Keto, an orca that lived its entire life in captivity, has died at the age of 29.
Back in December 2009, Alexis Martínez, a trainer at Loro Parque in Tenerife, experienced a tragic incident while preparing for Christmas shows with Keto, who was born in SeaWorld. During a training session on Christmas Eve, Keto attacked Martínez, resulting in the trainer’s death.
The report on the incident stated that Martínez “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 at SeaWorld’s park in Orlando, Florida in 1995. He was moved between different parks and by the age of five, had performed at all of SeaWorld’s orca stadiums. In 2006, Keto was relocated to Loro Parque in Tenerife.
Recently, Loro Parque announced Keto’s unfortunate passing.
On November 22, the park shared a heartfelt Facebook post: “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.”
Following Keto’s death, animal rights organizations like PETA and the Dolphin Project have spoken out.
PETA tweeted: “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 claims that Keto was “driven insane from confinement” and urges action to prevent other orcas and dolphins from enduring a “lifetime of deprivation” and “abuse.”
The Dolphin Project also commented, saying Keto “spent his entire life behind bars” and criticized society for only offering orcas an escape through death from “dreary concrete stadiums.”
Social media users expressed their reactions, with one Twitter user calling for “Justice for Keto,” and a Reddit user criticizing both SeaWorld and Loro Parque’s practices. “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 agreed, “Let’s agree to f**k them both. F**k animal exploitation and cruelty.”
In response, a Loro Parque spokesperson stated: “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.”