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Vaquita. Photo Thomas Jefferson

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Humpback whale © Christopher Swann

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Mosquito Danger To Captive Orcas

By Danny Groves | 29th May 2012

captive orcaOrcas that are in captivity are at risk from mosquitos that can carry deadly viruses.

Evidence revealed by WDCS and two ex-SeaWorld orca trainers shows that Kanduke and Taku, two orcas held at SeaWorld parks in America, died from viruses that are carried and passed on by mosquitos.

The trouble in captivity is that orcas spend much more time floating at the surface of the water than they do in the wild. This means that mosquitos can land and bite the orcas, infecting them with dangerous viruses.

With so many wonderful places around the world to see whales and dolphins in the wild, WDCS encourages you not to visit marine parks or aquariums that keep whales and dolphins in captivity.

You can read the Jett and Ventre paper here

Learn more about whales and dolphins in captivity.

Join our origami challenge to help captive dolphins in Europe.

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