In captivity for half a century, Corky is the longest-held orca in history. Corky was born in 1965 and in December of 1969 was captured from Pender Harbor by SeaWorld affiliated contractors. Since her violent kidnapping, she has lived in a tank the size of an Olympic level pool, while most orcas swim up to 100 miles a day. Corky has struggled with both her physical and mental well-being since her capture. The question remains of whether SeaWorld is equipped for animals like Corky?
Loneliness
After Corky’s capture she was bred seven times; each time the calf would only survive weeks. These losses played a big role in Corky’s mental state. During one pregnancy she broke the glass of her tank and lay at the bottom groaning. Orcas are naturally social creatures, relying heavily on their family and pod structure to supply these interactions. For Corky, both these aspects of her life were violently snatched away as her calves barely survived a few weeks and her tank mates constantly changed due to injuries or premature deaths.
Corky continues to spend much of her time alone, swimming in endless circles around the tiny tank provided for her. The constant change and restrictive tank creates an atmosphere where it is impossible for an orca to build relationships as they could have done in the wild with their pods.
Physical Deterioration
Most orcas live up to around 12 years in captivity, while Corky has survived 50 — a misleading statistic that by no means shows that she is thriving. Corky has survived but she has not lived a healthy life. Corky’s teeth have been worn and damaged due to excessive chewing on concrete and metal guardrails. The tiny pool makes it hard for her to swim, which has led to muscle atrophy and joint stiffness over time. She also spends a lot of time near the surface, unlike orcas in the wild. Her exposure to sunlight has caused burns and eye damage, leaving her partially blind.
The Problem With SeaWorld
SeaWorld simply does not have the resources to provide a healthy living space for animals like orcas that need room to swim. Additionally, they continue to prioritize consumer needs instead of the needs of their own animals. This is proved by the sheer fact that their parking lot is almost triple the size of the tanks for the orcas. Although SeaWorld can provide an educational environment for students, it is foremost a place of entertainment. The rollercoasters, the water ski shows, and the gift shops are not educational in any way. These things just add to the consumerism that is prioritized over the conservation and health of living creatures. Corky remains a prime example of the deterioration of the animals that live inside SeaWorld.
Next Steps for Corky
Corky has lived far too long in captivity to be released back into the wild where some of her pod, A5 continues to live. Most scientists agree that the best course of action would be to move her to a wildlife sanctuary where she can live out the rest of her days without human scrutiny. In this sanctuary, she also has the possibility of communicating with her biological siblings, whom she has not seen in over 50 years. Corky is no longer fit to serve as a piece of entertainment, something that no creature should ever be subjected to. Many organizations like People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals and SeaWorld of Hurt have launched petitions to move Corky to a wildlife sanctuary. With fifty years in captivity as a tool of the entertainment industry, the time for Corky’s freedom is long overdue.
