Orca Morgan's life in captivity 

People say Keiko's story was a failure. I disagree. He was released into the wild, survived on his own, did not starve to death. He didn't join a pod and he did seek out human contact but he was free to do as he wished, to feel the ocean, the tides and current. He did not bake to death in a swimming pool. He died free animal, traveling thousands of miles. That's a success.

That "vet" is absolutely insane. The fact that she is defending these facilities speaks volumes and shows she doesn't really care for these poor animals

I applaud Zembla for 1) bringing this under the attention of the general public in the Netherlands once again, and 2) translating this documentary to English so more people can find out what is going on and stand up against these kinds of practices

The reason they didn’t want to release Morgan is that it would show release of orcas is feasible and they’d have no excuse for keeping these animals in captivity anymore.

The way the sea world guy says "And we helped move 'it'" at 16:50 tells me all i need to know about how he feels about the animals in his care.

Almost all orcas at Loro Parque (except for Morgan and Keto) are related to Tilikum. Kohana and Skyla are his daughters, Tekoa is his son and Adan is his grandson. Tekoa is also the grandson of Gudrun (one of the orcas mentioned in the video). Keto (the orca who killed Alexis Martinez) is the son of Kalina (SeaWorld's first Baby Shamu) and the grandson of Katina (the matriarch of SeaWorld Orlando).

Love how the Sea World guy just brushes off Gudrun's death. This doc omits that Gudrun's first calf, Taima, did survive, but the guy doesn't mention that Gudrun probably suffered the complications that killed her because they kept using her in photo ops on the slide-out, even when pregnant, meaning that she was not only experiencing pressure on her body from being on a solid surface, but doing so while pregnant, which put pressure on her babies too. Her second calf had developmental disabilities and struggled to swim normally. Since Nyar was basically useless to them, SeaWorld hurriedly inseminated Gudrun again to try and get a healthy calf. But they continued to do the slide-out photos, and Gudrun's third calf died in utero, but got stuck and Gudrun couldn't deliver the calf. So SeaWorld decided to just stick a winch in her uterus and yank the baby out. The calf was released, but their callousness led to Gudrun being injured and she died a couple days later from internal bleeding. Her second calf, little Nyar, died about a month later.

I went to Loro Parque when I was on holiday, I remember being so naive thinking the pools were so big (because to a child they are) I absolutely loved it I came away with a dream of being a trainer, I thought it was so magical the relationships between trainers and orcas. I’m now older and understand orcas so much more and I have felt so guilty for having these thoughts of wanting to participate in these animals suffering even though I was only young, I’d literally much rather get on a boat and see them in the wild than see them perform to be fed scraps! Places like these really do sell you a dream and act like everything is dandy.

I honestly hate that smug guy from Loro Parque. It's disgusting what they're doing to these intelligent beings.

Very good documentary!! Very informative....I firmly believe that if a stranded or "lost" orca or dolphin dies in it's natural habitat It is so much better than "torturing" them until they die in captivity. My heart breaks for them!!

funny how the're saying she would never be accepted by another pod bc of language argumentations (orcas are very emotionally intelligent animals, it COULD be possible), but continue to put her in a crew in loro parque where no one speaks her language.... okay sir

These orca are intelligent, social, and they have all the same emotions and feelings as humans. This is heartbreaking.

Strange how they had no trouble getting the film of morgan giving birth but not of morgan getting pregnant.

I love how proud of himself Jeff Foster is for capturing all these beautiful creatures and ripping them away from families, from their mommies. He’s despicable and deserves a jail sentence.

I can not believe the director from loro parque saying how the beaching, raking, and self harm where all normal,,,and even fun playful things. So so sad

I hope this will be watched as much as Blackfish! Thank you for this heartbreaking and frustrating but necessary „must-see“ documentary!

This poor beautiful creature.... thought she was getting help and instead gets captivated.... in the most TOXIC environment. Absolutely heartbreaking.

She was lost and starving. Humans found her, “rescued” and sent her to prison! Very kind isn’t it?!

Heartbreaking 😞 I can't believe it is still allowed; these beautiful animals in captivity. Let's close all these waterparcs!!!

45:06 "You are avoiding a very important part of their social life" they say as they continue to keep the orcas (and other animals who clearly belong in the sea) in captivity. Damn nice, way to go

So, let me get this straight... she would never be accepted into a pod in the wild but she will be accepted into this pod we have in captivity. Wow, the hubris of man astounds me.

