Spanish animal trainer Alexis Martinez trained orcas at Orca Ocean at Loro Parque in the Canary Islands.
Two months before the death of Dawn Brancheau, arguably SeaWorld’s most famous orca attack victim, he was killed on December 24, 2009, during a Christmas training session.
Despite the park’s initial claim that Martinez’s death was an accident, an autopsy report revealed that he died of fatal injuries sustained in the attack. Even worse, the park said another killer whale attack two years ago was just an accident.
Keto and Alexis Martinez
At Loro Parque, 29-year-old Alexis Martinez has three years of experience working with killer whales. The animal lover was described as “handsome, generous, and funny” by his partner EstefanÃa Luis Rodriguez. Martinez expressed concerns about her work at Orca Ocean, she revealed. He claimed the killer whales had become violent, disruptive, and unruly in the last weeks before his death.
Until an autopsy report revealed dismembered organs, a crushed chest, and bite marks, the park initially described his death as an accident and said his body showed no signs of violence.
Born in 1995 at SeaWorld Park, a 6,600-pound male, Keto had never seen the ocean. He played in parks in the Canary Islands, Texas, San Diego, and Ohio. The incident occurred during his third year at Orca Ocean at Loro Parque. Four killer whales, including Keto, were loaned to Loro Parque from SeaWorld.
A training session that turned fatal
Martinez’s experience was essential in helping train the animals for the upcoming Christmas show. The trainer balanced on an orca as he emerged from the water for one of the stunts, which was a spy jump. But when Keto leaned to one side, Martinez slipped into the water, so the prank didn’t go as planned. Martinez provided him with no reward and a neutral response as instructed. After working with another trainer, the killer whale was soon rewarded with a fish.
Martinez demonstrated a technique where he rode an orca into the pool and then slid onto the stage after returning to work with Keto. But Keto went too far and Martinez had to swim back alone. However, the killer whale seemed to be blocking his trainer’s way to the podium.
MartÃnez’s last hours
Martinez was told to slowly swim to another pool while Keto was diverted by a co-worker. But Keto immediately targeted Martinez, bumping into him, submerging him, and brutally toying with his body. Keto was eventually called to another pool by the other trainers, allowing them to recover Martinez, who was mortally wounded. Unfortunately, he died just a few months before Dawn Brancheau was killed in the SeaWorld attack.
Loro Park Orca Attack in the past
Claudia Vollhardt, a 29-year-old German killer whale trainer, was hospitalized in 2007 after the Tekoa attack. Vollhardt and Tekoa practiced the trick in Loro Parque’s Orca Ocean, where the killer whale used its snout to push with its legs while swimming together. Rather, Tekoa struck the victim from below, grabbed her arm in her jaws, and repeatedly dragged her underwater before releasing her. Because “the whale didn’t bite her,” a Loro Parque spokesperson at the time called the incident an accident. If she came, she would lose her arm.
The end of the sea world?
Marine parks have been the subject of considerable public criticism since the release of the documentary Blackfish in 2013. Compared to their wild counterparts, killer whales in captivity have a higher mortality rate. They would normally stay together for the rest of their lives, but they are separated from their families. Additionally, instead of traveling long distances in the ocean, they are trapped in a tank.
An organization called the Whale Sanctuary Project aims to establish a large-scale coastal sanctuary where rescued cetaceans like Keto can enjoy this freedom for the first time while still being cared for by humans.
The tragic deaths of trainers like Alexis Martinez and Dawn Brancheau, as well as previous incidents involving orcas in captivity, have sparked widespread debate about the ethics of keeping such powerful creatures in marine parks.
Martinez’s death at Loro Parque, caused by the very whale he trained, underscores the dangers of working with these majestic but unpredictable animals in confined spaces. Despite the park’s initial attempts to downplay the incident, the autopsy revealed the brutal nature of the attack and highlighted the immense risks faced by animal trainers working with killer whales.Â
Martinez’s death, following earlier attacks at Loro Parque, serves as a painful reminder of the challenges and potential dangers in a captive training environment. The fact that Keto, the orca involved in Martinez’s death, had previously been transferred from SeaWorld adds another layer of complexity to the conversation about the safety and well-being of both animals and trainers. Despite initial claims of accidents, the frequency of these incidents raises questions about the conditions in which these killer whales are kept and trained.
The documentary *Blackfish* drew global attention to the often controversial practice of keeping killer whales in captivity and fueled further debate about their welfare. With marine parks under scrutiny for the mistreatment and high mortality of orcas in captivity, movements like the Whale Sanctuary Project have gained momentum to offer these animals a more natural and humane alternative. The vision of coastal sanctuaries where killer whales can live freely is seen as a step towards improving the lives of these creatures and solving the ethical problems associated with their captivity.Â
Ultimately, the deaths of trainers like Alexis Martinez, as well as the injuries sustained by others like Claudia Vollhardt, underscore the inherent dangers and ethical dilemmas of orca captivity. While parks and trainers continue to defend their practices, growing public awareness and changing attitudes signal a potential shift in how we view and treat these magnificent creatures. The push for sanctuaries is an important part of this shift, advocating for a more compassionate and considerate approach to marine life.