places:*Marineland of Florida, an oceanarium in Florida**Marineland, Florida, the community where the oceanarium is located*MarineLand, an oceanarium/amusement park in Niagara Falls, Ontario, Canada...
, Ontario trainer in the head with her pectoral during a show. According to a former trainer, the whale had a habit of leaping out of the water in an attempt to strike trainers by the pool in the chest.
- On March 4, 1987, 20-year-old SeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, and marine mammal park, located in San Diego, California, United States. The park is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group....
trainer, Jonathan Smith, was grabbed by one of the park’s 6-ton killer whales. The orca dragged the trainer to the bottom of the tank, then carried him bleeding all the way back to the surface and then spat him out. Smith gallantly waved to the crowd when a second orca slammed into him. He continued to pretend he was unhurt as the whales repeatedly dragged him to the bottom of the stadium pool. Smith was cut all around his torso, had a ruptured kidney and a six-inch laceration of his liver, yet he managed to escape the pool with his life. Later reports indicate that the whales involved in the attack had been 10-year-old female Kenau and 9-year-old female Kandu V.
- On June 15, 1987, a 29-year-old Sea World San Diego trainer, Joanne Webber, suffered a fractured neck when Kandu V, a 9-year-old female orca, landed on top of her and pushed her to the bottom of the pool during a training session. Webber had five years of experience working with orcas.
- On April 1, 1989 Nootka IV of Sealand of the Pacific pulled her trainer, Henrietta Huber, into the whale tank after the 6-year-old female bit down while the trainer had her hand in the mouth of the orca in order to scratch its tongue. Huber needed several stitches in order to close her wounds.
- Later that same year (1989), Nootka IV of Sealand of the Pacific grabbed a tourist's camera that was accidentally dropped into the whale’s tank. Head trainer Steve Huxter attempted to retrieve the camera but was pulled into the pool when the orca refused to give up its new toy. The orca grabbed a hold of the trainer’s leg but Huxter was pulled to safety by fellow trainer Eric Walters.
- On February 20, 1991, the three orcas that resided at SealandSealand of the PacificSealand of the Pacific was a public aquarium in Oak Bay, a suburb near the city of Victoria, in British Columbia, Canada. It was famous for its orcas, which were the main attraction....
of the Pacific in Victoria, British ColumbiaVictoria, British ColumbiaVictoria is the capital city of British Columbia, Canada and is located on the southern tip of Vancouver Island off Canada's Pacific coast. The city has a population of about 78,000 within the metropolitan area of Greater Victoria, which has a population of 360,063, the 15th most populous Canadian...
(Haida II, Nootka IV, and TilikumTilikum (orca)Tilikum , sometimes misspelled Tillikum, is a bull orca who lives in captivity at SeaWorld Orlando. He has sired many offspring, and has been involved in the deaths of three people. Following a year long hiatus after his last incident, Tilikum returned to performing at SeaWorld Orlando on 30 March...
) killed a young part-time trainer named Keltie Byrne when she accidentally slipped and fell into the tank. This facility did not allow the trainers to get in the water with the animals so the orcas were not accustomed to having people in their tank. It is unclear which orca initiated the assault but what is known is that one of the whales grabbed the trainer by the foot and dragged her deeper into the pool, the other two quickly joined in, pushing and throwing the young woman around the pool. All three animals barred her escape, continuously blocking her path and dragging her back into the center of the tank. Sealand staff tried unsuccessfully to distract the orcas with fish, noise, voice and hand commands. It was several hours before Ms. Byrne's body could be recovered. SeaLand of the Pacific soon closed after the incident and sold all of their orcas to the SeaWorld franchise; Haida II and her calf KyuquotKyuquotKyuquot, meaning "people of Kayukw" in the Nuu-chah-nulth language, may refer to:* Kyuquot, British Columbia, an unincorporated settlement on northwestern Vancouver Island, British Columbia...
(who was born some time after the incident) were both moved to SeaWorld Texas, Haida II eventually died in 2001. Nootka IV and Tilikum were both transferred to the SeaWorld in Florida. Nootka IV passed away in 1994 but Tilikum still remains.