What is sick, is they lied and try to say she is deaf, but not long after going to that cursed park they give way she responds to voice and whistle commands just fine. She was never deaf. On top of that, Orca's in the wild mature sexually much the same rate we humans do and at the youngest may start breeding between 16-20 years of age. But they tried to breed Morgan when she was just 6. They also admit the 'alpha' is 9 years old? The GRANDMOTHER of the pods are who normally lead the groups, and the thing's they know are taught and passed down. Not some child born in a cage who has no idea how to even be an orca. This group on a 'breeding loan' is just a group of kids with a bunch of people thinking they know best.

Yes put Morgan in a sea sanctuary so she can be reintroduced into the wild and be reunited with her family. “Orcas “deserve” to live “free” not to live in captivity for the rest of their lives.” Thank you! Sincerely; Gianluca Zeppilli.

SO incredibly heartbreaking to see these beautiful beings captured and then exploited. To see them so very unhappy, depressed is just beyond crushing to the soul

you’ll be in my heart started playing while morgan was swimming and all i could do was cry. how cruel her life was, with what started out as a rescue turned into hell.

I wanted to scream in that lady’s face when she said they have the best medical care and they don’t have to fight for survival. They wouldn’t have the medical problems in the wild. And, they are APEX predators, they don’t need anyone to help them fight for survival, they have no enemy except for us, and God bless them, they still don’t see us that way. It’s just sad.

I am disgusted. Being Dutch and knowing that I’ve always wanted to go to the Dolfinarium in Harderwijk as child, I feel so conflicted and betrayed. Children are sold a fantasy by money-chasing individuals, which is in its turn covered up by legislative bodies in the government. Truly, I wish that the people working for the cretacean-exploiting corporations finally wake up and start asking themselves what exactly it is that the dolphins and orcas need in order to live a happy life, instead of what it is we need them to do in order to provide us with entertainment.

"They receive care and treatment that other animals can only dream of. We rinse their teeth everyday to remove bits of food." Yeah, because their teeth all have giant holes in em from years of chewing on concrete! These people are unbelievable.

Back in the late 80's I visited an amusement park in Ohio. There was a pool, not very big, with one dolphin in it swimming in circles. I was able to stand right at the edge and watch this animal going around and around. The look in its eyes has haunted me ever since...a mixture of anxiety, anger and frustration...and I never want to see that again. These animals do not belong in captivity.

We have figured out how to release damn near every other kind of animal, but they want us to believe that it's not possible for orchas. The basics are the same: 1) Address medical issues. 2) Minimal contact with humans. 3) Promote natural skills and behavior. 4) Locate the most suitable environment for release. 5) Release or find a suitable sanctuary if an extreme situation dictates it (ie. disability or no suitable environment exists in the wild). Sanctuary is a last resort in rehabilitation models.

I can't believe that in 2021 people still go and buy a ticket for this kind of abuse and then laugh and clap for it....

Isn't it weird we train other orphan animals to prepare them for the wild but the people on this documentary don't think that Morgan could ever be released because she wouldn't survive in the wild? Why didn't anybody rehabilitate her to go bach into the wild? This is so freaking crazy.

43:48 are you kidding me? Seaworld Decide that the trainers don’t get into the water anymore with the orcas??? NO. It was a action that OSHA made and a court agreed to it that the trainers shouldn’t go into the water anymore. But what did Seaworld do? They don’t accepted at first and where going in appeal and loose it luckily. After this process Seaworld had to accept it and now the trainers don’t go into the water anymore. But it makes me angry that this film says that it was Seaworlds Decision, bc Seaworld where not accepting it until they lost the fight and had no other choice.

Makes me absolutely sick to my stomach seeing what's happening to these orcas. The excuses these people make to condone their abuse of these animals. When does humanity say enough is enough and band together to create a save and sustainable sanctuary to allow them to live out the remainder of their life in peace. The audacity of the people who work in these places to be so ignorant to the truth and to tow the company lines like their facts just shameful. They themselves should know this is wrong and be taking action against it all. It's just so painful.

Orcas probably have their stomachs twist in torsion because of having such a small area to swim. Swimming in circles for years, unable to dive and move, digest like normal whales would.

You can actually locate orca pods based on dialects. You simply take a recording of the pitches she uses and match those to pods that would be local to the area they found her in. Other key features like markings and fluke/dorsal patterns and shapes can be a key characteristic in identifying different orcas. Orcas dont abandon their young, if they found the mother shed most certainly welcome her baby.

