The Tragedy of Loro Parque

PHOTO HAS BEEN REMOVED AT THE REQUEST OF THE PHOTOGRAPHER.  APPARENTLY HE THINKS THIS IS OK.

A loss of life, whether human or animal, is always a sad event.  Yesterday’s announcement of Vicky’s death at Loro Parque is the ending to her short, tragic story.  Unfortunately, the story continues for the other whales of Loro Parque, SeaWorld and other parks that house these intelligent animals.

In February 2006, four SeaWorld whales were transferred to Loro Parque on a “breeding loan”.  Vicky was the inbred offspring of two of these whales:  Kohana and Keto.   Keto is actually Kohana’s uncle.  Follow me here for just a minute…

Kohana was born to Takara and Tilikum.  Takara was born to Kasatka and Kotar.

Keto was also born to Kotar.

Are you confused?  Let’s put it another way:

Picture a little girl, just shy of her 2^nd birthday, suddenly taken away from her family and moved to a different dysfunctional family.  Two years later, still under 4 years old, she is moved again to another “family”.  She has never had an opportunity to learn correctly or establish any roots.  A tragedy in its own right.

At the young age of eight, she gives birth to a son after being raped by her uncle.  An eight year old mother with no formal upbringing!  Of course, she has no idea how to take care of her newborn, so the baby is cared for by outsiders.  Less than two years later, after being raped by her uncle AGAIN, she gives birth to a baby girl at the age of 10.  With no mother to show her the ropes, she still has no idea how to care for her baby.  Outsiders step in again.

This young mother’s baby, Angel, then dies at the terribly young age of 10 months old.  Sad as it may seem, it just didn’t seem as if Angel had a chance.

Yet, this is the story of Kohana and Vicky.  This is why these whales do not belong in captivity and certainly should NOT be breeding in captivity.  In the wild, a female orca lives a lifespan comparable to humans.  Can you imagine having the life of this mother?  Or the life and sudden death of this calf?  This is completely unethical and it needs to stop now.

Please consider signing and sharing the petition to tell SeaWorld (and Loro Parque) to STOP their orca breeding program:

http://www.change.org/petitions/seaworld-end-captive-orca-breeding-program

For more information about the tragedies of SeaWorld and Loro Parque’s whales and trainers, check out David Kirby’s book Death at SeaWorld available in paperback on July 2.  For an autographed copy, pre-order now and join our initiative at Fins and Fluke:

http://www.facebook.com/events/420429341398500/