Sad news for animal lovers: Sea World orca Kayla died, aged just 30
Hi there my Steemit friends and followers!
I had some very mixed feelings when I was reading all the articles informing about the death of Kayla, a 30-year-old orca that spent all her life in Sea World parks. I felt so sorry for the poor orca but at the same time, I was just so angry at Sea World!
Image source: Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons) - illustrative photo
If you read this post about doplhinariums that I wrote a couple of months ago, you know I am strictly against any establishment that keep wild animals in captivity just for the company´s profit and this is exactly what Sea World has been doing.
Dolphinariums and other similar facilities often argue that they take a good care of their animals and that the animals often live even longer in their tanks than they would in nature. Well, this is not case, obviously. While female orcas live up to 90 years in the wild, Kayla died at the age of just 30 after being sick for only a few days.
In 2005, Kayla had a baby (after enduring a forced artificial insemination) but the baby died just 3 years later. Before that, Kayla already miscarried one calf.
During her sorrowful life, Kayla was also repeatedly hauled from one Sea World park to another and forced to perform unnatural tricks in all of them. And we are not even talking about the tiny (for an animal of her size) tanks where she was kept all her life.
You don´t need to be an animal rights advocate like me to see there was something terribly wrong with the life of poor Kayla, do you?
Unfortunately, there are still 20 other orcas kept in Sea World parks (10 in San Diego, 5 in Orlando and 5 in San Antonio) and I cannot see any reason why we should think these guys have been doing better than Kayla.
Image source: Wikimedia Commons (Creative Commons) - illustrative photo
On a more positive note, Sea World has already promised to phase out their orca shows. It was in 2016, under a heavy pressure from animal rights activists as well as general public after the release of the documentary film "Blackfish" where all the background and practices behind orca shows were fully exposed.
We can only wish Kayla to rest in peace and hope that all the remaining orcas kept by Sea World will spend the rest of their lives in a more dignified and happier manner (which I doubt though).
At a certain point we have to ask ourselves if it's for the best to die instead of having to endure terrible living conditions for longer. It's sad that she died, but at least she won't have to spend another 60 years stuck in a small tank that's absolutely unfit for keeping orcas.
This is exactly what I was also thinking about. There have even been cases of some other cetaceans (dolphins and orcas) kept in similar facilities that tried to commit a suicide. Considering how incredibly intelligent animals they are, I totally believe it. And it makes feel truly heartbroken btw :(
That is sad news for generations of kids. Though I support the phasing out of these beings in captivity.
Canada recently passed a law that mandates the phasing out of this as well. I will have to look into the details but I think it started with breeding in captivity.
Funny thing is that I have apparently bred a couple of activists as my little ones sing along with the marine land commercial
Great article and we can hope the brighter spotlight on this will mean better treatment for those still in captivity.
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Wow, I am more and more impressed by your kids! It does take some serious adult consciousness to hate on something like Sea World as a kid indeed! Kudos to your little activists :)) I also remember you telling me about the eco-friendly grocery bags they use. It is actually this very young generation and their attitudes what gives me hope towards the future of our planet.
Damn..these are really sad news! :(
Too bad many more cases like this one will appear if people don't wake up before they destroy the world with so many pollutions and land clearing..
Exactly. But as you can see, humans can do a lot of damage even without polluting and destroying animals´ natural habitat by just doing things like this...
Yes..and that's freaking sad..
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That's a very large number, death will come for all living creatures.
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