CAPTIVE ORCA MOURNING
A wild orca mother in the endangered Southern Resident Killer Whale (SRKW) population has mourned the loss of her newborn by carrying the baby for 17 days. She has now left her dead baby. Such mourning is one of many reasons why cetaceans must not be kept in captivity.

The Vancouver Aquarium started the orca slave trade when in 1964 they harpooned a probable SRKW to kill one to use for a sculpture’s model. After decades of having orcas in captivity at the Vancouver Aquarium only “Bjossa” had babies. All three did not live very long. The first two were taken from “Bjossa” so she never knew what ever happened to them. When the third one died she kept trainers away to mourn the loss. When the body started to decay it was in her best interests to say her final goodbye. But the staff were afraid of ”Bjossa” and would not remove the dead baby. Lifeforce said either they do it immediately or Lifeforce will be there to do it. So they lowered the water and removed yet another dead cetacean from their prison pools.

The suffering of orca moms and their young has continued for decades. Aquariums separated them as they shipped the young out to other aquariums for entertainment and breeding. The Vancouver Aquarium continues their beluga breding program with Sea Worlds. If the babies survive half of them belong to the Vancouver Aquarium and half to Sea Worlds. Young belugas are taken from their moms too.

End the Mourning! End Captivity!