Orcas, also known as killer whales, are rather majestic, beautiful animals many people love and want to see. But, some onlookers at SeaWorld got more than they bargained for when a killer whale defecated and splashed them with the contents. Here’s what happened.
This incident happened at SeaWorld San Antonio.
Embed from Getty ImagesSeaWorld is known for hosting shows where animals, such as sea lions and orcas, perform. A big component of the orca show is when the whales splash water from the tank onto the crowd.
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Many people purposefully sit in this “splash zone” for the excitement of being sprayed with water by killer whales.
This time, it wasn’t just water.
In the video, which was posted on X, the killer whale defecated in the pool during the performance. It then leaped out of the water and back in, causing a large splash containing the water and the expelled material.
The dirty water splashed many people in the audience, leading to a rather traumatic experience.
Those in the audience were left gagging.
Samantha King, who was there for the incident, said, “We expected to get wet sitting so close, but not like that. It smelled awful, and people were gagging.”
Given that the killer whale is quite a large animal, it makes sense that this would be a large amount of smelly matter. It was definitely not what anyone would expect from the show.
Reactions to the video were rather mixed.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe topic of SeaWorld and orcas is already rather contentious. The 2013 documentary Blackfish, about orcas at SeaWorld, prompted discussion about whether these animals should be kept in captivity at all.
This documentary and the backlash led SeaWorld to stop putting trainers in the water with the orcas during performances.
Many people still want to see SeaWorld free these animals or have them stop performing.
Embed from Getty ImagesMany people online expressed their frustration with SeaWorld’s animal shows. Some people on X commented that they wanted to see orcas back in the wild.
Others felt the action was pushback against being in captivity. Some users felt the whale knew what it was doing and was trying to “troll the audience.”
Orcas are very intelligent…but the animal may have just needed to go.
Orcas, a large type of dolphin, are known for their intelligence and social behaviors. But it’s still impossible to know what was going on in the whale’s head during the show.
The orca may have just been going through the routine as usual but needed to use the bathroom while it was happening. After all, there’s only one place for a whale to use the toilet!
SeaWorld apologized for the incident.
After this, visitors who were splashed were taken to another area of the park and given soap, towels, and water.
SeaWorld also released a statement saying, “We regret this unfortunate event and are taking every step to ensure the safety and comfort of our guests.”
Do you think the orca was being a troll?
While we will never know the intentions of the orca, it was an unfortunate incident for those in the audience. And, of course, we can’t blame the whale for doing what it needs to do!
What do you think about this gross but slightly entertaining incident?
