A 2010 video captured the final moments in Dawn Brancheau’s life as she interacted with Tilikum, the orca she had worked with for years. During a live performance, the 12,000-pound whale pulled her underwater, and she did not survive the encounter. Brancheau’s death sparked immediate outrage, resulting in lawsuits and fueling a broader conversation about the ethics of keeping orcas in captivity. The case helped shape public perception of marine parks and the treatment of captive cetaceans, and c