An orca called Keto who was held in captivity all of its life has passed away at the age of 29.
In December 2009, trainer Alexis Martínez was preparing for a series of Christmas shows at Loro Parque in Tenerife with Keto - who was born in captivity in SeaWorld - when a training session took a disastrous turn.
Keto attacked Martínez on Christmas Eve in 2009 and the trainer ultimately passed away from his injuries.
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A report into the cause of death said that he 'died due to grave injuries sustained by an orca attack, including multiple compression fractures, tears to vital organs, and the bite marks of the animal on his body'.
Keto was born in SeaWorld's park in Orlando, Florida in 1995. He was then reportedly moved between parks and had performed at all of the company's orca stadiums by the age of just five, before being transferred to Loro Parque in Tenerife in 2006.
And Loro Parque has since revealed Keto has sadly passed away.
In a post to Facebook on November 22, the park released a statement reading: "Loro Parque is heartbroken by the loss of Keto.
"With sadness in our hearts, we share the heartbreaking news about the passing of Keto, our beloved 29-year-old male orca.
"Since 2006, Keto was an extraordinary ambassador for his species, captivating everyone with his majestic presence and unique personality. His departure leaves an irreplaceable void in our hearts and throughout our entire team.
"To those who cared for him and shared each day by his side, Keto was far more than an orca - he was family. His memory will live on forever in the hearts of those who had the privilege to know him and learn from him."
Animal rights groups PETA and the Dolphin Project have since addressed Keto's passing.
In a post to Twitter, PETA said: "A life stolen. Keto should have known the open sea, his family’s love, & freedom. We can honor his memory by standing against animals used in entertainment & never visiting parks that exploit orcas like him. #RIPKeto."
PETA alleges Keto was 'driven insane from confinement' and has called for help to stop other orcas and dolphins being 'subjected to a lifetime of deprivation' and 'abuse'.
Dolphin Project added Keto 'spent his entire life behind bars' and 'there is something inherently wrong in a society where an orca's only way out of these dreary concrete stadiums is death'.
A Twitter user added: "Justice for Keto." And a Reddit user said: "Everyone is saying f**k SeaWorld, and definitely f**k them. But they ended their orca breeding program.
"Loro Parque (where this orca died) continues to maintain their orca breeding program, in spite of worldwide criticism. F**k Loro Parque."
Another added: "Let's agree to f**k them both. F**k animal exploitation and cruelty."
A spokesperson on behalf of Loro Parque said: "There is no truth to any of these absurd claims. Loro Parque has the highest standards of care in the world for all our animals.
"We are in mourning over the sad passing of Keto who lived for almost 30 years. PETA is an extremist protest group that has no scientific credibility and even attacks other genuine animal welfare charities."
UNILAD has contacted Loro Parque and SeaWorld for comment.
Topics: Animals, World News
Poppy Bilderbeck