Killer Whale Tries to Bite Trainer at SeaWorld Show
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SAN DIEGO — A killer whale tried to bite a trainer during a show before hundreds of spectators at Sea World, but the trainer escaped injury by quickly jumping out of the water, a SeaWorld spokesman said.
The show ended a few minutes earlier than usual Saturday afternoon after the 5,000-pound whale named Kasatka tried to “nip” the trainer, spokesman Bob Tucker said.
“Attack is definitely the wrong word,” Tucker said. “The trainer turned around and performed in the next show later that night.”
The whale is one of the park’s veteran performers and has done the act “thousands of times,” Tucker said.
The whale tried to bite another trainer in 1993, said Mike Scarpuzzi, SeaWorld’s vice president of animal training.
The 23-year-old female whale will be allowed to participate in shows, but trainers won’t go in the water with her until officials determine what may have prompted the whale to try to bite the trainer.
“They’re capable of doing tremendous damage,” Scarpuzzi said. “But I think in this case, she (the whale) just basically said, ‘I need to communicate something here. Something’s not right and I need to let you know.’ ”
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