Tilikum passed away early this morning, January 6, surrounded by the trainers, care staff and veterinarians that provided him around-the-clock world-class care. Like all older animals, Tilikum had faced some very serious health issues. While the official cause of death will not be determined until the necropsy is completed, the SeaWorld veterinarians were treating a persistent and complicated bacterial lung infection. The suspected bacteria is part of a group of bacteria that is found in water and soil both in wild habitats and zoological settings.
There’s no way to say this easily, so I’m just going to say it. Tilikum - probably the most well-known and controversial orca whale in the world - has died.
Tilikum has been battling a tenacious lung infection for around a year. and that is what he likely succumbed to, despite dedicated 24-hour care. Officially, cause of death is never announced until after a thorough necropsy (animal autopsy), which involves the collection and study of many tissue samples. That takes time and allows the veterinary staff to scientifically confirm the conclusions they reach from studying the animal’s body. Tilikum’s necropsy will likely be performed in Seaworld’s on-site building, specifically built for the task of handling large cetaceans. It is reasonable then, in this case, for the press release to state that there is no official cause of death - it is suspected, but vet staff are doing their jobs and following the proper protocol before publicizing it.
Headlines all over the internet are immortalizing him as a “killer” killer whale - either the unwitting champion of a polarizing media piece, or as a violent and unstable martyr. I challenge you to think about this differently: an animal is dead. An animal we, as a collective culture, have placed a huge amount of moral and societal weight on. That should be our focus today. Not the politics, not if this is champions a movement. A whale from a beautiful, powerful, rare species is dead. (It has not been an easy week for anyone in the orca fandom - J-2 (Granny) was announced missing from her pod and is presumed dead as well).
I want to ask people to stop, for a second, before diving into what is surely to be the newest round of furor and recognize that a beloved animal is gone and that people are grieving. Tilikum was an icon to millions of people on all sides of the cetacean captivity debate and because of that, an ambassador for his species. Whatever you say about it in the coming days, please keep in mind that for many this is an extremely personal topic, and be kind.