That fucking whale catcher smiling while explaining that Gudrun was named after the ship that was used to catch her is cold blooded

I find it odd, they can keep Morgan in a enclosed structure with another pod ,(like Sea World) but they say if they return her to the ocean it would be hard for another pod to accept her. Morgan needs to go back home!

They could have recorded her voice, the sounds she makes then when they see pods of orcas they could play it and see how they respond. The pod will show interest if they recognise the sound. Where is their logic.

Even if the chances are slim, even if the animal could die if released, that's something that happens in wild. The alternative, captivity for life, should have never been an option. Many humans say "I rather die standing, than being alive on my knees" What makes you believe this doesn't account for orcas or any animals!? Why do people think humans are the exception to such emotions....?

I am speechless after watching. And saddened mostly. I wish Morgan will gain back her life in the wild. Singapore, a hot tropical country, has a zoo with a Polar Bear. Visited once. 10 mins I stood there, I saw the bear, swam round, went up, jumped back to the a small man-made pool, swam roond, went up, and jumped. Repeatedly, I walked away in tears… I will never wanna go back no more! “How many road must a man walk down, before we call him a man…” Will human ever realise?

And they said in the OSHA vs SeaWorld Trial that there was NO LINK between SeaWorld and Loro parque . this is so disgusting. RIP to the trainer Alexis who was killed by one of the Orcas at Loro Parque. How on earth is catching orcas FUN?! What is wrong with that guy ! How can this ever have been viewed as okay and fun ! These poor orcas, dolphins and belugas and so many more giant beauties ... Stuck in a bathtub I wish I had the power to free each animal, with power to survive

How do these people sleep at night? Honestly!!! It screams “abuse” Literally heartbreaking 💔 😢

SeaWorld and Loro Parque are so shady and filthy with their lies and everything they do to the animals, it makes me nauseous. It also really goes over my head why people find sea mammal shows entertaining - it's stupid, not impressive at all. In my opinion, humiliating is the right word to use. I really hope Morgan, Lolita, and every other dolphin in captivity will be given the chance to spend the rest of their lives in sanctuaries if it's not possible to release them completely into the wild.

I always hate how these people working at Seaworld or Loro Park talk about trainers who passed away. Like the trainer Alexis at Loro Park. It was an "accident", tell that his family. I saw how his girlfriend and mother talked about that day and they told a different story. According to them, the autopsy made it clear that the orca violently bit the man. Please stop playing down what happens to humans! And just saying a dog would be put down but because those parks need orcas for money, they live. P.s not saying I want the orcas to be put down but the logic doesn´t make sense to me. Well, the green gold regulates everything...

Jeff foster seems still far too enthusiastic about catching orcas

Indrukwekkende, prachtig in elkaar gezette docu. Wat in en in triest dat deze dieren zo uitgemolken worden. Ik wordt daar zo verdrietig van.

when we would go on vacation, my mom would neverrrrr let us swim with the dolfins. She would say it was unnatural for them. I will always be grateful for that because now that I'm 20,k I understand the cruelness completly.

Just remember when you visit these parks Sea World and etc you are supporting orcas being in captivity

The fact he calls it their 'collectie' (collection) says enough about how he views these intelligent creatures, walgelijk!!

morgan was found to be deaf..... does anyone even realize the reason she could have lost her pod was because of this? the whole reason in the first place with loud boats or simply traveling a little too far and not being able to hear the calls of her pod she got lost... and now because of horrible money laundering people shes forced to live in a small room preforming, and punished for a disability they didnt even realize she had. just absolutely abhorrable.

There’s a special place in hell for a “Orca catcher.”

I never had to pause a video so many times to scream in rage. These orca desire so much more respect than the traglodites that approve ocra captivity. I pray that orcas are free... and that those that captured them suffer a fate they put orca into.

With all the expense of moving why not just move it to a sanctuary...And let it live a life without the need to perform for idiots used as a slave...

GOD SAVE THESE INTELLIGENT ORCAS FROM THE RASCAL HUMANS.

So experts say she cant be accepted by a new ocra pod so we send her to this sea world tank to be with a new ocra pod. Huh?!

It's amazing that the tank at lore parke was considered to be "large" I've been in bigger swimming pools

I watched the entire documentary. It's so sad that animals are traded so easily. I hope Morgan is in a better condition now. Thank you for showing the reality. Many people like me are going to learn so much. So thank you to everyone who helped in the process of creating this documentary. I feel so sorry for these animals. I don't know why some people do not have a heart.

