Fact Check: Marineland of Pacific closed in 1992 due of earlier fatal incident surrounding three killer whales

Fact Check: "Marineland of Pacific closed in 1992 due to earlier fatal incident surrounding three killer whales"

What We Know

The claim that Marineland of the Pacific closed in 1992 due to a fatal incident involving three killer whales is inaccurate. Marineland of the Pacific, located in California, was indeed closed, but it was not directly related to a fatal incident involving killer whales. The closure of Marineland occurred in 1987, primarily due to financial difficulties and declining attendance, rather than any specific incident involving orcas (source-6).

In contrast, Sealand of the Pacific, located in British Columbia, Canada, was involved in a tragic incident in 1991 when a trainer, Keltie Byrne, was killed by orcas Haida II, Nootka IV, and Tilikum. Following this incident, Sealand closed in November 1992 and sold its orcas to SeaWorld (source-2, source-4).

Analysis

The claim conflates two different marine parks: Marineland of the Pacific and Sealand of the Pacific. Marineland of the Pacific closed in 1987 due to financial issues, while Sealand of the Pacific closed in 1992 after the fatal incident involving Keltie Byrne. This confusion is compounded by the fact that both parks housed orcas, but they are distinct entities with separate histories.

The sources that clarify these points include the Wikipedia pages for both Sealand of the Pacific and Orca attacks, which detail the incidents and closures accurately. The Seattle Times article (source-4) provides further confirmation of the timeline and reasons for Sealand's closure, emphasizing that it was indeed the incident involving the trainer's death that precipitated the closure.

On the other hand, the blog post discussing Marineland (source-6) supports the assertion that Marineland's closure was unrelated to any fatal incidents involving orcas, focusing instead on financial challenges.

Conclusion

The claim that "Marineland of Pacific closed in 1992 due to earlier fatal incident surrounding three killer whales" is False. The closure of Marineland occurred in 1987 for financial reasons, while Sealand of the Pacific, which was involved in a fatal incident with orcas, closed in 1992. The two parks are often confused, but they have distinct histories and circumstances surrounding their closures.

Sources

1. Orca attacks
2. Sealand of the Pacific
3. Violent incidents between humans and orcas in captivity
4. Sealand, Longtime Home To Killer Whales, Closes
5. Deceased Orcas
6. Blog: Why Did Marineland Close? | Palos Verdes, CA Patch
7. A whale of a tale: Former troublemaker writes memoir ...
8. Capture, Rescue & Release Timeline - Killer Whale Wiki