Third orca death in 18 months at theme park
Loro Parque tourist attraction in Tenerife, Spain has announced the death of Kohana, a 20-year-old orca transferred to the facility from SeaWorld in the US in 2006. Kohana is the third orca who has died at the facility within 18 months after Skyla (17 years old) died in March 2021, and Ula (three years old),…
Read MoreBeluga move plans postponed after service boat sinks
Plans to return beluga whales, Little White and Little Grey to their sea sanctuary in Iceland have now had to be postponed due to an unprecedented incident, which happened in the bay last week. The main support and diving contractor’s boat sank in Klettsvik Bay just hours before the whales were due to move, resulting…
Read MoreCaptive Orca Nakai Dies at SeaWorld San Diego
credit: SeaWorld San Diego An orca has died while in captivity at SeaWorld San Diego. Nakai, a captive orca died of an infection this past Friday. He is the second orca to die at the park – Amaya, a 6-year-old female died in August 2021 and before that Kasatka, a 42-year-old female died in August…
Read MoreDolphin pens identified at Russian naval base
Analysis of satellite imagery suggests that Russia may be using military dolphins at its naval base at Sevastopol in the Black Sea. Sea pens used to hold the dolphins have been identified near the entrance to the harbor. Tasks carried out by the dolphins may include searching for objects and patrolling local waters. The US…
Read MoreBeluga whale Kairo dies at Oceanogràfic València
A marine park in Spain has announced the death of one of the beluga whales it holds in captivity. Valencia’s Oceanografic released a statement that the male whale called Kairo had died after 20 years being held at the park. He was brought to the park from the Mar de Plata aquarium in Argentina. It…
Read MoreGiant new ‘halo’ habitat structure reaches beluga sanctuary after 16 hour sea journey
A specially designed floating habitat, that will provide an additional step to support the return of belugas, Little White and Little Grey to their open water sea sanctuary home, has arrived at its new remote Icelandic island location following an extraordinary 16-hour journey by tugboat. Created especially for the world’s first SEA LIFE Trust Beluga…
Read MoreHigh mercury levels found in Japanese dolphin meat
According to reports from Japan, police there are investigating the sale of whale and dolphin meat containing potentially illegal levels of dangerous toxins. Action for Dolphins group say tests on samples of meat sold in the coastal town of Taiji reveal mercury levels up to 25 times higher that safe limits set by the government.…
Read MoreSweden’s last dolphin shows to end
Sweden will become dolphinaria-free following the announcement by Kolmården Zoo in Stockholm that it will be closing its dolphin facility, which currently holds twelve bottlenose dolphins. The Zoo says it wants to focus on the conservation of endangered species and end its 50-year-old era of keeping dolphins. The dolphinarium will remain in operation until the…
Read MoreA happy ending for Tokitae (Lolita)? New Seaquarium owners commit to her retirement.
Tokitae, also called Lolita and named Sk’aliCh’elh-tenaut by Washington State’s Lummi Nation, will no longer perform shows at the Miami Seaquarium, where she has been held since she was taken from her home waters in 1970. As a condition of the permit from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), new operators of the Florida facility…
Read MoreAnother beluga whale dies at Mystic Aquarium
Just six months after the loss of a whale called Havok, another beluga has died at the Mystic Aquarium in the Connecticut. Both belugas had been transported to the Mystic Aquarium from Marineland in Ontario, Canada in May 2021, along with three other individuals. The facility reported on its Facebook page that the female beluga,…
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