Feb 8
Art for Lynn’s birthday back when bibi and lulu the dolphins were living with her
seen from Spain
seen from Indonesia
seen from Spain
seen from Spain
seen from Türkiye
seen from United States
seen from China
seen from Malaysia
seen from Canada
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from Germany
seen from Canada
seen from Singapore
seen from Sweden
seen from Japan
seen from Malaysia
seen from United States
seen from T1
seen from Canada
Art for Lynn’s birthday back when bibi and lulu the dolphins were living with her
Tilikum
Endless circles.
Loops,
and loops,
and loops.
I can’t find my family.
I call to them, swim in every direction until I exhaust myself
But every time I bump into an invisible barrier
And find myself right where I started.
I think I can hear them, but they sound more like me than them.
I would recognize their calls anywhere.
It’s not them,
But I try anyway.
I still have hope.
More loops, more loops.
Then the two leggeds, who walk above
They call me to the surface again
And again
And again.
The two leggeds put their flat fins on my back
And if I carry them,
And slap the hard shore with my fins
And shake my fin at the mass of noise
They give me fish.
I remember fish, I think.
Silvery things, that moved. Did they move? My fish don’t move.
Maybe not, then.
No, wait.
They did.
My mother, she used to chase them. We did, together.
More than my mother. There were others.
I remember their calls.
I remember when I could swim without hitting the invisible wall.
Where are they?
Hunting fish without me?
I hope so.
More loops, more loops.
I prefer it under water.
From there, the noise is muffled, almost tolerable.
But the two leggeds, they need me
Up above.
Up there, the noise is deafening.
It never stops.
Not until the sky turns dark and the two leggeds leave me
With the invisible walls.
I feel like I’m moving,
I know I am.
But then why aren’t I going anywhere?
More loops, more loops.
I follow the voice.
I recognize it.
Do they know that I know?
I can tell them apart.
Not at first,
All two leggeds looked the same then.
But it’s been a long time since.
Since when?
It’s hard to remember now.
But the feeling, it stays with me.
Cold water, brushing through my fins
Other black and white bodies, dancing with mine
Fish, fish everywhere.
And then I saw the shadow above
That blocked out the light.
Thrashing, fighting
Chasing
..
Exhaustion.
Then there was no one to answer my call.
I wonder how many moons I’ve watched cross the sky
Since I last saw my mother?
Many, I think.
I’m sick of loops.
I’m sick of the noise.
I’m sick of the walls.
And I’m sick of that voice.
The two legged didn’t give me any fish
But I did what she asked.
What did I do wrong?
She should have given me a fish.
I want a fish.
I don’t feel like doing loops anymore.
The pain above me, it aches.
I wish I knew why it ached.
Something is not how it should be.
My eyes burn, my sight is blurry.
Was it always so blurry?
I can’t move anymore.
I wish I could tell them,
But I haven’t seen the two leggeds in a very long time.
I hope I see my mother soon.
𝓘 𝓵𝓸𝓿𝓮 𝓸𝓻𝓬𝓪𝓼
Okay, another random post- But I have been seeing so many videos of orcas in captivity and SeaWorld being great.
They’re not at all. If anyone hasn’t already, I’d suggest you watch Blackfish. It’s honestly devastating. Put a lot more in mind even when I was already against orcas in captivity.
They’re the apex predators of the sea and in all honesty should never be in captivity. Ever.
Imagine being ripped from your family at a young age and forced to perform everyday until you pass. That doesn’t sound like a very good life does it?
Orcas are a lot more human-like in certain aspects than most realize. They stay in pods, which is basically their family, for their entire life. They travel hundreds of kilometers a day, and that’s why their dorsal fins rarely collapse out in the wild.
It’s devastating for me to see so many people cheer on this, as if they’re just a play toy. They’re not. Stop cheering this on.
Orcas abandoned in shuttered marine park filmed in algae-infested pool
Animal activists have circulated footage of the killer whales’ plight in the hopes that the French government will rehome them before it’s t
Okay this is f****** crazy though.
Tokitae passes away before her release
Tokitae , also known as Lolita, has passed away at the age of 57. Captured at the age of 4, she was the second eldest orca in captivity at Miami Seaquarium.
In March 2023 it was announced that she was to be returned to the waters of her birth. She was to reside in a semi - wild sea pen in the Salish Sea for the rest of her life.
Tragically it was announced on August 18 that Tokitae had passed away at the Seaquarium due to renal failure after exhibiting sights of distress for 2 days.
Statistics:
Currently there are 54 orcas in captivity worldwide, 29 of whom were captive-born. There are 17 orcas in the SeaWorld parks.
At least 176 orcas have died in captivity across the world, and 30 orca calves have either been miscarried or stillborn.
In the wild, male orcas can live for 40 to 60 years and females 80 to 90.
Sources: Wikipedia, The New York Times and NBC.
ADDENDUM
Another tradgedy 43 years earlier - Tokitae’s cellmate
In 1968 Hugo was the first orca at Miami Seaquarium.
When Tokitae arrived he had been in a tank on his own for 2 years.
They shared the tank for 10 years until Hugo died of a brain aneurysm in 1980. It was caused by repeatedly and violently ramming his head into the sides of his tank.
He was 15 years old.
Tokitae spent the rest of her life alone in the tank or with a few dolphins for company.
The captives for the Southern Resident Community are complete!! Slowly starting on Northern Residents now! Check the database out here!
Instagram| Devianart
finished, the entire San Diego pod! clockwise from the top, Ulises, Shouka, Keet, Nakai, Orkid, Ikaika & Corky outside, Amaya, Makani, Kalia & Kasatka in the center
this was as fun as it was stressful lmao. i might do this with the other two pods...