With fewer annual killer whale visits due to human tourism, SeaWorld Orlando and the other Orlando theme parks have come under the spotlight as having short life spans. It has been calculated that only five out of 10 killer whales ever lived long in their natural environment in the Pacific Ocean. While studies continue to clarify the average lifespan of killer whales in the wild, the latest scientific research suggests the life spans of captive killer whales at SeaWorld are similar to those in their natural environment.
Captive orcas live for a very short time in captivity. The majority of them die shortly after being born. They suffer from a variety of ailments including birth defects and disease, and are often abused by SeaWorld’s trainers and other operators. In recent years, SeaWorld trainers have been barred from touching these orca whales under threat of fines. Sadly, this means that the few orca whales that are able to survive in captivity through this process are doomed to be euthanized soon after arriving at SeaWorld or other marine mammal parks.
Not all killer whales and cetaceans are born dead. Some calves are born alive and end up dying shortly after birth. One of the only ways SeaWorld veterinarians have of checking on the condition of these calves is through an ultrasound. If an ultrasound indicates a possible heartbeat or brain activity in an orcas calf, it is referred to a deep sea veterinarian who will do further testing to determine if the animal is truly alive or is in serious distress.
Unfortunately, all of these orcas that are born dead also die of causes that are preventable in the wild – most notably exposure to stress. There have been a number of documented cases where killer whales and dolphins have been kept in captivity for extended periods of time where they became depressed or anxious and were prone to attack other animals and people. Some researchers feel that this is the result of being used as a species in captivity. Others believe that they are born with a natural tendency to be aggressive and that being held in captivity only increases this tendency. The truth is that SeaWorld and other marine mammal parks have a number of factors in common when it comes to preventing stress in whales and dolphins that are kept captive.
In captivity, Killer whales and other killer cetaceans stay in good health, despite being kept in stressful conditions. The average life expectancy of orcas held in captivity is between eight and ten years old, which is significantly longer than the 14 years old average life expectancy that is recorded in the wild. Killer whales in particular typically mature in their early twenties. During this time, they are not only socializing with other orca whales but also interacting with other individuals of their own species. They also develop their hunting skills and undergo hormone therapy to prepare them for their hunt. This serves two purposes, as both helping increase the frequency of kills and preparing their body for their return journey into the wild from captivity.
After returning to the wild from captivity, killer whales molt, reducing their size back to nearly two feet long. During this time, they become solitary animals and remain so until they feel it is safe to form family groups. It takes about a year for these whales to establish their new family groups and to fully take care of each member. This is also the time when they will begin to form bonds with members of their own kind, and begin the annual migration back to the place where they came from. Sadly, after spending about three to four years in captivity, captive orcas will be euthanized so their violent tendencies can be curtailed.
