Kiska, Marineland’s lone killer whale and last captive orca in Canada, has died

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Kiska, a killer whale at Marineland and the last captive orca in Canada who has swam alone in her tank for more than a decade, has died. SEE PREVIOUS VIDEO

The Ontario government said Marineland, a theme park in Niagara Falls, Ont., informed the province Thursday of her death.

The province had Animal Welfare Service Officers at the park Friday as Marineland performed a necropsy on the animal, a spokesperson for the Ministry of the Solicitor General said.

Marineland’s owner, Marie Holer, declined to comment to The Canadian Press when reached by phone.

The park told the Niagara Falls Review that the killer whale’s health declined recently “despite intensive interventions by her caregivers, Marineland’s veterinarian team and international veterinarians with expertise in supporting the health and well-being of cetaceans.”

Kiska was believed to be 47 years old and had lived at Marineland since being captured in Icelandic waters in 1979.

She was captured alongside Keiko, who became famous in the movie Free Willy, and the pair lived together for a few years at Marineland in the 1980s. Keiko was sold to an aquarium in Mexico in 1985 and eventually ended up at SeaWorld.

Kiska appeared in shows at Marineland for years but has not performed for more than a decade. She spent that time in a large pool at Friendship Cove separated from a pod of belugas.

Kiska gave birth to five calves during her time at Marineland, but they all died young.

She has swam alone since 2011 after SeaWorld won a bitter custody battle with Marineland over Ikaika, a young male killer whale it wanted back.

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