Orca released from captivity thrives in the wild | Behind the Scenes of Frozen Planet II | BBC Earth

[@Kenan-Z]

Holding such intelligent and social animals captive is a crime. I'm happy to see there are efforts to release them back into the wild.

[@shawnjackson7407]

Release with a chip/ tag ! Still not good !!

[@j5nephews558]

@@shawnjackson7407 it's good not only for science but for knowledge of the species

[@zachheisen5022]

And yet we keep people in prison

[@j5nephews558]

@@zachheisen5022 some people need to be in prison for the safety of the rest of us. Would you release Dahmer or Son of Sam, the Green River Killer or even the many school shooters?

[@paddlefar9175]

@@zachheisen5022 Well duh!?

[@shawnnewell4541]

I'm glad the former captive orca has survived! This gives great hope for their future.

[@sarahgrey5953]

Wonderful isn’t it!

[@horse-lover68]

@@serenitysmith352 It is only 2 or 3 generation's!! They are still killing the grey/white bird's who are around their tanks. It is redicolous to say they would not survive!!

[@valeriestevens5250]

I wonder if a whale that was bred in captivity could be successful in the wild. One can only hope it is so,

[@horse-lover68]

@@valeriestevens5250 Read the comments, you are captivity asked Nr 117!! You will find the answer Miss SW barbie!!

[@Chewbecca101]

The birds or the Orcas?

[@aliyahreid41]

We need more people to pay attention to kiska the worlds loneliest orca, captive in marineland alone. She’s been held for about 43 years now and was captured at 3 years old in Iceland. All her babies have died in marinelands captivity. If she’s not released she will most likely die from the stress of isolation as she’s been isolated for around 11 years

[@ChaseWright516]

She died unfortunately

[@Natalie__giambruno]

Sadly Kiska passed away in march. Now she’s at peace ❤️

[@Cezangelguidance]

​@@Natalie__giambruno Very sad Rest in Peace Kiska ❤

[@casper8464]

doesn't sound like she's gonna die soon then. Males usually don't get older than 60, females at 90 ( 30 year average for males, 46 for females). Sounds like nature is equally stressful. I still think it's wrong to cage animals, or make them do tricks to earn money. But let's not exaggerate. People in prison/isolation tend to last as well. A free meal, certainly at old age, isn't that stressful compared to having to fight/work over it. Being unable to move around is worse than isolation.

[@casper8464]

oh well, still around the average. I suppose it's better this way. Just pray they don't want to get a new one...

[@herm712]

Orcas are my favorite sea animals. They're incredibly intelligent and so beautiful. I love seeing the interactions of the family members--and it warms my heart to know that captive orcas can be reacclimated and released into the wild to live out their lives.

[@damaslpressath]

yes, it was a orca captured just some month and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A fresh captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@damionbryant6215]

Mine too. In fact, I we come back and live a life here again in another form, I have literally prayed that I can be an orca

[@thebestkinds1g]

Orcas and Sperm whales imo are the most interesting marine animals. It's so sad how we have treated both of them over the years

[@deathbycheese850]

It doesn't work like that. Orca families all have a diffeent language, they could never be "resocialised". We have no way of knowing what they remember, so they need to be given a chance, in the area they were born. I would say that they DO remember. Tilikum was a good example. He was aggressive from the start, which denotes fear, anger, and frustration, about having been ripped away from his family at 2yo.​@damaslpressath

[@michelerenem]

If only SeaWorld would follow suit. I wish more people would boycott that evil place. #SeaWorldOfHurt

[@cyninbend]

This made me cry, so happy to see how they treat a returned orca. Makes all the hard work people do to return them worth every second. Thank-yo to them and you.

[@natsuclk]

Now let's release the ones in sea world 👍

[@necymamaril3735]

Agree 100%

[@anti-Russia-sigma]

Agreed.The greatest gift for animals=freedom.At least give them a choice to be free/be a captive.

[@Jason-..-]

@@necymamaril3735 bad idea. Those orcas dont know how to survive in the wild. As much i a despise the captivity of killer whales, it is too late to save them....

[@DivinelyLucid]

Amen!

[@ayla6854]

100% agree. It's a travesty so many animals are still held in captivity even though it is OBVIOUS they suffer there.

[@necymamaril3735]

😮 there are no words to describe this. Thank you to those responsible for their release!

[@meganathng7600]

We should appreciate the people who are behind for the success

[@horse-lover68]

@@meganathng7600 Yes !!👍👍👍 People like Dr Ingrid Visser who is working 30 year's with the New Zeeland orca's, but everybody who help's make that possible!!

