In the world of marine parks, killer whales are often considered majestic creatures, revered for their intelligence and amazing feats.
But behind the carefully crafted image of SeaWorld’s killer whales lies a darker and more dangerous reality. For years, trainers have worked closely with these massive animals without realizing or ignoring the risks involved.
One tragic incident in 1987 left a trainer with a broken ligament and opened the floodgates to questions about the true nature of orcas’ behavior in captivity. Was the trust placed in these animals misplaced, or was the park turning a blind eye to their aggressive tendencies?
The shocking events surrounding this attack revealed how little was known about the true danger these creatures pose.
In 1987, Joanne Webber, who was 26 years old and had worked for Orcas for five years, was the victim of a life-threatening accident that resulted in a broken ligament. While she was in the pool, Kandu V, a 6,000-pound killer whale, landed on top of her and forced her to the bottom of the tank.
Kandu V, the orca responsible for the incident, had a history of aggressive behavior and had been involved in previous attacks.
John Hargrove, a former SeaWorld trainer who appeared in the 2013 documentary Blackfish, spoke to The Sun Online about the incident, despite not being employed at the park at the time. He recalled hearing about the accident afterward noting that Webber was left in “excruciating pain”. He also said she was heard screaming, “I think my neck is broken,” as she tried to escape the pool and protect herself.
According to The Los Angeles Times, during practice, Kandu V jumped into the air and landed full force on Webber, “breaking her neck” and pushing her to the bottom of a 40-foot-deep pool. Webber eventually filed a lawsuit against SeaWorld, which was settled out of court for an undisclosed amount.
After the incident, SeaWorld banned trainers from swimming with orcas. The park also issued a statement that their killer whales were not aggressive and received top-notch care from specialists practicing “positive reinforcement.”
In Webber’s 1988 lawsuit, she said she was led to believe the orcas were “gentle” and “safe,” leading her to work with them in the pool. She also accused SeaWorld employees of exacerbating her injuries by delaying medical treatment and insisting that she take off her wetsuit, potentially damaging it.
Webber’s legal filings indicated that SeaWorld was aware of the killer whales’ dangerous tendencies, such as bumping, dragging, and attacking individuals in the pool, yet failed to warn her. She pointed out that Kandu V exhibited aggressive behavior, especially when frustrated, and occasionally showed tendencies to bite and attack other killer whales.
This incident was not the first time Kandu V had attacked a human. Earlier that year, Kanda V was attacked by another SeaWorld trainer, Jonathan Smith, and another killer whale, Kenau, joined. Smith suffered serious injuries, including bruised kidneys and ribs and a lacerated liver, and spent nine days in the hospital. As with Webber, his lawsuit was settled out of court.
Despite these incidents, Kandu V continued to perform at SeaWorld until her tragic death on August 21, 1989. While performing in a separate pool, Kandu V began hitting her daughter Orkid at full speed. The violent act resulted in a broken jaw and a severed artery in the nasal passages of Kandu V. Shockingly, the orca began spewing blood from the pipe before collapsing and dying.
SeaWorld claimed that Kandu V’s aggressive behavior was not unusual, citing it as common behavior among killer whales, especially when asserting dominance. According to SeaWorld veterinarian Jim McBain, “For any species to survive, the stronger animal has to rule,” adding that while her death was unexpected, an altercation was not unusual.
In 2016, SeaWorld announced that it would stop breeding killer whales in captivity. Details of Webber’s incident resurfaced in the news after another altercation between two killer whales during a performance, sparking new conversations about the dangers of keeping killer whales in captivity.
Joanne Webber’s tragic incident is a stark reminder of the unpredictable and often dangerous nature of working with orcas, despite SeaWorld’s efforts to maintain control over these powerful creatures.
While the park has tried to downplay the risks associated with orca training, Webber’s lawsuit and subsequent attacks involving Kand V highlight the inherent dangers that existed long before the public was fully aware of them. The tragic death of Kandu V and the decision to stop orcas in captivity further underscores growing concerns about the ethics of keeping such large, intelligent animals in confinement. As the debate over animal welfare continues, incidents such as these raise important questions about the safety of trainers and the long-term consequences of captivity for marine mammals. The story of Webber, Kandy V, and others involved in similar incidents will likely remain a searing part of SeaWorld’s complex legacy.l