Orca Kayla Dies Suddenly in Captivity at SeaWorld Orlando

At 30 years old, Kayla died relatively young for an orca. The NOAA Fisheries estimates that female orcas typically live about 50 years, but can live from 80 to 90 years in the wild. She was born in captivity in 1988 in San Antonio before being transferred to SeaWorld Ohio, San Antonio again, then to Orlando in 2006.

SeaWorld has faced widespread criticism — most notably in the wake of the 2013 documentary Blackfish — for its captivity practices. In response, SeaWorld ended its breeding program in 2016, and vowed to phase out theatrical shows involving whales across all of its parks in 2019.

Animal rights groups like PETA are jumping on Kayla’s death to draw attention to the suffering of animals in captivity. They plan on holding a series of memorials outside SeaWorld Orlando this week.

BREAKING: Kayla, an orca trapped at #SeaWorld her entire life, has DIED in a tank at the #Orlando abusement park. She never got to swim in the ocean.

Kayla was forced to move around the country from park to park & heartbreakingly lost babies over the years 💔 pic.twitter.com/DClMYXJmKg

— PETA (@peta) January 28, 2019

H/T: BBC News