Kiska, the last orca living in captivity in Canada, died Thursday in Marineland, Ont., after living more than 40 years in a park, including a decade alone, according to CTV News Toronto.
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The Animal Protection Service went on site Thursday and Friday to determine compliance with standards of care, including the obligation of a necropsy, which would have been carried out by the professionals present on the park, according to Brent Ross , spokesperson for the ministry.
According to Mr Ross, “Marineland has been inspected 160 times since January 2020 as part of the Animal Welfare Service’s work to ensure standards of care, meeting the PAWS Act, were met”.
In a statement released on Friday, advocacy organization Animal Justice renewed its call for charges to be brought in connection with Kiska’s treatment at the aquarium.
“Orcas are incredibly social animals, but Kiska had no other animals with her since 2011, and suffered to the agony of loneliness, lack of space and lack of mental stimulation in her small pelvis” , the statement read.
World Animal Protection Canada also issued a statement on Friday, saying it was “heartbroken” by Kiska’s death.
“Thanks to changes in federal legislation, Kiska will be the last orca in captivity in Canada,” added Michele Hamers, wildlife campaign manager.
Captive keeping of dolphins and whales was banned in Canada in 2019, but animals that could not be released into the wild could end their days in captivity.