[@liveaquaticbc]

In fact we should thank Putin for being the world's first leader to order the release of orcas. Christopher Porter Cast of CNN's Blackfish the Movie

[@necymamaril3735]

@@liveaquaticbc Yes, Russian group of Scientists, give credit to where it’s due, but Russian companies were the ones who held them for years to sell to China and probably to other theme parks like Sea World? ( National Geographic).

[@veramae4098]

FYI "Dolphin Island" by Arthur Clarke A boy runs away from home and ends up at a dolphin research center, just starting to study orkas. One orca and the boy become friends. Juvenile sci fi, but fun for adults too; as one reviewer wrote, a good book from Clarke is better than a great book from anyone else.

[@bree27]

The way the pod of whale swam gracefully and synchronously is just so astonishingly beautiful to watch

[@Ba-pb8ul]

dolphins, not whales

[@CleverClover2023]

@@Ba-pb8ul All dolphins are whales.

[@Bookworm452]

Warms the heart

[@horse-lover68]

@@Ba-pb8ul The "so called trainer's in SW " also say whales. What is your problem??

[@necromancer196]

@@horse-lover68 whales and dolphins are different. trainers are no different from parks that exploit creatures, only care about the money never about the animals. so no surprise that they don't care to refer to the animal's correct classification. a simple google could've fixed that. orcas are dolphins, they are not whales. they are the largest of the delphinidae family

[@DolphinsPlayingInAquaMoonlight]

Imagine the freedom that released orca must feel now! Wow! All captured orcas deserve to feel that feeling again!

[@deepspace5121]

One of the most beautiful creatures to see. Knowing that they are not prisoners anymore. I wish that all animals in captivity will no longer experience that. Thank you to the people who did this release.

[@4r4n3lm4l74]

i'm literally crying in happy tears watching this video. i hope there are more and more captive orcas can be released to the ocean.

[@Bookworm452]

You were moved to tears - you’re lovely

[@horse-lover68]

@Neo Ara don't let these industry (SW) clown's be rude to you. They are just uneducated highschool absolvent's with a ywimm and dive test.They only believe and know what SW told them. Listen to their whistleblower John Hargrove or read his book than you will understand. They are brainwashed, a company who is treating them like a cult!!

[@angelagardner5230]

same here too

[@michaelversace456]

Orcas aren't really hunted for enclosures. Never really were. Humans took advantage of their nature and tried to trap them resulting in some keepers getting killed. The only real attacks are morons who get in between the Orcas calves or when they are hunting. So be reassured that this isn't something that is a serious problem. I live in Australia and see these sea beasts often. You'll be out fishing for snapper and then a bull shark shows up. Only to then be rescued by a big mother of an Orca chomping them in two.

[@veronicabezerradasilva9947]

Me too!!!

[@crespoopserc]

Absolutely beautiful. Nothing beats nature.

[@rainbowpegacornstudios]

Orcas are my favorite animals. Seeing this footage and hearing that the released wild-born captive is thriving fills me with joy.

[@thirstingknowledge]

Mine too!

[@greyeyedluna333-vo7gd]

Mine too since I was 6 years ago now 33 I still feel a bond with them . 🖤🤍🖤🤍

[@rainbowpegacornstudios]

@@greyeyedluna333-vo7gd Similar story with me. I've loved them ever since I first watched Free Willy.

[@greyeyedluna333-vo7gd]

@@rainbowpegacornstudios me too, after free Willy my parents said I was obsessed! I’ve studied them for years now . My dream is to go to Puget Sound and see them in real life that would be amazing 🤩

[@rainbowpegacornstudios]

@@greyeyedluna333-vo7gd I feel the same way. I'd also love to see them in Iceland and Norway.

[@Williamwatson-y8f]

It’s truly jaw dropping how they all move in perfect unison.

[@RubyAnneRosario]

Every orcas deserve to be in the wild to be free with their families. 💙🐋🐳🙏

[@anniejayy9559]

Orcas actually have very good long term memory. I wouldn’t be surprised if she ended up back with her pod.

[@AestheticTykira]

I so hope that this was the case.

[@horse-lover68]

@@AestheticTykira They released 3 of them which are healthy and happy in the ocean so YES it gives us great hope!!

[@mad-pit3832]

@@horse-lover68 How do you no the other 2 are ok?? snd what happend to the rest of the ones im sure the "wail jail" had more than 3 orca??

