Ambitious plan to free captive orca Lolita announced
The new owner of the Miami Seaquarium in the US has announced that it is exploring plans to release captive orca Tokitae, also known as Lolita, back into a sea sanctuary in her home waters of the Pacific Northwest. Tokitae has been held captive in a tank for over 50 years and kept alone for…
Read MoreKiska the ‘world’s loneliest whale’ dies at Canadian theme park
Kiska, dubbed the loneliest whale in the world, has died at Marineland, a zoo and amusement park in Canada. Caught in wild Icelandic waters she spent four decades held captive. She was just three years old when she was taken from the ocean, and her family, and condemned to a life in a barren, concrete…
Read MoreNarnia the orca dies at Russian dolphinarium
Narnia the orca performs in Russia © Oxana Fedorova Narnia, a wild orca taken from the sea and held at the Moskvarium facility in Moscow has died. In a statement issued by the dolphinarium, officials say she died unexpectedly, showing no prior signs of illness. Narnia was thought to be around 17 years old and…
Read MoreLarge number of dolphins moved to Abu Dhabi marine park
Up to 24 captive bottlenose dolphins have reportedly been sent to a new SeaWorld theme park in Abu Dhabi. The marine park is due to open in 2023 and the dolphins, who were moved from a number of SeaWorld locations in the US, including San Diego, San Antonio, and Orlando, now face further confinement in…
Read MoreLas Vegas dolphin facility to close
Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat in Las Vegas is to permanently close. The facility is part of The Mirage complex and has been open for more than three decades but, following the property’s sale to Hard Rock International, the decision has been made to permanently close the garden and habitat. While it…
Read MoreThird 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…
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