- In 1993, 14-year-old female Kasatka tried to bite an unidentified Sea World California trainer (not Kenneth Peters).
- On July 5, 1999, at SeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group...
Florida, a deceased man by the name of Daniel Dukes was found nude and in one of the orca tanks draped across the back of the park’s largest male orca, Tillikum. An autopsy revealed that the man died of a combination of hypothermiaHypothermiaHypothermia is a condition in which core temperature drops below the required temperature for normal metabolism and body functions which is defined as . Body temperature is usually maintained near a constant level of through biologic homeostasis or thermoregulation...
and drowning. Dukes was covered in bruises, abrasions and bite marks, indicating that Tillikum had clear contact with the victim but whether or not Tillikum actually caused the man's death could not be determined. Dukes had apparently hidden himself in the park until after closing and then jumped or fell into the orca’s tank. It is thought that Dukes may have been mentally unstable or under the influence of drugs.
- On June 12, 1999, 22-year-old KasatkaKasatkaKasatka is a female Orca who lives at SeaWorld San Diego and the mother of Takara, Nakai, and Kalia. She was captured off the coast of Iceland on October 26, 1978, at the age of one year. Her name probably comes from the Russian word Kasatka , a generic name for Orcas...
grabbed her trainer Ken Peters by the leg and attempted to throw him from the pool during a public show at SeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, and marine mammal park, located in San Diego, California, United States. The park is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group....
.
- On July 8, 2002, a trainer by the name of Tamaree was hospitalized for a broken arm and several minor injuries after an incident occurred in Shamu Stadium at SeaWorld Florida. The 28-year-old trainer was doing poolside work with two of the park's orcas, Orkid and Splash. "She was playing with the whales, talking to them… the next thing we know, as it appears from the video, she was pulled into the water" said SeaWorld spokesperson Darla Davis after reviewing security and visitor footage of the incident. Park officials said the trainer exited the pool without assistance and was taken to a local hospital, where a pin was needed to reset her arm.
- In late July 2004, during a show at the SeaWorldSeaWorld San AntonioSeaWorld San Antonio is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and animal theme park, located in the Westover Hills area of San Antonio, Texas. It is the largest of the three parks in the SeaWorld chain owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group, and the world's...
park in San Antonio, TexasTexasTexas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
, a male orca named KyuquotKyuquotKyuquot, meaning "people of Kayukw" in the Nuu-chah-nulth language, may refer to:* Kyuquot, British Columbia, an unincorporated settlement on northwestern Vancouver Island, British Columbia...
(nickname Ky) repeatedly jumped on top of his trainer, Steve Aibel, forcing him underwater and barred the trainer from escaping the water. After several minutes the trainer was able to calm the animal and he exited the pool unhurt. “Veterinarians believe the whale… felt threatened by the trainer, perhaps a result of the effects of adolescent hormones.”
- On April 4, 2005, Sea World Florida trainer Sam Davis was repeatedly “bumped” by an 11-year-old male orca named TakuTakuTaku can refer to:In places* Taku, Saga, a city located in Saga prefecture on the island of Kyūshū, Japan* Taku, India, a town in India* Taku Glacier, in Alaska near Juneau* Taku River, in Alaska and British Columbia...
. The show continued uninterrupted but the trainer was later taken to Sand Lake Hospital for unspecified minor injuries and released the same day. Additional eyewitness account: "The trainer and Taku were about to slide on the slide out at the end of the show when Taku completely stopped and started "bumping" the trainer. The trainer was male and he finally swam out of the tank. I knew something was wrong because none of the whales except KalinaKalinaKalina may refer to:feminine given name:* Kalinapeople* Noah Kalina, American photographer* Robert Kalina, Austrian banknote designer* Václav Kalina, Czech footballerplaces* Kalina, a geographical location in Mumbai...
wanted to perform. Then they finally got Taku out to splash people at the end of the show, when this incident took place."