[@horse-lover68]

@@mad-pit3832 I read it in the comment section here. That is all and I saw a video 2here they are talking about 10 or A's they have tagged+the beluga's they released in one pot. 9f course the whale jail had more than 3 orca!! They released them where they catched them.Make a Google and YT search. Links are getting deleted her.

[@horse-lover68]

@@mad-pit3832 kzbin.info/www/bejne/i5XXc3Wwhcqfd5Y

[@harrietking8768]

That made me cry. So wonderful to see a captive orca back in the wild ❤️

[@marlenaforbes-reidy9876]

Thank you beautiful people who were responsible for the release of these magnificent creatures. These amazing orcas need to be in their own environment, I’m holding back tears of joy. ❤️🐬❤

[@FeuerblutRM]

It's criminally stupid to even think that these extremely intelligent and versatile and adaptable top predators would not be able to thrive again in the wild or even learn to survive in the wild if born in captivity. If any animal can manage this, it's the orca. The only hindrance is their compromised health due to bad captivity conditions.

[@0saintclark0]

That's why you put them in open sea pens first so they can't go too far and you can still administer veterinary care until they are readapted to the sea.

[@marinabermejovicente561]

It didn't work with Keiko, don't think it's that easy or that it's possible for everyone.

[@lyric8006]

I am so glad to hear this. There was an orca captive in Mexico City for many years in a small dolphin pool. This orca was named Keiko and was the star in the Free Willy movie. He was finally rescued and rehabbed in Florence Oregon. When he was released back to Iceland where he was captured, he did not find a pod and sadly he died. This video gives me hope for other captive orcas.

[@mollyashcraft1202]

I hate to be a debey downer but if keiko WASINT RELISED HE WOULD STILL BE HERE TO DAY AND THAT ORCA WAS ALSO YONG ENOUGH TO BE REHABILATATED as some of the anamals in the whale jail had ben thair for a year

[@TLRing]

@@mollyashcraft1202 first before trying to be a Debbie Downer, spell check might be good for you. Even though Keiko died, he died free... there is no reason to keep any of these highly social creatures in a pool just for human entertainment that they try and label "Educational Purposes" Th point to this video is that some will actually survive and live free after being released.

[@mollyashcraft1202]

@@TLRing ok i agree but also at the same time what if the anaml has issues that perve t its relese

[@Ninuturu]

@@TLRing he didn’t die ‘free’, he was kept in a seapen in Norway. He died in the sea, yes, but far from home and completely isolated from other orcas

[@adelyn8943]

@@mollyashcraft1202 Keiko was predicted to only have a few months at most to live if he stayed in Mexico. He had horrible health conditions which improved when moved to Oregon and then to Iceland. The fact he died in the wild is sad,but it wasn’t really due to him being released. He lived several years hunting fish,interacting with wild whales and spending the last part of his life free in good health. Better than whatever life he had in captivity

[@merevione8255]

I love these majestic creatures. It's amazing to watch them in their natural environment and the strong family bonds they create. Exploiting orcas for human entertainment is criminal. Very moving video and hope for the planet's future. ❤

[@adriaandoelman2577]

we like to call ourselves intelligent. even more intelligent would be realizing how its very likely to overestimate our own judgement. keeping wild animals and telling ourselves we love and care for them is a great example. because if you really care for all of these amazing creatures, you'd set them free. and we should care for them, by taking care of our environment.

[@qui_etes_vous]

MORE POSITIVE UPDATES LIKE THIS! HUMANS NEED THIS! I always assumed that animals died in the wild if they grew up in captivity! This gives me such a burst of hope and inspiration toward nature conservation and its future! ❤❤❤

[@ren-888]

I can't explain the happiness and joy I just experienced in hearing and seeing this. These animals are absolutely majestic and should be left in the wild.

[@fabienneroure9995]

I totally feel the same! I'm overjoyed to see these magnificent beings freely swim in harmony.🖤🤍🖤

[@caru547]

What a wonderful testament to those that had faith in these beautiful creatures. Freedom!

[@SaltySteff]

I'm always amazed at just how intelligent orcas are. It breaks my heart when I think about the mass orca hunts that took places throughout the 60s, 70s and 80s in which hundreds of orcas were rounded up, traumatized and often killed. Babies being stolen from their crying mothers and then flown thousands of miles away from home to be put in a child sized swimming pool and forced to perform stupid shows every day for the rest of their lives

[@nottheone582]

i know 😭 why are humans like this?? its sick

[@CR-yn5sy]

@@nottheone582 always for money

[@nickieglazer33]

​@@nottheone582 Not all humans are like this.

