Tilikumi

Tilikum was a male orca, also known as a killer whale, who lived in captivity for 33 years. Born in 1981 off the coast of Canada, he was captured and taken to Sealand of the Pacific in British Columbia. In 1992, he was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando in Florida. Tilikum was involved in the deaths of three people during his time in captivity. The first incident occurred at Sealand, where he, along with two female orcas, was implicated in the death of a trainer. The other two deaths occurred at SeaWorld Orlando, one in 1999 and another in 2010, where a SeaWorld trainer was found dead in his enclosure after his shift. Tilikum was the largest male orca ever held in captivity, measuring 22.5 feet long and weighing over 12,000 pounds. He was a prominent figure in discussions about the ethics of keeping large marine mammals in captivity. His life and the circumstances surrounding the incidents were documented in the 2013 documentary film Blackfish, which brought renewed attention to the welfare of captive orcas. Tilikum died on January 6, 2017, at SeaWorld Orlando.