- On November 15, 2006, a SeaWorld California trainer was injured when the park's 18-year-old female killer whale, Orkid, grabbed veteran trainer Brian Rokeach by the foot and pulled him to the bottom of the tank, refusing to release him for an extended period of time. Orkid released Rokeach only after heeding fellow trainer Kenneth Peters's repeated attempts to call the animal’s attention back to the stage. Rokeach suffered a torn ligament in his ankle but was not taken to the hospital. In response to the incident, SeaWorld increased the number of trainers who must be available during performances and in water training to five staff members but this however was ineffective because no less than two weeks later trainer Kenneth Peters was involved in a similar incident with different orca.See next bullet for Peters attack.
- On November 29, 2006, KasatkaKasatkaKasatka is a female Orca who lives at SeaWorld San Diego and the mother of Takara, Nakai, and Kalia. She was captured off the coast of Iceland on October 26, 1978, at the age of one year. Her name probably comes from the Russian word Kasatka , a generic name for Orcas...
, one of SeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San DiegoSeaWorld San Diego is an animal theme park, oceanarium, and marine mammal park, located in San Diego, California, United States. The park is owned by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a division of The Blackstone Group....
's seven orcas, grabbed her trainer, Ken Peters, by the foot and dragged him to the bottom of the tank not once but twice during an evening show at Shamu Stadium. The senior trainer escaped only after staff members managed to separate the two with safety nets. This was the second documented incident of Kasatka attacking Peters and is the third most widely reported of all the SeaWorld incidents.
- On October 6, 2007 at the Loro ParqueLoro ParqueLoro Parque is a zoo located on the outskirts of Puerto de la Cruz on Tenerife, Spain where it houses an extensive and diverse reserve of animal and plant species...
a 29-year-old trainer, Claudia Vollhardt who had worked at the park since 2003, was hospitalized after she was injured during a training session with one of the park’s killer whales. The Canarias 7 newspaper says the incident happened at the pre-show warm up on Saturday, when the orca crashed into the trainer, injuring her right lung and breaking her forearm in two places. OME News writes that it was a male orca that hit the trainer and dragged her down after the impact. Then that same animal dragged her back up to the surface. She was rescued by two colleagues after the incident. The trainer was in a stable condition after surgery on Saturday. Claudia trained mostly with 6-year-old male Tekoa and some news refers to him as the orca involved in this incident.
- On September 9, 2008 during a show at Marineland Antibes in France a 26-year-old female orca named Freya begins acting oddly in the middle of the show and then pulls an unidentified trainer under the water. The trainer resurfaces after a few seconds only for Freya to return and begin jumping on top of the man. After landing on top of her trainer twice she begins to push him through and under the water. The trainer tries to regain control of the situation by climbing on the orca’s back but he is thrown off. The trainer eventually manages to get to the edge of the pool and climbs out, seeming unhurt.
- In the spring of 2009 a 5 year old female orca named Skyla turned on an unidentified trainer while performing in one of Loro Parque Tenerife's daily shows. Skyla started pushing her trainer through the water and up against the sides of the pool. "Water work" has been suspended with her and only senior trainers are allowed to work with her now.
- On December 24, 2009, 29-year-old Alexis Martínez died during a rehearsal for a Christmas Day show at the Loro Parque Park in Spain. The 14-year-old male orca, Keto, who was born at SeaWorld Orlando Florida, reportedly rammed Martínez in the chest, rendering him unconscious. Martinez supposedly drowned before fellow trainers could rescue him. The park repeatedly asserted that this was not an attack but an unfortunate accident caused by roughhousing, however the park also describe KetoKetoKeto can refer to:* The Keto people, an ethnic group of the Siberian North.* Ceto or Keto, a sea goddess in Greek mythology.* Ketone or keto group, the functional group in the chemical compounds ketones....
as “not... (being) completely predictable.” The subsequent autopsy report revealed that Alexis died due to the serious injuries he sustained from the orca attack, including multiple compression fractures and tears to his vital organs with the bite marks all over his body. Martinez was considered one of the most experienced trainers in Loro Parque, having worked at the park since 2004.
- On February 24, 2010, the orca TilikumTilikum (orca)Tilikum , sometimes misspelled Tillikum, is a bull orca who lives in captivity at SeaWorld Orlando. He has sired many offspring, and has been involved in the deaths of three people. Following a year long hiatus after his last incident, Tilikum returned to performing at SeaWorld Orlando on 30 March...
killed an experienced trainer at the end of a "Dine with Shamu" show at SeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld OrlandoSeaWorld Orlando is a theme park, and marine-life based zoological park, near Orlando, Florida. It is owned and operated by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, a subsidiary of The Blackstone Group...
