Kohana – Another orca death at Loro Parque!
On Semptember 15th Loro Parque announced yet another death of their orcas. This time it was Kohana who passed before her time. This 20-year-old female was very young and died decades short of her life expectancy.
What is more than alarming is the fact that this is a third orca who died prematurely at Loro Parque in only 18 months and three days. Last year it was Skyla who died at age 17 and only five months later, Ula – daughter of Morgan, a famous orca who was found as a calf, rehabilitated, and never returned to her natural home. Ula was only 2 years old…
Image of Kohana by Diva Flora Nikolova
At this point it’s more than obvious there is something seriously wrong with the care for orcas at this Zoo from Tenerife. Their statement after Kohana’s passing is nothing short of embarassing. “The memory of Kohana … will make our mission even stronger: to provide the best care and welfare to the different species of our animal embassy.”
This leaves four orcas still breathing at Loro Parque. Keto, Tekoa, Adan and Morgan. It all makes us sad, angry, and wonder how many more of these highly intelligent beings have to die there for this marine prison to be shut down.
Image by Diva Flora Nikolova
WHO WAS KOHANA
Kohana was born at SeaWorld San Diego in 2002 and separated from her family at only 3 years old to be shipped to Loro Parque, Tenerife.
She spent her whole life confined to a concrete tank and forced to perform demeaning tricks in exchange for food. All for human entertainment and money, of course.
In 2010, she gave birth to Adán ( male) and in 2012 to Victoria (female). Their father was Kohana’s half-uncle Keto, who had been shipped to Loro Parque with her. Adan is still alive, but Victoria died after less than a year.
Kohana’s father was Tilikum, the famous orca whose story is documented in BLACKFISH. Being conceived via artificial insemination, she only met her father briefly, 1 year and 9 months after being born when she was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando with her mother.
When Kohana was transferred to Loro Parque on February 13, 2006, she was not only separated from her mother Takara but also her baby brother Trua.
Image of Kohana by Diva Flora Nikolova
Loro Parque has announced that a full necropsy will be conducted. But what truth have we ever learned from a necropsy done at an entertainment facility? It can never hide the real truth…
Whales will never thrive in concere tanks!