#RIP Kiska
March 11, 2023 11:00 AM Subscribe
Kiska, the last captive orca in Canada, died of unknown causes at the Marineland amusement park on Thursday. Kiska, a three year old female orca, was captured in Icelandic waters in 1979 and brought to the Marineland amusement park near Niagara Falls, living nearly all of her 47 years in captivity. From 2011 on, she was the only orca kept in captivity in Canada, and because of this was nicknamed "the loneliest orca in the world." Metafilter previously highlighted the poor living conditions of the animals in Marineland in 2012.
Kiska lived alongside Keiko, the orca best known for appearing in the movie Free Willy, for several years in the 1980s. Keiko was eventually freed and returned to the wild and died in 2003.
With the deaths of the orcas Nootka and Athena, and the transfer of Ikaika to SeaWorld San Diego in 2011, Kiska became the sole orca kept in the tanks at Marineland, and lived the last twelve years of her life without any companionship. She had five calves from the 1980s to the early 2000s; sadly, all died for unclear reasons.
Orcas, also known as killer whales (although that name is generally discouraged by conservationists and marine biologists for obvious reasons) are highly intelligent, highly social apex predators who live in pod groups in the wild. They are known for complex, sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors which show signs of being transmitted across generations in a form of animal culture.
Animal rights groups fought unsuccessfully for years to have Kiska transferred out of the park to more hospitable living conditions, if not back to the wild; Marineland became the site of considerable protests to highlight the substandard living conditions of animals at the park. While the Marineland protests sought to highlight the plight of all marine mammals kept there like dolphins, beluga whales, and walruses, much of the attention focused on Kiska as the sole remaining orca.
Marineland claimed that the allegations of poor animal treatment were spread by disgruntled former employees; this is partially true as multiple former employees have spoken out about the park's inhumane treatment of animals, most notably former walrus trainer Phil Demers. Demers was interviewed at length by Jesse Brown of Canadaland in 2015. In response, Marineland ownership sued Demers but settled it in 2022 amicably and agreed to rehouse its walruses.
While they were unsuccessful in freeing Kiska before her death, public outrage led to the adoption of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act by the Ontario Legislative Assembly in September 2015, which banned the possession or breeding of orcas in Ontario. In 2019, the federal Canadian parliament followed suit, which means Kiska's death meant the end of orca captivity in Canada forever. There remain 55 orcas in captivity worldwide, of which 29 were born in captivity.
The fate of Marineland itself is also not clear; the park's founder and owner, John Holer, died in 2018, and the park is now run by his family. There have been signs recently that the park may be shut down and sold entirely, but for now it still plans to reopen for the 2023 season.
Most Ontarians will know the famous Marineland commerical jingle, "Everyone Loves Marineland". Given the heartbreaking drone footage showing Kiska aimlessly circling her tank and engaging in self-destructive and obsessive behaviors before her death, it's pretty clear this sentiment was not shared by the animals kept on display there.
Kiska lived alongside Keiko, the orca best known for appearing in the movie Free Willy, for several years in the 1980s. Keiko was eventually freed and returned to the wild and died in 2003.
With the deaths of the orcas Nootka and Athena, and the transfer of Ikaika to SeaWorld San Diego in 2011, Kiska became the sole orca kept in the tanks at Marineland, and lived the last twelve years of her life without any companionship. She had five calves from the 1980s to the early 2000s; sadly, all died for unclear reasons.
Orcas, also known as killer whales (although that name is generally discouraged by conservationists and marine biologists for obvious reasons) are highly intelligent, highly social apex predators who live in pod groups in the wild. They are known for complex, sophisticated hunting techniques and vocal behaviors which show signs of being transmitted across generations in a form of animal culture.
Animal rights groups fought unsuccessfully for years to have Kiska transferred out of the park to more hospitable living conditions, if not back to the wild; Marineland became the site of considerable protests to highlight the substandard living conditions of animals at the park. While the Marineland protests sought to highlight the plight of all marine mammals kept there like dolphins, beluga whales, and walruses, much of the attention focused on Kiska as the sole remaining orca.
Marineland claimed that the allegations of poor animal treatment were spread by disgruntled former employees; this is partially true as multiple former employees have spoken out about the park's inhumane treatment of animals, most notably former walrus trainer Phil Demers. Demers was interviewed at length by Jesse Brown of Canadaland in 2015. In response, Marineland ownership sued Demers but settled it in 2022 amicably and agreed to rehouse its walruses.
While they were unsuccessful in freeing Kiska before her death, public outrage led to the adoption of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Amendment Act by the Ontario Legislative Assembly in September 2015, which banned the possession or breeding of orcas in Ontario. In 2019, the federal Canadian parliament followed suit, which means Kiska's death meant the end of orca captivity in Canada forever. There remain 55 orcas in captivity worldwide, of which 29 were born in captivity.
The fate of Marineland itself is also not clear; the park's founder and owner, John Holer, died in 2018, and the park is now run by his family. There have been signs recently that the park may be shut down and sold entirely, but for now it still plans to reopen for the 2023 season.
