Killer Whale Show at Loro Parque, 08/11/10

Four adult whales took part in the show; a fifth whale (a calf born in October) was held separately and was being bottle-fed.

From left to right, Tekoa, Keto, Skyla and Kohanna mother of the calf. (who is now showing interest in taking her calf back, fingers crossed)

With a few attacks at this park in recent years (and even the death of a trainer) is it true that none of the employees enter the water with the orcas? I understand that policy has been phased out at Loro Parque, as well as at San Diego SeaWorld as well. Of the small number of facilities around the world that still have killer whales, how many of the shows feature humans in the water at the same time as the orcas?

Since the incident in December 2009 trainers at Loro Parque do not enter the water with the whales. This also became the case at all three SeaWorld parks after the death of a trainer at SeaWorld Orlando in January 2010. Only Miami Seaquarium and Kamogawa Sea World (not related to the US parks) still feature shows with trainers in the water with the animals. Recent pictures have been taken at SeaWorld San Diego appearing to show that water desensitization work with the whales has resumed, with the intention of training the whales to ignore a person unintentionally in the water.

What about Marineland Antibes? Are there also not-enter-the-water-shows only?

As far as I can tell they have been out of the water since around the time of the SeaWorld incident.