Getting word that the fast-rising pool floor that SeaWorld has been tinkering with for months, in the “G” pool at SeaWorld Florida, is about to go operational. And that construction to install similar floors at SeaWorld Texas and SeaWorld California will begin in earnest late this year or over the winter.
The fast-rising floor and “spare air” for trainers have been the two most prominent safety upgrades that SeaWorld has pursued in the aftermath of the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau. Getting these complex technologies to work properly could be the key to SeaWorld making a case to OSHA that it is safe for trainers to go back into the water. That is a case that SeaWorld presumably would have to make if its appeal of OSHA’s citation regarding waterwork, which is in the hands of a judge at the moment, is denied.
Thanks to the magic of Tumblr, here is a recent picture of the SWF G pool floor, which is propelled to the surface by compressed air:
Here’s another:
And if you go here, you can click through an entire timeline of work on the pool floor.
The Earthist Chronicles 
Free them all!!! Their misery should not be an spectacle to humans!
SHAME ON YOU!
Now they just have to teach the whales the hand signal for ‘if you’re going to attack one of us, can you please do it in the UV pool’,
lol pretty much….this will NEVER work…its pointless…
So if a whale is holding a trainer on the bottom and crushing them with their weight as happened to Dawn and Alex how does a fast rising pool floor help? The whale is stranded on top of the trainer and they die from their injuries anyway? Plus these whales have been without water work with trainers for two years wouldn’t it be even more dangerous to try and start up again now? It worries me that SW will be lulled into a false sense of security with these measures and deem it okay to do water work with TIli. Recipe for disaster. Seriously. SW should be phasing out performances completely and concentrating on research, conservation and education. IF people who say they are supporters of SW and lovers of these beautiful creatures are serious about that love they will support SW without the vampy performances.
i 100% agree with you, but you might just want to check your facts first, nobody is allowed in the water with Tilly nobody has ever been allowed in the water with him since the first incident in 1991, and also dawn wasn’t crushed to death by him, he wasn’t on top of her and Alex didn’t die from his injurys, so to my knowledge nobody has died in seaworld from being crushed by them. the floor raising is merely so that it makes it easier for people to reach the trainer/whale and the whale is more restricted from causing anymore damage.
This is yet another danger that orcas in captivity have to face. Rather than dealing with the problem itself – orcas who have been traumatized by capture and captivity – they are desperately (and pathetically, in my opinion), scavenging for solution. This is a PHYSICAL HAZARD for the orcas, who could be in the process of jumping, swimming on their sides or whatnot. What a sorry state of affairs for these typically gentle giant dolphins. And another notch on the increasing scale of man’s inhumanity.
What a sorry state of affairs for these typically gentle dolphin giants who have already been traumatized by capture and captivity. This severely increases the PHYSICALLY DANGERS to these already compromised orcas and should be made illegal by APHIS regulations. Having the floor come up for cetaceans is like a ‘ceiling’ coming down. If one or more of them are jumping, swimming quickly (let alone on his/her side), etc., the hazards are obvious. No one has any business to be keeping orcas in tanks and if Sea World really cared one bit about their welfare, they would create an open ocean sanctuary for them; one *without* performing trainers, clowns, circus tricks, etc.
Totally agree with you!!! 🙂
Interesting how you all badmouth SeaWorld. Seaworld got the floor working already, ive seen it myself. What you call a circus is not at all, it is in fact a display of natural behaviors on cue. Its not jumping through hoops or wearing silly hats.. the age of show monkeys is over. if not go look up bows, breaches, spyhops etc. You all talk big but dont go after places like Miami Seaquarium who has one sole whale in a illegal tank. How bout go there instead of pick on a place which orcas are well off. Death can and will happen trainers know this but they do what they love.. Oh Why free ANIMALS BORN in the park..
Not the brightest idea to point fingers at Miami SeaQuarium and defend SeaWorld… when both are in a business relationship of trading Pacific White-sided Dolphins and PW-S dolphin semen to keep their captive populations going. (FYI this info came from a SeaQuarium regular)
@whaleorca I am honestly shocked that your name is “whaleorca” Do you honestly believe that they are doing “natural behaviors on cue?” Maybe u are just not as well informed, I wasnt at the begining but, if you want I can give you some great websites and even some info on exactly what and who seaworld is and how orcas really act in the wild.
Honestly I don’t understand what you’ve written here nor to what end.
PS Don’t even reply with comments about my inability to “understand” your point. You haven’t made one & I’ve taught writing for twenty two years. And yes Whaleorca; that is my real name. I have the courage of my convictions. BTW those floors are an accident just waiting to happen.
I am not whaleorca. This is another Janine who is against everything SeaScum stands for. Please don’t attribute her absurd comments to me.
While this idea is a “good concept” in theory, what the whales do to their victims is hardcore. You would have a body ripped to shreds at the top of tank instead of on bottom.See autopsy injuries – the medical examiner found blunt force injuries, broken ribs, broken sternum, dislocated elbow/knee, abrasions and contusions. Parts of the autopsy report are extremely graphic, saying that Brancheau’s arm had been ripped from her body, her scalp torn from her skull and her spinal cord severed.
So yah, if Tilikum wants to take your ass down hes gonna do it.
Good luck trainers!