SeaWorld killer whale trainers are now showcasing some new, innovative vests. According to SeaWorld curator of animal training Kelly Clark, the vests are sleek and basically serve as minuscule SCUBA sets that can save trainers lives while working with the killer whales.

SeaWorld killer whale trainers are now showcasing some new, innovative vests. The garments are lightweight and small in size, however they are very useful.

They are inflatable, allowing trainers to reach the surface of the water quickly. The vests also come equipped with a scuba tank that provides several minutes of air.


According to SeaWorld curator of animal training Kelly Clark, the vests are sleek and basically serve as minuscule SCUBA sets that can save trainers lives while working with the killer whales.

However a former SeaWorld trainer disagrees that the new vests are safer, as he believes they serve as a drowning hazard, giving the whales something else to grab onto.

Despite the conflicting opinions, the vests were created with the best intentions.Trainer Dawn Brancheau was killed in 2010 when a killer whale pulled her underwater during an Orlando show. Ever since the tragic incident, authorities at SeaWorld have been working to make the conditions safer for trainers. OSHA rules subsequently prohibited trainers from getting into the water with killer whales, but the hope is that the vests will allow trainers to resurface and take in air if anything unforeseen happens.