Kshamenk died this morning. The last captive orca in Argentina. Kshamenk had been rescued in 1992, when he was a calf, after a stranding. With no possibility of being reinserted and following the recommendation of international experts and national authorities, the Mundo Marino team took care of his rehabilitation and care for more than 33 years.
Thanks to that care, he lived beyond the average life expectancy of a male orca in the wild, although he was subjected to living in a tank of only 12 meters in diameter.
Surrounded by his caretakers and the veterinary team, Kshamenk left us. The death was caused by a cardiorespiratory arrest. The circumstances and origin that caused it are currently being analyzed.
Everything indicates that it was a condition associated with his advanced age, from which he could not recover despite the efforts and the constant attention of the team of professionals dedicated to his care.
The story of Kshamenk dates back to February 1992 when an alert reached the rescuers of Mundo Marino. The notice, made by local residents, claimed that four animals had stranded in the Ría de Ajó which flows into the Bahía de Samborombón.
However, when the professionals arrived, they found only a small orca. An initial diagnosis showed that the animal was going through a critical situation. Various methods were attempted to carry out the rescue and reinsertion, but all were unsuccessful as the animal was very weak.
The only alternative left was to try to take him to the Mundo Marino facilities, with the approval of the national authorities, so that he could receive appropriate treatment for his recovery.
The process was very long and complex as not only did his fragile health condition need to be addressed, but also his social and emotional situation, as in addition to the stress of the stranding, he had lost his family group. Orcas are animals that live in large matriarchal groups and remain in the company of their mothers during the first years of life.
In the family structure, the mother is responsible for teaching the young orca to hunt and survive on its own, but the entire social group plays an important role in the education of new members. Without them, survival during the early years is unfeasible.
Therefore, after his rescue, efforts were made to ensure that Kshamenk was accompanied at all times, and that he gradually gained trust in the people caring for him so that he would allow, without fear, samples to be taken for monitoring his health and accept the food offered to him.
This necessary situation to save him led the orca to become accustomed to human contact and consider his caretakers as part of his new social group, making reinsertion impossible as the animal, unfortunately, would not have survived in the wild without his family group.
Thanks to the care we provided, he was able to live the number of years that a male orca lives on average in the wild (30 years).
From Noticias Ambientales we hope that the animal is not replaced by another specimen for the shows held at Mundo Marino and that this dolphinarium closes its doors, as happens in many parts of the world.