[@NdrsOrs]

@@nottheone582 you are not human?

[@LifewithAlegria]

Such joy!!! Beautiful to see such freedom. Thank you to the scientists who do the work and all who share it. I hope everyone reading this finds a bit of joy today. 🌸

[@billysvlogs163]

It's beautiful seeing the ORCAS in the wild where they belong and not in a tank ❤❤

[@marymccluer1630]

Stunning photography! Orcas are highly intelligent, top tier predators that deserve our awe and respect. It is good to see some returned to their native habitat.

[@annettelane659]

Absolutely fantastic to hear that a released Orca has survived. Awesome news indeed. Way to go people !!!

[@damaslpressath]

yes, it was a orca captured just some month and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A fresh captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@emilywhittle1420]

This is amazing news! I’m a huge whale activist, being born and raised on the Island of Newfoundland, a Mecca for whales. The first time I saw whales in captivity was in Marine Land in Canada. There was so little space they couldn’t even turn around. I was so angry and crying I had to leave. These are amazingly intelligent creatures. Some say just as if not more emotionally intelligent as humans, yet we see fit to lock them in bath tubs for our own entertainment. If anyone is looking for charities to support the Whale Sanctuary Project is one project trying to give captive whales a better home as are the WWF and the Whale Conservation Society. 🐳 Empty the Tanks! 🐋

[@AestheticTykira]

I so agree with you!! I did a research paper on them for class and now I’m in love with them and wish all were released 😭. It’s such a terrible act to do.

[@geraint8989]

Indeed. Another tragic case is that of the orca Morgan. Amazing how sure the ‘experts’ become that a release is not possible after Sea World stuffs their mouths with gold. I wonder if they would care to comment on the obviously successful releases documented in this video…

[@briana14333]

Thank you for sharing this info! Do you recommend a certain time of year to visit Newfoundland for whale watching??!

[@cathyroland340]

How wonderful, flowing tears of joy. Thank you for sharing and being a part rescuing the Captive Orcas!! Their Intelligence and Spirit Supercedes humans

[@Godwinpounds4333]

Hello 👋 how are you doing?

[@dee1901]

0:01 those Orca’s saddle patch looks like heart shape. What a beautiful creature. Wonderful shot!!!

[@Kissameassa538]

OMG ! What a powerful video this was. So beautiful to watch them swimming about as they should be, not in bloody sea world places. Absolutely brilliant, thank you! ❤️🇬🇧

[@Ricardo-ez1ir]

Divine beauty and grace and harmony and relaxation and freedom and the nature of their natural life. Beautiful!

[@skazi2305]

How much more evidence do they need to let these wonderful creatures free from captivity!!

[@jodie4609]

More than a 3 minute video The statement was she had been held for months She was captured in the wild and sent back Thats celebrating walking after sitting down Let me know about the ones born in captivity or held 20 years or so

[@jodie4609]

@@serenitysmith352 their is the word you are looking for. there is a place . As for your comment You first Then get back to me. Anybody that believes a violent painful death is preferable .concerns me deeply

[@shihtzusrule9115]

dolphins, too.

[@horse-lover68]

@@jodie4609 They have been 1 year in these rusty tanks and than a few month's in the whale jail!!☹️☹️

[@horse-lover68]

@@serenitysmith352 Bravo!!!! ❤️

[@xlr8tedzoom]

Congratulations on the release of the Orca. Showing proof it can be done and survive in the wild gives me hope more will end up this way.

[@damaslpressath]

yes, it was a orca captured just some month and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A fresh captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@marjorie6573]

This made me cry out of pure joy.....

[@LynLuu-g9z]

Thank you so much. From all my heart.

[@senyagwynn8121]

This video was so amazing to watch!! Tfs It is wonderful to see this orca released back into the world thriving!!

[@Templarknight1997]

Some animals are never meant to be tamed, one amongst them is orca, these animals are wild and strive for freedom as they have one of the most complex and highly evolved brains in the animal kingdom..... ❤

[@ae6669]

I'm pretty sure all animals can be tamed including whales. The only problem is finding a large enough litter box.

[@Electric-Lady]

Bravo! Makes my heart happy. Share it far and wide!

[@anandshakti1]

That was so uplifting to see their beauty and the captive orca living life to the fullest. Thx

[@EvelynHo-y3v]

I m soooo glad the Ocras r released back into the wild, watching them thriving happily jus speaks volumes to many wild animals still kept in captivity....thank you, great effort team😊❤

[@annajbanana2132]

That was so beautiful to watch. To see this once captive female Orca living and thriving in a group is amazing.

