Killer Whale Tilikum Performs Again; Is Tilly Abused?

COMMENTARY | Tilikum, known as Tilly, is performing again at Sea World in Orlando, Fla. The killer whale has been directly linked to three deaths. The Federal Occupational and Health Administration accused Sea World of being reckless with the safety of their trainers after Dawn Brancheau was drowned in 2010. But Sea World is using Tilly in its new "Believe" show.

A quick check of the Sea World website shows a magnificent clip of killer whales performing. They have spent millions of dollars making safety improvements in order to use these orcas. But a whale is a whale and they can be triggered into bad behavior in an instant. It was thought that Dawn's long hair rubbing across Tilly's nose might have brought about his rough treatment and ultimate drowning of her.

Whales are huge animals running into double digits in tons. They require miles and miles of ocean to swim and hunt in. Tilly has Sea World. He was taken into captivity when he was two years old and is now approximately 31 years old. These magnificent orcas can live to be in their sixties.

Killer whales are really the largest species of the dolphin family and not a whale at all. They have no natural predators and are normally quiet and mild mannered. Are we abusing these mammals by bringing them into captivity and not letting them live the life they were born to? Are they mentally and socially challenged because they are not in herds roaming the ocean? Tilly has spent the majority of his life in isolation. What kind of life is that?

If a horse or dog was treated in the same manner, wouldn't it be called abuse? But Tilikum is a big money maker and the fans want to keep seeing him even though he has a "killer" reputation. Maybe it's time to rethink the term entertainment. Maybe it's time to be satisfied looking at movies and documentaries about the orcas and let them live in peace.

If Tilikum had the choice, would he continue to live at Sea World? Or would he choose the sea? Some experts say Tilly wouldn't make it in the ocean world because he doesn't know how to hunt or survive there. Would he choose dying young in the habitat he was born for? Or would he chose to live a long life in a bathtub?