The poor animal with the ‘world’s saddest birthday’ – heartbreaking reason why | World | News
Teno and Morgan at Loro Parque (Image: World Animal Protection)
A captive orca will have the “world’s saddest birthday” on Tuesday when it turns one, campaigners have said.
Animal welfare activists are marking the first birthday of Teno, an orca born at Loro Parque in Tenerife, by urging tourists not to support whale and dolphin shows.
They warned that the calf, which already performs for visitors, is likely to spend his entire life confined to a tank for entertainment.
BBC Strictly star Flavia Cacace said: “When I first became involved in this campaign, I was horrified that orcas were still being bred into a lifetime of captivity, just to entertain tourists.
“I knew that there were still orcas left captive in these appalling venues, but knowing that more of these incredible animals are being bred into suffering, such as poor Teno, is horrifying. Teno now faces decades of cruel captivity.
“These animals don’t choose to be performers – they’re forced to.”
Teno was born last year to Morgan, an orca rescued off the Dutch coast in 2010 with the intention of rehabilitation and release.
She was instead transferred to Loro Parque, where she now performs in daily shows and has been used for breeding.
World Animal Protection said tourism continues to drive demand for captive dolphin and whale shows.
It added that the TUI Group plays a “significant role” in promoting venues like Loro Parque.
The charity said that TUI continues to sell tickets to Loro Parque and other captive dolphin entertainment venues despite the travel firm updating its animal welfare policy in November 2024 to state that it would not sell venues that breed whales and dolphins for commercial purposes.
Katheryn Wise, wildlife campaigns manager at World Animal Protection, said: “Anyone visiting Tenerife this year should think twice before going to see the ‘cute baby orca’ at Loro Parque.
“When the music stops and the audience leaves, Teno will still be circling that same empty pool for decades. A birthday should be a time for celebration, but in Teno’s case, it simply marks the first of many years confined to a barren tank.
“Around the world, attitudes are changing. Venues are closing, many travel companies have stopped promoting these attractions, and countries are banning whale and dolphin captivity. Yet TUI continues to profit from them by exploiting loopholes in its own animal welfare policy.”
A spokesman for Loro Parque claimed the information provided by World Animal Protection “contains numerous inaccuracies”.
He added: “Loro Parque is backed by more than 50 years of scientific rigor and stands as a global benchmark for animal welfare, holding all accreditations and certifications from independent organisations, such as American Humane Society.
“We are proud to have four orcas in our extensive aquarium, including Teno who was born here last year. Teno’s mother, Morgan, was rescued in a critically ill state after washing ashore in the Netherlands.
“When our vet team discovered that Morgan was deaf, it was clear she would not have survived a return to the ocean. Loro Parque funds extensive research on-site and around the world to gain a better understanding of orca behaviour so we can play our part in protecting the species from extinction.”
TUI was contacted for comment.
