Baby Ula and her mother Morgan are doing very well at Loro Parque. | Photo: Loro Parque

After manipulation: Speculations on the orca baby’s health end

Exclusive for zoos.media – 31.01.2018. Author: Philipp J. Kroiß

Radical animal rights activists had spread impudent lies and misjudgements online, on the health of orca baby Ula at Loro Parque. The article informs on the backgrounds and explains how Morgans daughter is really doing.

After manipulation: Speculations on the orca baby’s health end

At the end of last week, radical activists caused a stir concerning the health of the orca baby, Ula, at Loro Parque, due to some photographs on which the head shape is said to be “abnormal” and skin rashes an “obvious sign of drug abuse”.

Strange photographs

Ula and Morgan feel visibly well at Loro Parque and are in splendid physical condition. | Photo: Loro Parque

The photographs never really looked authentic. They neither matched photos and videos previously uploaded by Loro Parque, nor is it possible that such big changes have taken place on an animal, in such a short period of time. If we take a look at who published these strange photographs, the circle completes itself.

It was the blog „The Voice Of The Orcas”, which is run by pseudo experts and doesn´t include a single veterinarian specialist. But of course so-called expert statements were published. From Naomi Rose for instance. She is a known activist who, put carefully, is infamous for her creativity when it comes to shaping reality. But that is not the only reason for her being considered dubious.

We cannot forget Ingrid Visser at the animal rights industries´ “pseudo expert bingo”. The radical activist is not only no longer permitted to enter the park, due to a campaign, where people and animals were put into danger, she also regularly fails in court cases with absurd claims about Morgan, Ula and how thay are kept in Loro Parque. When she got the chance to prove how she could care for a rescued animal, the orca died a couple of days later, due to the complete lack of professional care.

John Jett, from the blog  „The Voice Of The Orcas” also commented. He was introduced as „research professor at Stetson University“. This is not quite true, on the universities website he is introduced as visiting professor in a 2017 article. On the staff list he is not listed as visiting professor, but very far down, as a member of the Department of Biology, run by Kirsten Work.

Ula is fed by the trainers because Morgan    doesn´t have enough milk. | Photo: Loro Parque

Jett is also a former orca trainer. Former, because he could not swim, as Thad Lacinak, who has been responsible for the animal training at SeaWorld and Bush Gardens for years, explains. Weightlifting was more important to him, the former supervisor explains and says, that he was moved to the sea lions and otters because he wasn´t good for the orcas, also for his own safety.

Jeffrey Ventre, another pseudo expert who participated in the article, is introduced as medical doctor. He works in the physical medicine and rehabilitation sector – but of course, no expertise on orcas can derive from this. He was also a former orca trainer, but was fired by Chuck Tompkins and Thad Lacinak, as latter reported. He “abused” the privilege he had, to work with orcas, by disregarding safety regulations three times. He put his head inside an orcas mouth to impress a few women, Lacinak reports, who was present at the trainers last show. That was the drop that filled the bucket.

Loro Parque impressively debunks allegations

The following two videos not only debunk the allegations from anti dolphinarium activists, to whom the pseudo experts belong, they downright destroy them.

You can see a totally healthy orca baby, that happily plays with its mother. The skin, the headshape and the behaviour are perfect, just like you would expect from a healthy orca calf. This also shows how important transparency is at modern zoos and aquariums. The haters have had to face the harsh reality of facts.

On their blog, the modern zoo takes a stand on the allegations with some clear words: “Suffice to say, it would be disturbing enough if veterinarians issued their diagnoses based solely on photographs, but that persons without any veterinarian knowledge nor experience presume to do so, that is outright ridiculous. The accusations of these individuals, whose sole interest it is to get hold of all orcas and have them under their own control in an alleged “sanctuary”, are absolutely absurd and do not have any grounds at all.”

The veterinarian team at Loro Parque, as well as independent experts with the appropriate additional qualifications, have confirmed that the animal is completely healthy.

Orca baby at Loro Parque participates in important research. | Photo: Loro Parque

The zoo also explains: “The only certainty so far in this absurd story is that the alleged orca lovers, who seem so preoccupied for Ula’s health, at no time approached Loro Parque to simply ask about her condition.”

And so the ridiculous allegations, from these pseudo experts, are completely dispelled. Besides this, any visitor can take a look at the orca baby. It doesn´t yet participate at the shows, but while visitors are in the stadium, it is in the Med Pool, that can be viewed from the visitors area.

The wish, that the activists would stop their tales after such a defeat, remains, though unfulfilled. These people want to attract attention with such speculations, which they can turn into donations for the organisation they work for, directly or indirectly. Unfortunately gullible animal lovers still fall for this.

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