SeaWorld trainers will be back in the water soon with killer whales for the first time since one of their colleagues, Dawn Brancheau was dragged into the water and killed by Tilikum, one of the company’s orcas, February 2010. The limited interactions will commence over the coming months and will be restricted at first to small medical pools that can be lifted out of the water.

Since the trainers death, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration proposed not allowing trainers to have any physical contact with Tilikum but the Florida theme park is getting set to launch a new killer whale show with revamped safety measures. Tillikum is still at SeaWorld, but is kept at a safe distance from the public and the trainers. No date has been set for in-water training, but the safety precautions still ignore the heart of the problem.

Click here to watch interview with former SeaWorld trainer, Dr Jeffrey Ventre, discussing the park's decision to allow trainers back in the water with killer whales.

The Marine Connection believes that there is no longer any reason to keep these large, free ranging and intelligent animals in captivity, resulting in danger to the health of both the animals involved and also their trianers.

Dr Ventre also supports our plea to release a young orca called Morgan, who was taken into captivity in the Netherlands, under the strict understanding that she would be released when fit, however it now seems that the dolphinarium now intends that she will remain in captivity for the remainder of her life.

We sincerely believe that there is irrefutable proof that keeping these animals in captivity is wrong and as such Morgan should be given the opportunity to be returned to the wild where she belongs and not suffer the indignity of captivity, like Tilikum.