Kandu’s Death Revives Issue

The question of whether wild animals should be trained to perform for the pleasure, and often the profit, of man is as old as zoos.

There are those who are offended by elephants, whales, otters, walruses and the like being taught tricks for circuses, sideshows, zoos and marine parks. Others, especially children, old and young, are fascinated by seeing man and animal work together.

The debate is renewed whenever there is an incident of abuse or injury. Then it fades as the show goes on.

It came up when San Diego Zoo trainers alleged that Dunda the elephant was cruelly disciplined at the Wild Animal Park. And it is bound to heat up again with the death of Sea World’s killer whale, Kandu, the orca who captured the hearts of Southern Californians when she gave birth to Baby Shamu during a performance last year.

Kandu died of injuries she suffered when she rammed another whale. Kandu picked the fight with Corky, an older female, in a holding tank during a show. Then, the fatally injured and bleeding Kandu swam through the performance pool before being led back to the holding pen, where she died a short time later.

It was a shocking sight for the thousands of spectators who witnessed Kandu’s last swim.

The Sea World veterinarian said it is natural for a younger female to try to assert her dominance. But what’s not known, said one marine biologist, is whether the aggression might have been triggered by the fact that Kandu was with her 11-month-old calf.

Kandu was the second killer whale to die at Sea World in less than a year. Kandu’s breeding partner, Orky, who accompanied her from Marineland when Sea World purchased and then closed the Palos Verdes park, died in September, apparently of old age.

Killer whales, or orcas, are the largest and fastest members of the dolphin family. They are highly intelligent and social.

They have proven capable of learning very complex tricks with human trainers, tricks that have grown more spectacular as humans have learned more about the animals. But are the pleasure, profit and educational opportunity that the whales provide in captivity worth the risks to whale and man?

Luckily, no trainers were in the water when Kandu decided to exert her dominance.

Less than two years ago, a trainer was seriously injured when the 5-ton Orky landed on him after leaping out of the water during a show. Other trainers also have been injured during Sea World’s more than 20-year history.

The show has already gone on at Sea World. No doubt, the park’s owners would prefer to avoid the debate over the wisdom of captivity.

But the debate is needed, nonetheless. Each time the question is reexamined, we learn a bit more about man and beast. And perhaps eventually the issue can be settled:

Are the thrills worth the price?