[@alanatolstad4824]

Wonderful, on so many levels.

[@taheralmatti5751]

Beautiful animals

[@veganforlife1203]

Thank you so much🙏👍☀☀☀☀☀☀☀☀☀💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙💙

[@charriso]

This brought me so much joy and hope. RIP Tokitae.

[@nicstirm7376]

They are so beautiful and it’s amazing they work together the way they do!

[@LiveYourTruth1]

There is so much for us to learn from nature!💞 This vid reengaged the hope I have for our planet.

[@lurree1904]

This is fantastic! We have always been told that the whales in captivity couldn’t be released into the wild, that they wouldn’t survive. This is an example of what is possible. Keeping them in those small pools is so cruel. I truly hope the world will see this and realize they can go live a natural life. Thank you for the video.

[@Ninuturu]

This youngster was kept for a few months, not multiple years. She was never trained and never bred. She cannot be compared to actual captive orcas

[@Ninuturu]

@T H Never been to Seaworld actually, its just stupid to think a juvi is the same as a orca that spend more than 20 years in captivity

[@beautifulgudrun8802]

While it's undoubtedly amazing Zina is doing well, her success does not mean it would be the same for all captive orcas. She was in captivity for less than a year, and spent all of that in a seapen undergoing only very, very basic training (open your mouth, touch your nose to this, do not bite people, ect). Excluding the orcas captured from Russia in the past decade, every wild-caught orca has been in captivity at least 30 years, and at most over 50, and they've spent all those decades in tanks undergoing constant training and human habituation. They simply would not thrive, nor even survive. (Also, please don't take this as me defending SeaWorld or captivity in general. I despise the keeping of orcas in captivity. Time has proven they simply do not do well in human care. But a full on release like what was done with the whale jail animals just wouldn't be what's best for them. A sea pen sanctuary is a much better option)

[@horse-lover68]

@@Ninuturu And AGAIN!!!🤣🤣🤣🤣 YOU CANNOT KNOW THAT, YOU NEVER TRIED TO RELEASE ONE!!! THIS IS ALL ONLY FEAR!! OH MY GOD 3 not 1, 3 ORCAS WERE SEEN THRIVING IN THE OCEAN, WE MUST HAVE A CRISIS MEETING!!You f..🤡. YOU LIED 70 YEAR'S TO THE PUBLIC ABOUT EVERYTHING!! SO DO YOURSELF A FAVOR AND GO!!!

[@horse-lover68]

@T H They are all over the place here!!! Somebody writes a comment and immediately the answer is from SW-captivity crap. I bet with you they had a crisis meeting because of this video (if you did not read all comments: 3!!! orca's were seen from the Russian tanks, free and healthy)- SW 8s in crisis mode!! And I am doing the same to them!! These clown's !ied long enough to us all and they know sh about releasing orca"s, they never did it these 🤡🤡

[@KevinBostwick]

Such beautiful creatures.

[@angelapietras1235]

That was spectacular to see those magnificent orcas being released back into the wild just amazing.

[@EvelynHo-y3v]

So isn't it much more interesting to see them in action in the wilderness...so much more spectacular than in captivity...

[@mariaaguilera7339]

Wow...que belleza, en verdad hermosos animales!!!

[@Cycodude]

This gives me a lot of hope for future whale releases

[@AniFam]

They are awesome~ Thank you for sharing this video~👍

[@DelightLovesMovies]

I wish these clips were longer. They always make me want to see more.

[@VuMinhThuFPLHN]

They looks beautiful than ever

[@wolfygrl24]

It’s extremely sad and infuriating that the big businesses like Sea World and others who keep creatures like this captive will do whatever they can to keep their meal tickets. I wish and hope that evidence like this can spread around the world and show everyone that these sea creatures can have a life after imprisonment and that they deserve to be freed and that as humans we will no longer tolerate that kind of animal cruelty. Orcas have always been one of my favorite animals after watching Free Willy as a young child. I even ended up naming my dog Arrluk, which means “killer whale” in the Inuit language(he’s black and white with blue eyes). Orcas are such magnificent creatures.

[@tammyphillips5058]

I wish everyone would stop going to Sea World. As long as people pay to see these whales and other marine life, they are contributing to the problem. I refuse to give these places a dime of my money.

[@rebekahlangeberg631]

This made me tear up. I pray one day all captive orcas are released. They all deserve freedom

[@damaslpressath]

But, , it was a orca captured just some month ago and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those familie groups developed unique strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a regional unique comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in closer future....A frecently captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better. One another orca survived some years after releasing...but never got accepted by others for longer time and disappeared after having visited its human helpers....

