Heartbreaking images have been released of the ‘loneliest in the world’ killer whale circling his tank after outliving his friends and his own offspring.
In a video taken in June, Kiska is seen circling the perimeter and throwing water over the walls of her secluded tank at MarineLand Park in Niagara Falls, Canada.
The female killer whale was reportedly captured in Icelandic waters in 1979 and has been in captivity ever since.
Activists said the animal, which is around 45 years old, not only outlived all of its tank mates, but also its five cubs.
Researchers and activists have now claimed that his behavior was the result of his damaged mental and physical health as well as the well-being of prolonged captivity.
MarineLand has passed 26 orcas through its tanks since it opened in 1962, 20 of them have died there and the rest have been traded or donated to other facilities.
Although well known for being social animals that thrive in groups, Kiska remains isolated from all other animals, not even another orca.
Former MarineLand employee turned activist Phil Demers, 44, who worked at the park for 12 years, said: “Kiska is MarineLand’s last surviving killer whale. She was captured in 1979 in Icelandic waters and is at MarineLand. from.
“Her mental and physical health is deteriorating and as seen in the video she repeatedly swims around her pool in exactly the same way, even stopping briefly in shallow water to jerk erratically.
“Experts call it ‘zoochosis’. Orcas are social animals and NEED to be with their families, or at least other people of their own species.
“For Kiska, her isolation is torture,” he said.
“Sadly, Kiska’s fate is largely sealed at MarineLand as she is their property, and as no viable seaside sanctuary exists, her future is woefully bleak.”
Demers became a whistleblower and took to the media to expose what he claimed was wrongdoing by MarineLand a decade ago.
A walrus named Smooshi inspired his fight against the park and dubbed his campaign “SaveSmooshi”.
Phil said: “I left MarineLand in 2012 due to ongoing issues which seriously affected animal welfare and which have been ignored for far too long.
“I had to quit my job to force change, but it came at a price. MarineLand sued me in 2013 for $1.5 million for conspiring to steal a walrus. Our trial begins October 3 . Finally.
“It’s no mistake that MarineLand has taken me through incredibly expensive legal hurdles over the past decade.
“Fortunately, with public support which has largely covered my legal bills, I am now able to force MarineLand to appear in court.
“I have been and remain clear, if they want to walk away from the trial, they have to release my walrus.
“I’m just here fighting for a happy ending. My mission doesn’t end until Smooshi and I are reunited. Until then, I continue to systematically and methodically destroy MarineLand. There is no other plan.”
UNILAD has contacted MarineLand for comments.
