A FREER TILIKUM …. OPEN THE GATE!
Not even sure if freer is a word, but spell check does not appear and I believe you understand what I mean. TIlikum could never be freed to the wild. I knew that for a long time. Drilled out teeth, curved dorsal and tail fluke, his size and age. More importantly I knew that society would never take the liability risk on to release Tilikum where he could come in contact with people beyond the confines of his pool. The theory being if he killed in a pool, he would kill in the wild.
The truth is in the wild he would of never killed anybody since humans would be insignificant in his life. It is only in his confines that we play such a leading role . A role that makes us feel we know best how to fix him or free him. The truth is … did you ever stop and wonder what Tilikum wanted?
Yesterday was an emotional day for everyone that has a connection with him. I used that emotion to have a creative session with one of Canada’s leading exhibit production designers. We worked on the design and theme for a proposal for a 5,000 square foot immersive exhibit. The room being 100′ x 50′ x 24′ high equates to approximately 750,000 GALLONS. Close to the size of one of his pools. In fact it was visualizing Tilikum swimming in the empty space that first inspired the exhibit. Next week we present our work to the property developers. As my WILD work is dedicated to Tilikum, it seems fitting this is all under development while his own life is in peril.
To unwind and think alone about Tilikum, last night I had a bath. The water, darkness and warmth of the water flooded me with emotion remembering all the alone times I spent with Tilikum. I could smell, feel, hear all the aspects of the module life he led. And then I asked him what HE WANTED?
Now some of you may not believe you can communicate long distance. Some of you are so skeptic and so into your own power that you forget there is a greater power out there. But if you have ever been in a relationship with somebody and they seem to text at the right time, or just seem to know what you are doing even a far then you will get the POWER OF LOVE can spread further than your little body.
With all that Tilikum could want, I believe all he wants TODAY is to have the gate opened and be allowed to have companionship, so he does not need to die alone.
Dying as a whale is a tough process. Imagine being weak with the worst flu/cold you have. Lethargic , feverish, chest pains,… now complicate the matter by treading water. You see once Tilikum ‘rests’ he will sink. Once his body is not strong enough or his mind care enough to surface, he will drown.
Now before he drowns, Tilikum simply wants to have some companionship. So as not to die alone sitting at the gate looking at all the life outside his own confine. Tilikum has lived confined and alone most of his life. Being lonely for a long time does not make it easier. But introducing some companionship when you feel the most loneliest sure feels like Heaven.
If all we can do for Tilikum in his hard life is to give him a piece of heaven before he dies…. won’t that make him feel FREER.
So Brad Andrews (Chief Zoological Officer) OPEN THE GATE for Tilikum. You and I have known each other for a very long time. We have stories and experiences that others have forgotten and maybe you have too or want too. But Tilikum is hard to forget. Go past your long protocols and big manuals of handling him. Obviously, none of us has figured him out perfectly yet. But we all know that orcas together are happier than orcas apart. Do your part and open the gate for him. Let us see how he wants to die, not how you want him to be disposed.
Take time to day to ask for a FREER TILIKUM… ask Sea World to OPEN THE GATE and give Tilikum some companionship before he leaves his pool for the ocean in the sky!
We can be cruel by choice or fear.
We can be great by choice and no fear.
Chris Porter
This is so beautiful. The poor boy cannot die alone. Considering how social and tactile orcas are he needs some comfort even if it’s not coming from his pod. He needs his friends with him in this horrible time. will SeaWorld do it?