[@Pumpkintiti]

This was truly beautiful & impactful! WOW I'm delighted to see them thriving!🤍

[@santadam]

So wonderful to see a successful wild re-introduction! It seems so rare that orca re-introductions ever work out.

[@nicolehall2177]

After watching BlackFish many years ago and to finally see this !!! Just incredibly heartwarming!!!!

[@troyottosen8722]

Been lucky to see these awesome animals here in Alaska almost daily on the tour boat I “worked on”! Seen some incredible things with them, we actually have the different pods cataloged from Kenai fjords, prince William sound, Kodiak island archipelago and southeast AK inside passage. Fortunate to have seen a “super pod”, offshore group coming close to inside waters, watched over 50 of them getting salmon all around us , we, out Capt just shut down the engines and we watched the show for approx 1/2 an hr! Once in a lifetime!😉👍

[@susanwilkolawski1192]

Wonderful to see a formerly imprisoned Orca living her best life. God Bless the people responsible for her freedom and thank you for this video. Too bad that Tilicum was denied his life and freedom.

[@damaslpressath]

But, , it was a orca captured just some month ago and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A frecently captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@ShamuAquatics]

I don’t support keeping orcas in captivity, BUT the big difference between this whale and the ones at SeaWorld : this whale was in captivity for less than a year. SeaWorld’s orcas were either BORN in captivity, or have been in captivity for 40+ years ! Big difference. Keiko was in captivity for 20+ years and when he was released, he was approaching boats and letting children climb on his back. He constantly seeked out human contact until he died. The only other orca that was released into the wild and is still alive today is Springer, but she was also only in captivity for a couple months

[@lucreciabarrios8487]

just beatiful and full of hope

[@blindkimberly1360]

Lolita will soon be free! May she find her mom and live happily for a long long time. This was an awesome video!

[@SomeoneCommenting]

It's hard to believe that such an intelligent animal cannot learn to survive quickly, specially with the help of others. It has all the tools needed to hunt and succeed.

[@gunillajohnson9727]

It seems that even if an orca eventually dies, like Keiko, it's more humane to let it back in the back into the wild than to keep it captive. A year or even 5 (like Keiko) of freedom in a quiet, natural encironment compared to a tortuous living for a long time.

[@amyhollingsworth16]

There is so much more to the sad story of Keiko's tragic demise after being released into the wild. He never found his pod, was alone and on his own for part of the 5 years after being released. I would rather have seen him released into a very large sea pen on a permanent basis to live out the remainder of his life, for him to continue to have the human contact he'd known and had been habituated to for so many years. For much of Keiko's life humans were his pod so to speak. To take the human bond away from Keiko IMO was a mistake, and ended up contributing to his death. I know scientifically Keiko died of a bacterial infection (pneumonia), but loneliness for any cetacean can also greatly contribute to their demise.

[@leahsyl81]

This is so amazing and incredibly uplifting and inspiring to me! I would love to watch a whole documentary on these whales alone. So exciting and I thank you for sharing 🙏🦋

[@lifesjourney65]

What. a beautiful video, those scientists were soooooo excited and in awe, of these stunning creatures who should have never been in captivity in the first place

[@floralheart]

This is awesome ! My heart is jumping of happiness for those beautiful animals. God bless you all.

[@OWK000]

They said it couldn't be done, but seeing this pod of Orcas I realize the social nature of Orcas would really help an Orca learn how to be wild again.

[@damaslpressath]

But, , it was a orca captured just some month ago and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A frecently captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@whaleflower1]

I hope the others that were released are back with their pods too!! I’ve been wondering what happened to them. This is just such happy news ❤

[@flojoh69]

We humans can be so cruel. But I like this ending.

[@gonzfd]

Preserving and spreading the arts, the sciences, the knowledge. And to recognize and support the people who make it possible: I humbly believe that’s the way we can be also part of the good things too. I felt the woman’s happiness as she was sharing the orca’s flourish like she was talking about a family member or dear friend… and now I have good news to think about (and to share!). I mean it: thank you. Thank you

[@carolinewalker9148]

What a truly inspirational piece of film and hope for all of those still held in captivity.

[@elizabethgaspodnetich4322]

How difficult is it for a lone Orca to join a pod that is not their birth family? I was happy to see that this once captive animal was free and living her free life with a family around her for love and support!!