Most Ontarians will know the famous Marineland commerical jingle, "Everyone Loves Marineland". Given the heartbreaking drone footage showing Kiska aimlessly circling her tank and engaging in self-destructive and obsessive behaviors before her death, it's pretty clear this sentiment was not shared by the animals kept on display there.
That 25-second video at the end is heart-breaking.
posted by aniola at 11:56 AM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
posted by aniola at 11:56 AM on March 11, 2023 [1 favorite]
. for Kiska and a hearty fuck you to people who pay to look at these kinds of animals in capitivity
posted by Kitteh at 12:08 PM on March 11, 2023 [6 favorites]
posted by Kitteh at 12:08 PM on March 11, 2023 [6 favorites]
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posted by Callisto Prime at 12:21 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by Callisto Prime at 12:21 PM on March 11, 2023
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posted by Banknote of the year at 12:42 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by Banknote of the year at 12:42 PM on March 11, 2023
The comments section (I know, I know) on a Canadian news site I looked at has about 95% of the comments saying, “RIP,” and, “I hope Marineland closes forever now,” and a couple of guys saying “if she was lonely they should of gotten her another one problem solved lol.”
Reminders that the trade in orcas has been illegal for a decade now and they were celebrating a social animal being kept alone for a decade or more were met with, “all the tree huggers here are hipocrates and probably keep there dogs in a crate 24/7 lol lol.”
Remember that these people’s vote weigh just as heavily as yours.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:51 PM on March 11, 2023 [9 favorites]
Reminders that the trade in orcas has been illegal for a decade now and they were celebrating a social animal being kept alone for a decade or more were met with, “all the tree huggers here are hipocrates and probably keep there dogs in a crate 24/7 lol lol.”
Remember that these people’s vote weigh just as heavily as yours.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 12:51 PM on March 11, 2023 [9 favorites]
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Fuck every single place that keep cetaceans in captivity so that people can gawk at them in the equivalent of prison exercise yard. And all those that work there.
posted by reynir at 1:06 PM on March 11, 2023 [11 favorites]
Fuck every single place that keep cetaceans in captivity so that people can gawk at them in the equivalent of prison exercise yard. And all those that work there.
posted by reynir at 1:06 PM on March 11, 2023 [11 favorites]
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posted by praemunire at 1:17 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by praemunire at 1:17 PM on March 11, 2023
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posted by cupcakeninja at 2:01 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by cupcakeninja at 2:01 PM on March 11, 2023
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posted by BlackLeotardFront at 2:46 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by BlackLeotardFront at 2:46 PM on March 11, 2023
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posted by vibratory manner of working at 4:01 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by vibratory manner of working at 4:01 PM on March 11, 2023
The least surprising thing about Marineland is that it is a categorically shit theme park even before you take the gratituous animal cruelty into account. The rides are generic theme park rides for the most part, and generally in a state of poor repair (as is the park as a whole). The park is laid out haphazardly and requires immense amounts of walking in order to get to things - including things like bathrooms and snack stands. Half of the attractions are likely to be closed at any point. There are literally pathways to nowhere because the owners on several occasions have planned for and started building a new attraction and then abandoned it midway through construction. And, on top of all of that, it's expensive - it costs more than Canada's Wonderland (with better rides) or the Toronto Zoo (more animals, and even though zoos have their issues at least the Toronto Zoo has professional staff who care for the animals as well as possible under the circumstances). And then, yeah, there's all the animal cruelty!
It is legitimately one of the worst theme parks in the entire world. Possibly the worst. It was started by shitty terrible people and currently run by shitty terrible people. Send the animals to places where they'll be safe and cared for properly (since they're all too traumatized now to release into the wild, most likely) and burn everything else to the ground.
posted by mightygodking at 6:13 PM on March 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
It is legitimately one of the worst theme parks in the entire world. Possibly the worst. It was started by shitty terrible people and currently run by shitty terrible people. Send the animals to places where they'll be safe and cared for properly (since they're all too traumatized now to release into the wild, most likely) and burn everything else to the ground.
posted by mightygodking at 6:13 PM on March 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
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That Austrian spa should set up shop on the former marineland site, not on Ontario Place
posted by scruss at 7:01 PM on March 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
That Austrian spa should set up shop on the former marineland site, not on Ontario Place
posted by scruss at 7:01 PM on March 11, 2023 [3 favorites]
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posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 7:44 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by rrrrrrrrrt at 7:44 PM on March 11, 2023
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posted by signsofrain at 8:05 PM on March 11, 2023
posted by signsofrain at 8:05 PM on March 11, 2023
Je suis québécoise any my heart breaks for Kiska one last time. She deserved better and we ought to have done better, but we were too busy shouting louder and louder what a great, admirable nation we were to have time to make it a reality. I won't go on a whole political rant but there are some parallels between the specific details of the resistance to and backlash against calls to release her and the arc of Canadian politics over the last 15 years, and they fill my heart with shame.
posted by seraphine at 9:21 PM on March 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
posted by seraphine at 9:21 PM on March 12, 2023 [3 favorites]
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posted by twilightlost at 2:17 PM on March 13, 2023
posted by twilightlost at 2:17 PM on March 13, 2023
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posted by Fizz at 11:20 AM on March 11, 2023 [16 favorites]