Captive Orcas 'Dying to Entertain You' - Whale and Dolphin ...

• Prince died in 1991 at Hong Kong's Ocean Park, of pseudomonas (severebacterial infection associated with multiple abscesses and septicaemia)• Hyak died in 1991 at Vancouver Aquarium. The necropsy revealed a perforatedlung, severe damage and inflammation affecting both lungs. It also revealeddamage to the brain which in humans would be consistent with pre-Alzheimer'slesions.• Hoi Wai died in 1997 at Hong Kong's Ocean Park of acute haemorrhagicenteritis (severe blood loss).One thing is fairly certain, with the possible exception of Orky (who died aged 30 years),no captive orcas have died of illnesses or conditions which might remotely be attributedto 'old age'. Yet, in 1991, Sea World's Brad Andrews, in the written statement to NMFScited above, claimed that 'more than two-thirds of the deaths we've experienced weredue to old age, and illnesses or injuries the animals sustained before coming to SeaWorld.' In fact, only one orca listed on Sea World's Marine Mammal Inventory Reportindicates 'old age' as a cause of death, and Andrew's rather sweeping statementblaming deaths upon illnesses or injuries sustained prior to arrival at Sea World, rathercasts doubts upon Sea World's much-vaunted policy of preventive medicine and alsoupon the wisdom of importing less than healthy animals!In many cases, information about cause of death is either too sketchy or in some casesnon-existent, making it difficult for significant conclusions to be drawn. Further, theillness or disease which finally kills the animal may tell only part of the story. An orcamay therefore die of pneumonia, but stress leading to a damaged immune system mayhave been a contributory factor. Orky, for example, exhibited classic signs of stress andmaladaption in the 18 months following his move with Corky, from Marineland to SeaWorld, San Diego. He lost approximately one third of his body weight before finallysuccumbing to the acute broncho-pneumonia which killed him.A major cause of premature death amongst captive females is complications duringpregnancy. Since 1987, five females have died at Sea World during pregnancy orshortly following births (see Captive Breeding). Pregnancy-related complications arerare amongst wild populations. 40The reluctance of many marine parks - especially Sea World - to release accurateinformation relating to orca deaths also extends to its employees. Many marine parkemployees are unaware of what constitutes natural health and lifespan amongst wildorcas and are led to believe that many of the captives which have died in their teensand twenties were in any case nearing the end of their natural lifespan. Significantly,'Soundings' the professional journal for trainers is extremely reluctant to publish news oforca deaths in its regional news pages, possibly to avoid damaging the morale oftrainers and employees involved in caring for captive orcas.Stress:'To deny liberty to a wild animal involves the diminishing of that animal's life. It is aninherent characteristic of wild things to be free.. in almost all cases, the denial of thisinherent characteristic involves stress, frustration, anxiety and even aggression.'(Professor Andrew Linzey, Animal Theologian, 1987) 41• It is estimated that stress may be a contributing factor in as many as 50% ofcaptive deaths. In his 1992 report, 'The Performing Orca', Erich Hoyt writes that'examining the known causes of death in captive orcas, stress was a possiblepredisposing factor in 38 of 74 deaths.'• Marine parks commonly use ‘Mylanta’ and other anti-ulcer drugs.Stress is, of course, part of daily life. It is not exclusive to the captive situation. In thewild, orcas face different challenges and hazards, but it could be argued that they arebiologically adapted over many years to dealing with such challenges. But an orca'sinnate biological conditioning cannot prepare it for the unnatural traumas of capture,transport and confinement, imposed by humans.41