This is an important documentary that everyone should see.

I was writing a story on SeaWorld orcas, Morgan was included. But the time I put Morgan in I didn't know she had such a big story. I am super glad I watched this video. All my best, Ozgul L. Saqib, homeschooled, age 9. P.S. the name above the comment is not mine, I am using my mother's laptop.

Thanks for making this available in English!

crying i love these animals so much they dont deserve this

Morgan's calf, Ula, died on August 10, 2021.

Once again, greed and ignorance were allowed to succeed, poor poor Morgan :((((((

Vreselijk, ik heb dit met tranen in mij ogen zitten bekijken. Ik heb er geen woorden voor joh 🌹❤️🇦🇺

did bro just really say its to small to go back to the wild?!! bruh its legit a killing machine with no natrual predators what so ever

Funny how very well they were able to locate Springer's Pod in Canada and successfully released her back to the wild but not Morgan's? #shady

why cant people see how wrong this is???? FREE THESE POOR BABIES TO SANCTUARIES😭🙏🏽💙

These majestic, brilliant creatures should only ever be seen from a safe distance in the wild. It’s absolutely cruel to unnaturally impregnate a beautiful orca to live their lives in the equivalent of a barren bathtub. I do not trust Sea World in any way shape or form. Or these other associated parks. They care about one thing…The Bottom Line. It’s a horror. Don’t give your money to them under any circumstances. They were not put on this earth to entertain us. We can love and appreciate them without destroying them.😊

imagine accidentally catch an orca and thinking: "oh can i train this animal to perform tricks???" make me wonder if they'd ever tried this with lions and elephants as well

Them saying it’s impossible to find her original pod is not necessarily true. It would’ve been difficult. But it would’ve been possible by listening to the sound waves generated by different pods around the world that are probably already on file somewhere from past research, and matched up her sound waves with the ones on file. Ever pod has a unique sound, and someone with a very good ear in this area or a computer program made specifically to set these languages apart could have figured it out. Yes, it’s a lot of work. But if they truly wanted to try everything they could to reunite her, it was an option. Even 20 years ago, they were recording and separating the different sound waves of different pods all around the world.

My heart really breaks righht now!!!!!

Poor Morgan and her poor baby condemned to a life in a concrete prison. There is nothing good for them ever. It’s SHAMEFUL

Okay I’m sorry Gudrun would NOT have died if they had not tried to repeatedly get her pregnant at too young of an age :(

thank u so much for this posting--im so much in shock im sickened

Just awesome .... Hey, we found a wild dolphin or orca, we don't even know, at our coast, what should we do?? Oh yes, lets call Seaworld! Not a marine biologist but the organisation known for taking those animals hostage & making money with them. Who was in that Dutch expert panel and who were they paid by for bloody sake?! And they didn't check if LP did research and no orca shows, because they never actually check anything?! But hey, we possibly gladly took the money from LP for Morgan since she got too expensive and they wanted to get rid of her anyway. And that Dutch vet ... I don't have any words for him ... Awesome, just awesome .... NOT! I can't even put all my thoughts into words since it would simply be too long. But I would like to put all these people responsible in one tiny room and throw the key away to get a taste of their own medicine. I do have huge respect for Ingrid Visser. This video needs to be seen and spread just as much as Blackfish.

These guys lying through their teeth to protect their money and image even though they could take responsibility for what they’ve done and learned. It’s infuriating

Blackfish opend my eyes years ago. I can't believe this is still a thing.. STOP WITH THIS CRIME!!

Great episode. Thank you for your work.

💔🐋 :'( Please people, just stop visiting these kinds of places.

Thank you for all the work you did to present this heartbreaking documentary. 💔 It will take many years for the Chinese people to realize the cruelty and selfishness of this disgusting exploitation of natures creatures. Many men love money and will not stop their selfish behavior unless there is motivation to do so (think LAWS). Too many have gotten away with too much for too long. It would be excellent to see the perpetrators in the same kind of captivety that mirrors what they have done to dolphins and orcas. It is encouraging to see former abusers rehabilitate, especially the fellow in Bali. It gives one hope.😊

For someone who said she was deaf. Sure makes a lot of sound. #EMPTYTHETANKS

Morgan is nothing but a cash cow. Her captors will use her until she dies. Whether it be by breeding or in shows. Her life will be nothing like her wild kin get to enjoy. It's tragic. It's very heartbreaking.