. SeaWorld officials confirmed that Tilikum grabbed Dawn Brancheau by her ponytail and pulled her into the water, drowning her. The autopsy determined that the trainer died of "multiple traumatic injuries and drowning". SeaWorld has since been fined by OSHA for $75,000 for "willfully" endangering its employees. OSHA stated that the company "(shows) Plain indifference to or intentional disregard for employee safety and health." SeaWorld has challenged OSHA's claims stating that "OSHA's allegations in this citation are unsupported by any evidence or precedent and reflect a fundamental lack of understanding of the safety requirements associated with marine mammal care." SeaWorld has taken OSHA to court to challenge the fine and safety report. None of SeaWorld’s trainers have been allowed back in the water since the incident between Dawn and Tilikum. Note: Previous Tilikum incidents, February 20, 1991 and 1999.
Incidents involving unidentified captive orcas
- In the mid-1970s Karen Pryor reports, "I have since heard... of at least one killer whale which launched an unprovoked attack on a favorite trainer, in normal circumstances, savaged him very badly, and nearly killed him."
- On August 12, 1984 two unidentified killer whales grabbed trainer Bud Krames by the legs and pinned him against a wall during a performance. Krames, a trainer at Sea World California, suffers minor injuries. (Even though the orcas involved in the incident above were never officially identified, it could be assumed that it was two of three particular animals, Kandu V, Winston or Kenau.)
- In 1987 several of San Diego's newspapers reported on a "white paper" discloser of at least 14 different injuries suffered by the trainers of Sea World California, all of varying severity, while working with orcas within a five-month period in 1987. Only a few of the incidents ever made it into the news.
- On September 28, 1987 an unidentified killer whale bit trainer Mark McHugh on the hand during training.
- On September 30, 1987 during a performance a 24-year-old SeaWorld San Diego trainer named Chris Barlow was rammed in the stomach by an unidentified orca. Barlow was hospitalized with minor injuries.
Individual orcas involved in multiple or serious incidents
While Tillikum has perhaps the most infamous reputation of all captive orcas, there have been several other orcas that have harmed people whether intentionally or unintentionally on more than one occasion.- TillikumTilikum (orca)Tilikum , sometimes misspelled Tillikum, is a bull orca who lives in captivity at SeaWorld Orlando. He has sired many offspring, and has been involved in the deaths of three people. Following a year long hiatus after his last incident, Tilikum returned to performing at SeaWorld Orlando on 30 March...
: responsible for 2 documented attacks and 1 undetermined incident, all 3 resulted in the death of a person. - Nootka IV: responsible for 3 documented attacks, 1 resulted in the death of a trainer.
- Kandu V: responsible for 5 documented attacks. Kandu V was also known for being aggressive towards her tank-mates, particularly with Corky II.
- KasatkaKasatkaKasatka is a female Orca who lives at SeaWorld San Diego and the mother of Takara, Nakai, and Kalia. She was captured off the coast of Iceland on October 26, 1978, at the age of one year. Her name probably comes from the Russian word Kasatka , a generic name for Orcas...
: responsible for 3 documented attacks. - Hugo: responsible for 3 documented attacks and 1 incident in which he bit his trainers head during a trick, Anthony Toran Administrative Director for the Seaquarium also said Hugo made "what appeared to be direct efforts to harm human performers."
- Orky II: responsible for 2 documented attacks and 1 incident in which he crushed a trainer because of a badly timed cue and blindness in one eye that was not revealed to his trainers.
- Orkid: responsible for 2 documented attacks and 1 incident that was, most likely, an accident but resulted in a trip to the hospital with minor injuries.
- Cuddles: responsible for 2 documented attacks.
- Winston/Ramu: responsible for at least 2 attacks and 1 near miss according to his former trainer Doug Cartlidge.
Two other orcas have killed a trainer.
- Haida II: responsible for 1 documented attack that resulted in the death of a trainer.
- Keto: responsible for 1 documented attack that resulted in the death of a trainer.