SeaWorld Orca Appears To Commit Suicide At Tenerife Theme Park

First Posted: Jun 07, 2016 06:05 AM EDT
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A SeaWorld killer whale, named Morgan, was lying motionless for over 10 minutes on a concrete slab with a move that appeared to be an attempt to kill herself at the theme park in Tenerife, Spain last month. The spectators, most of them were tourists, were worried and fearful that the whale would commit suicide.

Efrat Cybulkiewicz, one of the viewers, said that it looks as if the whale was trying to take her own life. She added that she doesn't blame her. Someone also replied shame on humans who exploit whales. They commented after they witnessed the killer whale beached herself for ten minutes. The killer whale's internal organs and muscles could be crushed if he beached for too long, according to The Sun.

There is also a video showing Morgan banging her head against the metal gate in an attempt to escape her enclosure. Helene Hesselager O'Barry of the Dolphin Project said that orca is obviously in huge distress and strikes its head forcefully against the metal gate in what seems to be an attempt to escape. The Dolphin Project is campaigning on issues that the said park is exploiting the orcas and the bottlenose dolphins.

There are six killer whales at the park. They are owned by SeaWorld. Most of the orcas are used as part of a show at a theme park. Morgan was transferred at Loro Parque. She was the only killer whale in the park that was born in the wild. She was found off the coast of the Netherlands in 2010. The campaigners said that Morgan is being bullied by other orcas,according to RT.

On the other hand, the Loro Parque released a statement saying that the campaigners were attempting manipulation through exaggeration and dramatization of a completely normal situation in which there is no problem for animals.

Meanwhile, the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) director of animal law, Jared Goodman, said Morgan misses the ocean and wants to go back home. He further said that she has been attacked by incompatible orcas dozens of times a day and smashed her head into a gate many times. Now, she has beached herself in absolute desperation. He calls on SeaWorld to release this suffering orca and the others it holds captive to a seaside sanctuary now.

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