Morgan yang malang, begitu juga dengan orca orca lain dan lumba lumba yang lucu. Seharusnya mereka hidup bebas di laut yang luas.

This is so sad!! Its just mind blowing how many people lack a conscious, and can be so heartless!!

It breaks my heart every time when I see animals in captivity. It just hurts so much. :(

Man the employees of the park are too notch lier's I mean they have a lie and or excuse for literally every question SMH it's unreal what humans are capable of

Horrible to know humanity has come this close but is yet so far. No animal should live in captivity!💔

This is just sickening! I have been to sea world maybe 35 - 40 years ago with my small children. They loved it as did I. I have become more educated about these remarkable creatures in captivity and I have never been back after all these years!! I feel so bad for these creatures that are basically in a pool when they should be in the oceans living their best lives! Free all the captive animals!!

the director of Loro Parque, Javier Almunia seems like he is just making some of this shit up as he goes and for them to tell the public and everyone else that morgan just so happened to get pregnant on accident is a croc of shit you can see it in his face and in the way he acts, he does not keep eye contact for very long and he is always looking around when answering questions and his response about morgan at the end of this video says it all and I also agree with ric o'berry about everything he was saying especially about the seaside sanctuary, they actually tried that with the orca they used to make free willy and i wish there was a way for me to help ric out and everyone else that is involved I'm sorry morgan.

I remember visiting Morgan in the dolfinarium as a child. And I remember being amazed at seeing an orca right in front of my eyes. I’m grieving when I look at what they did to her.

Says a lot about the effectiveness of these shows that, despite KNOWING how awful captivity is for them, I found myself smiling and laughing at the tricks they did. I knew the suffering behind it and yet the animal lover in me was entranced with the performance.

Oh wow, this is one of the best films I've seen about captivity. Thank you Zembla! Hope this gets to a lot of people

This video made me cry 💔

Het idee is mooi als je een vermagerde orca vangt om te redden . Maar dan moet er wel betere inspecties komen waar uiteindelijk die orca heen gaat. Alles draait om geld en dat kost meestal het welzijn van het dier. Als er meer geld ingestoken was dan was morgan ook naar een betere plek gegaan.Spanje staat nou niet echt beschreven als diervriendelijke mensen sorry dat ik dat zeg. Als duidelijk op beeld te zien is dat zij niet in de groep past achteraf en ze uit nood zelfmoord wil plegen vind ik dat er opgetreden moet worden.Als alleen nederland er niks aan kan veranderen dan komt de eu bij elkaar om zo de oplossing voor morgan te bieden.Maar zodra het over dieren gaat wordt er uiteindelijk toch niet zo naar gekeken en aan hun lot uiteindelijk overgelaten. Jammer ,dat dit gebeurd voor de welzijn van mooie dieren.

Damn haal die orca daar weg!! Daar moet je niet eens een orca expert voor zijn. Beetje empathie is genoeg. Waar doneren?

You know these animals are so smart but in the same breath they say she can't live in the wild. make it make sense. Let the orca go

So disgusting! the poor orca Kiska who has been captive for over 30 years at Marineland in Ontario will be heading for a sanctuary. Marineland will be going to court, and the sooner the better. Closing the place down for good will be the best solution. These places are evil.

its nice to know that at least while flipper was being filmed he had a trainer that treated him like a superstar...just sad he wasnt in the position to save flipper

This is awful as an animal lover myself I cried during this whole show I mean we are taking these innocent animals and driving them to suicide and for what our enjoyment ridiculous like do the people catching these animals from the wild not feel guilty for knowing that they are taking these amazing creatures out of there home just to take them to hell. I mean I understand none of it how is this even legal. I agree that if an animal has no chance of survival save it and if it can’t return to the wild then take care of them the best way you can but don’t use it for entertainment and enjoyment that’s just petty and cruel. I don’t how people live with themselves like you go to sleep knowing you are being cruel and SEVERELY MISTREATING these animals are it doesn’t bug you I find it DISGUSTING that people would rather take the money than the being a good person. You are able to take these animals away from there home and everything and you act like its nothing. If you were trapped in a a pool that was only as big of a small bathroom and you were not taken care of given the bare minimum and was expected to perform the best and you wouldn’t go crazy. Its all about the money. Pathetic, gross, money hungry, and all around AWFUL people! Absolutely HEARTBREAKING! 😭🤮😡💔