[@RebeccaTaylorTillery]

It was most likely her family. She was only gone from them for no longer than a year. She would not have forgotten her life in such a short amount of time.

[@horse-lover68]

@@RebeccaTaylorTillery You CANNOT KNOW THAT!!! And they re!eased 3 tagged orca's and saw them again happy and health, in the ocean!! What come's now??? All 3 were only a few month"s in the whale jail?? What I know, maybe I am wrong, but first they put them in rusty tank's and than they were 1 year or more in the whale jail, so stop with your industry BS!!!

[@damaslpressath]

think it was her family, it was a orca captured just some month ago and in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A fresh captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@fayelitzinger9824]

this is so wonderful. although keiko was never able to join a pod & ultimately perished, at least she had space to swim in the last part of her life. i am so excited to see a formerly captive orca successfully join a wild pod! 🥰

[@doonewatts7155]

He didn't perish too early as he died at 37 after 7 wonderful years in the ocean. He may not have joined a pod but lone whales are not unknown.

[@hahyrningr]

@@doonewatts7155 He died at 27 after spending 18 months in the ocean, not 7 years. He was fully released in July 2002 and died in December 2003

[@doonewatts7155]

@@hahyrningr My apologies

[@mariag.8242]

@@doonewatts7155 and horribly, he starved to death because he didn’t know how to hunt.

[@doonewatts7155]

@@mariag.8242 The humans should have helped him with food and care!!! I did not know this thank you telling me

[@459luker]

That's so cool to see a once captive orca released and thriving back in the wild and accepted into a pod/family (at that age she surely would not have survived on her own). I would really love to know though whether this was her original family, or a new family that has adopted her. I hope it's the former.

[@lauriebennett6257]

This literally gave me goose bumps! Release them all and let them live wild!

[@documax123]

Beautiful animals. What a treasure to the earth they are.

[@jamieparsons6918]

What a video to watch, thank you so much. Just heard today about the whale in America who died in captivity, who was due to be released in March, shocking to here and these horrible cruel people keeping these magnificent animals in such small spaces need to be jailed for their cruelty and greed. RIP Lolita 🙏

[@horse-lover68]

Yes I would like to see an autopsy. Because Lolita was a threat for the aquarium industry!! Before they let her go, they would poison her.

[@ibrahimsultanov7355]

@@horse-lover68I don't think it's that bad... After all, Keiko was released after all. She was the oldest killer whale in captivity, I think she died on her own...

[@horse-lover68]

@@ibrahimsultanov7355 The natural lifespan of orca's is:female 80 to 100 make:70 to 90!! Keiko had no autopsy, too and an aquarium wrote 2 or 3 days before to the Norwegian government for a permit to capture him. Than he died miracusly. This is suspicious. All of the animals die before the can get them in the seabay: Lisa, Lolita ,..And why does no aquarium give the data of the autopsy 's free??

[@tessdurberville711]

​@@horse-lover68 A necropsy was not performed on Keiko because the Free Willy Foundation did not want photographs of him malnourished and cut open on the beach where he died, being seen by the children who donated their lunch money to have him "freed". They covered his body with rocks and now use it as a tourist attraction. Regarding Lolita: Dr. Judy St Leger, a veterinarian with 20 years of experience working with marine mammals, conducted the necropsy. She found Lolita suffered from “acute and chronic bronchointerstitial pneumonia and renal degeneration, and a chronic condition of the heart implying the degeneration of the cardiac valves.” Oct 18, 2023

[@tessdurberville711]

​@@ibrahimsultanov7355 HE was 27.

[@huldu]

Someone said in captivity or a zoo the animals are merely surviving day to day, in the wild they are *living*. It could not be more true. It's the same with all animals, humans included.

[@spacebug30]

Rather the other way around... With pollution, overfishing, infertility, etc, it's a struggle every day for wild animals, while animals in human care can be sure to get a full belly every day.

[@codymoe4986]

@spacebug30...Troll a little harder, clown shoes...

[@huanwahlin5683]

So heartwarming 💗💗 Stay safe!

[@kayleavansolkema8752]

This brought a year to my eye to see her swimming wild and free ❤️

[@starsantheoriginal]

I got teary eyed. That's beautiful

[@deathbloom27]

This is bringing tears to my eyes. Any animal that can be released, should be released. We are not gods, we do enough damage to each other, we need to stop abusing our power and become stewards of the earth of again.

[@darthcolony]

They were made to be wild, for a reason. To be free. Finally release them all.

[@spacebug30]

Other orcas in human care would not survive, the orca in the video was an adult when captured and only held in a holding pen for a couple months. Throwing orcas from marine parks in the ocean is a dead sentence for them.

