Metal swallowed
France: Next orca dies in amusement park
Two killer whales have died within two months at Europe's largest marine theme park. As Marineland Antibes in France announced on Friday, orca "Inouk" died after swallowing a piece of metal. A few months earlier, the male killer whale "Moana" died of blood poisoning. The deaths once again fuel the debate about marine mammals that have to live in captivity for pleasure.
The preliminary autopsy of Inouk revealed that the 25-year-old marine mammal had "accidentally" swallowed a piece of metal weighing around two grams, the theme park on the Côte d'Azur explained on Friday.
It is unclear how the killer whale got hold of the metal
The resulting inflammation caused "digestive tract disorders". It is therefore unclear how the metal part came into Inouk's vicinity.
This is the second orca in just a few months to die at what is claimed to be Europe's largest marine theme park. In October, Inouk's nephew, twelve-year-old Moana, died of blood poisoning. Animal welfare organizations had repeatedly expressed concern about Inouk's state of health. In the fall, a court ordered an independent expert opinion, the results of which are still pending.
Repeated protests against Marineland
The death of the two orcas has once again fueled criticism of the theme park. According to a 2021 law against cruelty to animals, whale shows will be banned in France from December 2026. The possibilities of keeping whales in captivity are also to be restricted.
The orcas at Marineland Antibes are the last animals living in captivity in France. Following the deaths of Inouk and Moana, the theme park still has two orcas - 22-year-old Wikie and her ten-year-old son Keijo.
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