While killer whales are marine animals that live their entire lives in groups or families, Kiska was described as “the loneliest killer whale in the world”. Because for more than 12 years, she lived alone in her small pond in Marineland Park in Niagara Falls, Ontario.
The orca was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979, when she was just 3 years old. She was then transferred to an aquarium in Iceland, where she notably lived alongside Keiko, the famous killer whale from the movie “Save Willy”. Both sea animals were subsequently sold to the Marineland franchise. Released into the ocean after a stopover in a Mexican water park, Keiko died of pneumonia in 2003, aged 27.
Behavioral problems
But Kiska did not have the chance to regain freedom. Since 2011, she had been living in captivity and seclusion in her pool at Niagara Falls Water Park in Canada. For several years, the orca had exhibited behavioral problems caused by boredom. The stress and lack of interaction with other animals of his species ended up taking a toll on his health, which has declined in recent weeks. During her 43 years of captivity, she gave birth to five baby orcas, all of whom died in infancy.
In 2021, former marine mammal trainer at Marineland Phil Demers released a video of Kiska banging his head against the windows of his pool. The whole world was moved for this orca and animal protection associations had multiplied the calls to release it. In mid-January, the UrgenSeas association had also published a video, showing the orca isolated and turning in circles in its basin.
“Life completely destroyed”
“His life was completely destroyed, it is inexcusable. I hope it will never happen again,” Phil Demers told Radio-Canada. Carly Ferguson, president of an animal rights group in captivity, says she felt great relief after the news of her death. “The most worrying thing is that she saw her five babies die and she never had the chance to mourn,” she continues. The Marineland teams ensure for their part “to have done everything possible for his comfort” and “mourn his loss”.
Carly Ferguson regrets that Marineland allowed the orca to live in this situation for so many years and accuses the government of having done nothing.
