Tilikum, the killer whale that became infamous for battering and drowning a SeaWorld Orlando trainer, has an apparent lung infection that could kill him. The orca, estimated to be 35 years old, has become increasingly lethargic over the past few weeks. "I wish I could say I was tremendously optimistic about Tilikum and his future, but he has a disease which is chronic and progressive and at some point might cause his death," veterinarian Scott Gearhart said on a video.  Published on Mar 8, 2016 
 
 Since Tilikum became a part of SeaWorld’s family 23 years ago, he has received the best in marine mammal health care available for killer whales. You can learn more about the care Tilikum is receiving by watching this video of Tilikum and other whales. The theme park attributed some of the decline to public reaction to the film. Besides Brancheau, the orca has been implicated in the deaths of two other people. A Sealand trainer died in 1991 after falling into a tank holding Tilikum and several other whales and was prevented from surfacing. In 1999, he was involved in a second incident when the naked body of a man who had apparently sneaked in after hours to swim with the whales was found draped dead across his back. Tilikum is the orca that killed SeaWorld trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010 — her death and SeaWorld's treatment of its killer whales were at the center of the documentary Blackfish.
– Tilikum, the killer whale at the heart of the SeaWorld-damning documentary Blackfish, has a lung infection that could possibly kill him, the Orlando Sentinel reports. SeaWorld announced the 35-year-old whale's illness Tuesday. "I wish I could say I was tremendously optimistic about Tilikum and his future, but he has a disease which is chronic and progressive and at some point might cause his death," a veterinarian says in a video released by SeaWorld. Tilikum is being being treated with antibiotics and antifungal medications. While the whale is still eating, he's become increasingly lethargic. And USA Today reports the bacteria has been resistant to treatment so far. According to NPR, Tilikum has been at SeaWorld for 23 years and is one of its "most prolific breeders." Tilikum has been involved in three human deaths, the most lurid of which was in 1999 when a naked man was found "draped dead across his back" after getting into the park after hours. But it was the 2010 drowning death of a trainer that inspired Blackfish. In the documentary, experts argue that killer whales are highly intelligent creatures who can become depressed and dangerous if kept in confinement. Since Blackfish was released in 2013, SeaWorld has lost attendance, revenue, and sponsors. A SeaWorld spokesperson wouldn't say whether or not the ailing Tilikum is still performing at the park. But a trainer in the company's video says "if he's ready to go out and do a show…I'm excited to do that with him."