The last orca whale to be born in SeaWorld captivity has died at the San Antonio park.
The three-month-old killer whale calf, Kyara, had been receiving treatment for an infection thought to be pneumonia, but she succumbed to the illness on Monday, SeaWorld announced on its website.
“Kyara had faced some very serious and progressive health issues over the last week that the animal care and veterinary teams had been aggressively treating,” the park said in a statement.
“While the official cause of death will not be determined until the post-mortem exam is complete, we know that Kyara had an infection, likely pneumonia, and that her health continued to decline.”
Kyara, who was born in April, was separated from her mother, Takara, when she fell ill.
“Our primary concern was the health of Kyara,” claimed SeaWorld. “The expert veterinary and animal care teams made the decision to bring Kyara to the husbandry pool at the Animal Hospital to ensure she received the necessary hydration and treatment.”
SeaWorld stated attention would now turn to Takara and providing care to the rest of the orca pod.
The incident has caused animal rights activists to speak out against SeaWorld.
Following news of Kyara’s death, a group of protesters joined Academy Award-nominee James Cromwell in a takeover of SeaWorld’s “Orca Encounter” show on Monday, according to People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA), which called for a boycott of SeaWorld.
“Forty orcas have now died on SeaWorld’s watch,” the animal rights group said in a statement. “It’s time for the ‘abusemen’t park to move the remaining animals to seaside sanctuaries before the death toll hits 41.”
SeaWorld ended its breeding program in March 2016, according to its website.
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