Animal rights groups are suing a federal agency for whale necropsy reports from SeaWorld.
The lawsuit, filed by the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and other animal rights groups, seeks necropsy reports on how three whales died -- including Tilikum.
Tilikum was featured in the documentary "Blackfish" after killing a trainer in Orlando in 2010. SeaWorld says the animal died of a bacterial lung infection last year.
The lawsuit is against the National Marine Fisheries Service and not SeaWorld. It wants the federal agency to make the necropsy records public. The agency says it can’t force SeaWorld to do that.
The animal rights groups say the records are important for scientific research.
The National Marine Fisheries Service and SeaWorld did not immediately respond to calls seeking comment.