Because the group of orca held at Loro Parque is even more dysfunctional than those held at SeaWorld, San Diego. Dr Visser is very concerned about Morgan’s welfare. She already has evidence of Morgan being bullied, attacked, rammed and bitten. This latest injury in captivity shows that trainers cannot control the orca and Morgan’s removal from Loro Parque has an even greater urgency.
Nakai is an 11 year-old captive orca imprisoned at SeaWorld California. Last week he was photographed with a horrific injury – a chunk of flesh the size of a dinner plate is missing from his lower jaw (you can see from the photo that this is no exaggeration). Nakai has been treated with antibiotics by SeaWorld veterinarians, but this poor animal is not in the clear – not only could his injury cause direct health implications, but it could lead to infection.
It is believed that Nakai sustained this wound on September 20th during a night show at the amusement park, but it is unclear as to how it happened.
Originally, experts were of the opinion that Nakai’s injuries could not have resulted from an orca bite. The U-T San Diego reported:
Dr. Ingrid Visser, a leading orca researcher from New Zealand and anti-captivity activist, concurred with Anderson [veterinarian with the University of California Davis Wildlife Center] that the wound doesn’t appear to be a bite, more like a slice caused by something like a metal plate or a wire. She added that she believed that the injury is more serious than Sea World officials have stated.
“This is clearly a very traumatic wound and it appears to be down to the bone and again, I think that SeaWorld is underplaying the wound,” she wrote in an e-mail. “This is another example of why these animals shouldn’t be in captivity.”
However, new evidence has come to light which now suggests otherwise – that Nakai’s injuries are likely to have resulted from an orca bite.
New photographs of Nakai have been released by orca expert Ingrid Visser, which clearly show four puncture marks at the bottom right of the wound – the spacing matches that for orca teeth as you can see by comparing them to Nakai’s teeth in the same photo.
“When I tried to photograph him over the top of the (very) high rails, I was told to not stand on the camera box and I had to stop taking photos there. Then the trainers deliberately moved Nakai to another tank where we couldn’t see him properly. I only managed to get 6 semi-decent photos of him.”
As others have speculated, it is possible that SeaWorld staff members cauterized the wound with lasers to get rid of the rakes before anyone outside of the park saw the injury. But they left those four punctures since they would have had to take too much flesh to remove them.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) announced on Friday they have filed a complaint with the Department of Agriculture for conditions at SeaWorld San Diego that led to a gaping injury to the lower jaw of an 11-year-old killer whale.
For more information please read the following articles:
Journalist Tim Zimmermann first reported this news –
http://timzimmermann.tumblr.com/post/32433797105/nakaiphoto
‘Death at SeaWorld’ author David Kirby also investigates the story –
http://www.takepart.com/article/2012/09/28/what-happened-nakai-seaworld-whale-missing-huge-chunk-chin
CBS8 report on Nakai’s injuries:
http://www.cbs8.com/category/155799/video-landing-page?clipId=7780197&auto
The U-T San Diego interviews Dr. Ingrid Visser about Nakai’s wounds –
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2012/sep/28/killer-whale-injury-down-bone/
CBS8 report on PETA’s complaint filed with the US Department of Agriculture:
http://www.cbs8.com/story/19666384/killer-whale-hurt-at-san-diegos-seaworld-show
CBS8 reports on the recent photographs of Nakai’s injuries taken by orca expert Ingrid Visser:
http://www.cbs8.com/story/19679464/orca-expert-takes-new-photos-of-killer-whales-injuries
Ingrid Visser speaks with journalist Tim Zimmermann about her professional analysis of Nakai’s injuries:
http://timzimmermann.tumblr.com/post/32870571126/vissernakaianalysis
shame and shameful that the trainers’ priorities [with the exception of those who willing participated in the making of the documentary Blackfish] is to their job rather than [speaking out for] the welfare of the animal[s] they claim they love and love to work with… i personally wouldn’t be able to live with myself in such obviously animal-cruel conditions…
people call animals “beasts” but the only species with the right to that title is the homosapien [human being], as only humans can inflict beastiality for pleasure and/or financial gain and then think of an excuse to justify it… 🙁
Well said. As trainers they should insist on higher standards for these beings who cannot speak for themselves. It’s just terrible, I could never live with myself if I was aiding the captivity of these beautiful sentient creatures.
Who the heck do we think we are? We think we can take whatever we want, do whatever we want and we are the only species that really matters? Most humans are a disgrace. An orca hurts a trainer and it’s “bad orca, bad! You cant treat humans that way, now you must be punished.” So why is it we can treat orcas or any animal really, the way we do? Oh thats right, because this is our planet (humans) and we run it, any way we effin please. It makes me so mad. I feel for Dawns family and all others harmed by any animal, but the animal was probably loosing its mind. In fact im sure of it. Wouldnt you? Solitary confinement everyday for years except when someone comes to make you do tricks, punishes you when you do it wrong, tells you when you can eat and how much, where you can go and for how long, not to mention kidnaps you from your loving family. Go to hell sea world. Leave intelligent animals in the wild with their families. Karma was and is watching you. GO F YOURSELVES
That is from rubbing his chin on the cement side for years. – Ex dolphin trainer
The dolphins at Cabo Dolphins have the same and no teeth from chewing the sides for years