Fatal Attraction: The Mysterious Death of Dawn Brancheau - TRENDS
Dawn Therese Brancheau (née LoVerde; April 16, 1969 – February 24, 2010) was an American animal trainer at SeaWorld. She worked with orcas at SeaWorld Orlando for fifteen years, including a leading role in revamping the Shamu show, and was SeaWorld's poster girl. The family of tragic trainer DawnBrancheau, who was killed by SeaWorld's largest killer whale Tilikum in 2010, are still trying to process her death and continue her legacy.
Context Explanation
Trainer DawnBrancheau (R) was killed by an orca at SeaWorld in San Diego, California (Wikimedia and SeaWorld). SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA: A horrifying incident took place back in 2002 when a SeaWorld trainer was dragged down by two huge 6,000lb orcas. Six years after Dawn's death, SeaWorld announced they would cease their orca breeding programme. Now, the attraction collaborates with the Humane Society of the United States to combat commercial whaling and seal hunts.
Insight Material
Brancheau’s death in the jaws of the orca Tilikum forever changed the way theme parks handle wild sea animals, and was the subject of the award-winning documentary Blackfish . This is the tragic true story ofDawnBrancheau, the trainer whose death sparked a revolution. DawnBrancheau was filmed feeding the killer whales just moments before she was attacked and killed. A killer whale approaches DawnBrancheau, seconds later she was dragged underneath the water. DawnBrancheau was killed by Tilikum, a 5.4 tonne orca measuring more than 22ft in length, in a prolonged and violent attack in front of horrified onlookers at SeaWorld in Orlando, Florida.