Video Shows Orca Hitting His Head Against the Glass in Boredom and People Are Horrified

Genny Glassman
·2 min read
190

The debate over whether to keep animals in captivity or release them back into the wild is ongoing. But a new video online of an Orca at the Chimelong Spaceship theme park in China has sparked the conversation up all over again. The clip shows the whale bumping up against the glass while swimming in its enclosure. But the reason why he's doing it has people online truly upset.

It's downright heartbreaking to think about animals who are miserable in captivity. And Nakhod is no different.

As the video from @orca_advocate shows, the whale was swimming in its tank when it seemed to flip upside down and float over to the glass and bump into it. Once he got to the glass he swam up and we assume righted himself. But the clip cut off so it's hard to tell.

Related: Beloved Orca Whale's Death at Miami Seaquarium Sparks Outrage and Protest

"This is a common stereotypical behavior seen in captivity, often displayed by bored and frustrated cetaceans," the video's text overlay reads.

In an earlier video on the page, it shows another video of Nakhod slamming his head and abdomen into the glass.

"Nakhod was captured from the wild between 2013 to 2015 and now performs for paying guests in China," the video's caption reads. "He deserves his old life back. Don’t contribute to his suffering. Don’t buy a ticket."

People in the comments section were horrified. "Orcas don’t belong in big bathtubs. Captivity needs to STOP for these intelligent mammals," wrote one person. "The curled dorsal fin is another sign of stress," someone else pointed out. "Heartbreaking so sad to watch. STOP CAPTIVITY NOW!!! DON'T VISIT THESE PARKS," another commenter urged. "Imagine living in a 800 square foot house and never being able to go outside those confines?" one commenter asked.

Killer Whales in Captivity

Sadly Nakhod isn't the last Orca being held in captivity. According to a National Geographic story from 2019, there were at least 59 whales being held in captivity in sea parks and aquariums all over the world. Some of these whales were born in captivity, while other were captured from the wild

A third of these whales are being held in the United States, almost all of which live in SeaWorld theme parks in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio. Tragically only a handful of wild orcas live past the age of 30. In captivity, no Orcas have ever lived that long.

This is why it's important to learn more about the wildlife we see in zoos and aquariums — because all animals deserve to live long and healthy lives.

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