Orca is a killer whale that belongs to a dolphin family. Keltie Byrne had to lose her life at the hand of Orca.
Due to orca’s different sizes and usefulness as predators, the marine mammals were called “predators.” Some people think so because they are well-known to consume whales, sailors gave them the nickname “whale killers.” That is how they got their name.
Both the poles and the equator contain orcas. They are let frequently participate as the stars of many aquarium performances as they are intelligent and capable of being trained. However, there is news of them killing their trainers.
Orca Trainer Death: Who Was Keltie Byrne?
Keltie Byrne was a Canadian student who was born on 6 December 1970. She was a swimmer, animal lover, and animal trainer. She fell in the enclosed pool of orca accidentally on 20 February 1991.
Byrne was working at the Canadian theme park Sealand of the Pacific when he met a deadly accident that took her life. She was born to her parents in Calgary, Alberta. Since her childhood, she was an animal lover and often played with them.
She attended the University of Victoria and studied Environmental Studies. Byrne was working there to earn extra money. She was working with Orca whales named Tilikum, Nootka IV, and Haida II at Sealand.
Why Did “Friendly” Tilicum Kill Keltie Byrne?
“Friendly” Tilicum killed Keltie Byrne for no solid reason. The reason is never known why Tilicum killed its trainer. However, Byrne was not the only one Tilicum killed. Daniel P. Dukes and later Brancheau were also killed by Tilicum.
The Orca was sold to SeaWorld’s parks in the United States from Sealand of the Pacific. One of the witnesses, Nadine Kallen said that the memorial has to be established tribute to Byrne. It was never done though.
Whales at the theme parks might be abused and traumatized during the training course. This might be the reason for their rage to kill the trainers. Byrne’s corpse was recovered using a big net. She was declared dead, and the incident was regarded as an accident.
Keltie Byrne Family Today
Keltie Byrne’s family details are not known. However, we can guess that no family will be ok after what had happened to Byrne. Such a deadly accident can take family members’ trauma.
Another trainer Brancheau’s family however said ‘ok’ on the return of the orca to the water show after attacking her to death. We hope their family could keep themselves composed after missing their family members to a horrible death.
Keltie Byrne Autopsy And Reddit Theories
Keltie Byrne’s autopsy report was not shared. However, the news of her accident has been circulated on Reddit. She fell on teh water tank containing Orcas while other tourists witnessed the incident.
Tilicum didn’t let her go off her leg, so she could not climb out of the water to save herself. She was twenty years old when she died. The science student couldn’t save herself from her trainees.
Tilicum later died when it was still captivating. The orca was only two when the part took her. Her aggression toward others took three lives. Poor Byrne has to lose her life though she loved animals.