In recent years, the use of animals in captivity has sparked widespread debate. SeaWorld, in particular, has been at the center of this discussion, as it employs workers and marine mammals that thrive best when they’re not confined.
One devastating incident highlighted the potential dangers of working closely with these magnificent creatures. In 2009, on Christmas Eve, a 29-year-old trainer named Alexis Martinez was preparing for a Christmas show with Keto, a 6600-pound male orca he had worked with for several years.
During the performance, Keto began behaving unusually, struggling to execute certain moves correctly. Martinez attempted a move where he stood on the tip of the orca’s beak, and Keto would lift him out of the water. However, the orca leaned to the side, causing Martinez to fall off.
This happened again, prompting Martinez to employ a “least reinforcing scenario.” Essentially, he gave a neutral response and withheld the reward. But when Keto responded positively to another trainer’s call, the move was attempted once more.
This time, Martinez and Keto tried a move where the orca would give him a ride into the pool and onto the stage. However, something went wrong, and the orca went too deep, causing Martinez to abandon the move near the bottom of the pool.
As Martinez surfaced and appeared to be fine, Keto positioned himself between the trainer and the stage. Witnesses stated that the orca did not seem in control and appeared agitated. Suddenly, Keto attacked Martinez, dragging him to the bottom of the pool and playing violently with his body.
Trainers desperately tried to get Keto’s attention, but it took nearly 30 seconds before the orca resurfaced with Martinez’s lifeless body. They swiftly moved the orca to another pool before recovering Martinez’s body.
While there was speculation surrounding the incident, Martinez had previously expressed concern in his diaries. The autopsy confirmed that he had died due to severe injuries sustained from the orca’s attack, including multiple compression fractures, torn vital organs, and bite marks on his body.
Heartbreakingly, the orca responsible for Martinez’s death continues to perform at SeaWorld to this day, serving as a painful reminder of the risks involved in keeping such intelligent and powerful animals in captivity.
