Let’s not forget Kshamenk, the loneliest orca in the world who has been confined to a tiny tank in a marine park for over 30 years. Let’s give her back the freedom that we humans have stolen from her by capturing her from the open sea and enslaving her
@Urgentseas/Instagram
They have nicknamed her the “forgotten” orca, the “loneliest orca in the world” because for over 30 years she has been confined to a microscopic space in Mundo Marino, an amusement park in Argentina. For more than 20 years, however, he has had no contact with any other specimen of his species.
He is imprisoned in complete isolation Kshamenk, a male orca, the only orca still in captivity in all of South America. Kshamenk swims in circles or barely moves in his tank, all signs that highlight strong stress in a wild animal deprived of its freedom.
Several animal protection associations have reported it, and continue to document Kshamenk’s conditions and his agony. The images captured by drones show an animal in pain and raise great concerns about his health.
The last video dates back to August 2024.
The appeals launched to obtain the release of Kshamenk and his transfer to a sanctuary were of no avail. Not even the over 40 thousand signatures collected in one of the many petitions gave hope for an effective rescue of the forgotten orca.
Kshamenk has been trapped in the Argentine water park’s tank since she was about 4 years old. She was swimming in the sea when she was captured, removed from her habitat, and sold as an attraction in 1992.
He then shared that tank with another orca named Belén, who passed away in circumstances that are still unclear in 2000. Since then, Kshamenk has not interacted with any of his kind, and for a social animal like the orca this is a double curse.
In the wild, killer whales live in units called pod in a matriarchal social organization. They hunt in groups in the open sea and establish complex bonds with other specimens. None of this is possible in captivity, in a tank that barely contains Kshamenk.
Let’s not forget Kshamenk, let’s give this poor orca the freedom we took away from her decades ago.
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Fonte: Urgentseas/Instagram
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