[@horse-lover68]

@@spacebug30 And you know this because????

[@spacebug30]

@@horse-lover68 Because it's been attempted before and failed. See Keiko's tragic case. After years of 'rehabilitation' to go back to the wild, he still failed and he was even born in the wild. If a wild born orca can't do it, neither can a captive born one.

[@horse-lover68]

@@spacebug30 What are you talking about and why do I habe to write this 100 times?? Keiko was almost dead when they took him from Mexico to Oregon -skindesease, he had to gain weight, he could not dive longer than 3 min or so. Ok he stayed in Oregon and got healthy and happy, he started to vocolise, he even got bigger with his age, he learned how to dive,..they made him so gut. Nobody could believe it, THAN he came to the seapen in Iceland where they took him for seawalk's every day, Keiko knew exactly where his seapen was, but one day he joined an orcapod and ? left!! As far as I know he was a few month's with this pod, he had his GPS and than he showed up in Norway where he sadly died, BUT HE LIVED 5 YEARS HEALTHY, HAPPY and FREE+made his own choises so what is wrong about that please?? And the next time please look in the comment section. I don't want to write the same things over and over again and you will see, that I am not the only one who is telling the Keiko story RIGHT!! Keiko was a huge threat to the industry!Ike this !ittle video now and SW and Co did everything to spread missinformation!! IT WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL WITH AN ANIMAL WHO WAS NOT EVEN A GOOD CANDIDATE, IF THEY HAD MORE TIME, MAYBE KEIKO WOULD STILL LIVE!! HOW DARE YOU SAY THAT 5 HAPPY YEARS ARE NO SUCCESS WHEN HE WOULD HAVE DIED IN 3 MONTHS IN MEXICO???

[@horse-lover68]

@@spacebug30 You are from SW!! It is not human care, it is captivity!!!And it is natural habitat and not the "wild"- if I were you I would free myself from this cult who even tell's you how to talk!!

[@A-FELIX]

This makes me tear up a little. I've been following the argument of releasing orcas back into the wild for quite some time. I saw Keiko while he was up in Oregon before he was eventually transported to an open sea pen, then released. Regardless of what was reported, he did live several years at sea before his death and I think that more than justified the cost. SeaWorld will never be on the other side of the argument of captivity, regardless of the evidence presented of released orcas thriving. As long as they're making a profit, their whales will never see or experience anything beyond their tanks.

[@shaeismagical]

He died free. That was beautiful for him to experience true freedom.

[@A-FELIX]

@@shaeismagical Absolutely agree.

[@shaeismagical]

@@EarthOutpost No. If it's an insurance policy of sorts, why does Sea World force these animals to perform? Also, why not give them open ocean pens instead of the ones they are currently contained in? I have so many questions. I will be researching.

[@A-FELIX]

@@EarthOutpost orcas are not an endangered species. There is no need for such an insurance policy. And even if they were endangered (they are not), the practices of SeaWorld's breeding program would be dubious at best, considering many of the captive born orcas were inbred.

[@beautifulgudrun8802]

Minor correction, Keiko only lived about a year and a half free. He was released on July 15th, 2002, and died on December 12th, 2003. That's just the blatant truth of the fact, not incorrect reporting.

[@freeanimals594]

Amen! There is hope for those still trapped in cement swimming pools! SeaWorld and all oceanariums need to see this!

[@kimberlylopez9402]

My soul cried with happiness. Wow just wow ❤

[@G_Chain]

Beautiful ❤

[@felinafloripa]

WOW! Amazing! 👏👏👏😃🤗😍🇧🇷

[@EV-tu5rp]

Amazing content, hope we see more being released

[@damaslpressath]

But, , it was a orca captured just some month ago and captured in a pool before getting sold. If born in captivity or since decades in captivity, they have no families. Those families developed strategies in special areas with special type of prey and use therefore a comunication system which has passed from generations to generations in centuries. Those animals would need maybe decades in some natural sea enclosures, getting resozialisized with others, maybe creating something like a artificcial family....ufffff Some people speak about that, but it could be very expensive, you need a nonstop supervising team, living prey which could fit and that encloser should be save for the animals when heavy storms, when extreme heat or cold waves.....think it wont be true in close future....A frecently captured orca of course doesnt forget all that skills and when its family can be found, the better.

[@jamesbillingsby8043]

Look at that Orca swimming wherever iot wants, beautiful.

[@seank7288]

I love this and wish that animal a long healthy life.