Killer whale in captivity for more than 40 years was caught on camera banging his head against glass

The concept of zoos and parks with captive animals Fortunately, it has been evolving all over the world for several years now. As happened with circuses, humans themselves evolved to understand that a prison for animals – regardless of the species – could never be considered as something entertaining or recreational.

Indeed, in some countries – in Argentina, one of them – there are laws in force that prohibit circuses with animals, while zoos have started to turn into Ecoparks, without exotic species in captivity and with a new function more oriented towards the assistance and protection of specimens which, for various reasons, are not able to return to their habitat. But, in any case, they are no longer the visitors’ “toy”; nor is it an attraction to be enjoyed as if it were something strange or unknown.

This is something that is slowly changing in the world, but there are places where animal captivity continues to be exploited economically, and sold as a spectacle to the general public. And that’s what’s still happening in the park Marineland Niagara Falls, located in Ontario (Canada).

A few days ago, a video taken from above went viral in which the desperation and suffering with which a killer whale it hits again and again against the reinforced glass of the swimming pool in which it is housed and which, beyond being large, has become its reduced habitat. The video even moved people around the world and a campaign was launched to free this animal.

Liberen and Kiska

Kiska is the name of this killer whale which, in recent days, has awakened a global campaign that almost calls and cries out for its urgency Release. With the hashtag #FreeKiskaOn social networks and on the Change.org platform, more than 60,000 signatures have already been collected.

And is that a video shared on the web shows how the animal, which has been in captivity for several years, seems to get out of control at one point and make it to one of the edges of the pond in which it is found in the aforementioned Canadian park. Frantically, Kiska hit his head again and again against the glass, making it clear that his life is neither dignified nor peaceful under these conditions and trying to demonstrate in every way possible that he needs freedom.

Animal behavior experts and organizations that have joined this campaign are quick to assert that this killer whale reaction is directly related and is a symptom of the so called “stress by confinement ”.

A life in captivity

As reported by the portal orka.tank, Kiska was captured and transferred to a captive life when she was only 3 years old. She was “caught” in Iceland, in 1979 and since then his life has been spent in artificial ponds. He was the first in the Hafnarfjörur Aquarium, a zoo aquarium on this northern island dedicated to the maintenance and breeding of these specimens until their purchase.

In 1982, Kiska was bought – as if it were a car or some other object – by the Marineland Ontario de Canada, where he is now. According to official information, it is the only orca that lives in captivity in this city.