Former US SeaWorld trainer issues warning for future

A former trainer at SeaWorld Orlando has made a grim prediction about the US theme park’s controversial orcas, warning there could be more violence.

Orcas which are stressed in captivity at SeaWorld Orlando could attack more humans in the future, a former trainer has warned.

John Hargrove, who used to work as a trainer at the US theme park, said the whales are exposed to “lives of quiet desperation” that can eventually lead to “violent behaviour” as well as “deadly attacks”, as reported by the New York Post.

“Physical and psychological damage endured by human prisoners in solitary confinement is well documented,” he wrote for PETA’s website.

“Orcas at amusement parks such as SeaWorld suffer the same fate.

“I can tell you from my 14 years of experience that I personally witnessed the orcas – as well as other dolphins and marine animals – suffer the same physical and psychological trauma,” he said.

“Imagine spending your entire life trapped in a small enclosure.”

An orca performing a trick at SeaWorld. Picture: Charlie Kaijo/Zuma Press

Mr Hargrove then referred to the tragic 2010 incident in which his co-worker Dawn Brancheau was killed by an orca named Tilikum.

“[Tilikum] wasn’t the villain in the story,” Mr Hargrove said.

“He’s also not the only orca at SeaWorld to kill a trainer. We had countless serious injuries and near fatalities during my career, caused by many different orcas.

“Confinement causes not only chronic health issues but also extreme stress that leads to violent behaviour and deadly attacks.”

According to Mr Hargrove, over 40 orcas and 400 dolphins and whales have died at SeaWorld.

What’s more, Mr Hargrove claims the sea creatures would typically die from pneumonia, infections, traumatic injuries, encephalitis, heart failure, as well as “other ailments caused by extreme confinement”.

Tilikum performing a trick during a show at SeaWorld Orlando in 2011. Picture: Gerardo Mora/Getty Images

He also claimed that many orcas broke their teeth after chewing the concrete in their enclosures and that many even slammed their heads against the walls of their water cages.

Amid his campaigning efforts for better living conditions for the animals, PETA has urged visitors to boycott trips to SeaWorld.

Mr Hargrove left SeaWorld over a decade ago, before campaigning for orcas in captivity to be given better living conditions.

In 2016, SeaWorld announced it would no longer breed the marine creatures but said it would keep the remaining ones in a bid to “provide visitors to our parks with experiences that matter.”

SeaWorld did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment.

This article originally appeared on the New York Post and has been republished here with permission