Devastating timelapse shows ‘world’s loneliest orca’ staring at gate for ’24 hours’ in aquarium

An orca who has been in an Argentinian aquarium since 1992 has been filmed “staring at the gate” of his enclosure for a reported “24 hours”.

The killer whale, known as Kshamenk, was captured lying motionless in a small pool at Argentina’s largest aquarium, Mundo Marino.

Orcas are often used in shows. Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/Getty

Kshamenk, often referred to as the “world’s loneliest orca,” has spent the past 32 years at Mundo Marino. He was brought to the facility in 1992 after reportedly being found beached in a bay at just three years old, alongside three other whales.

Mundo Marino claims that Kshamenk was quickly transferred to a concrete tank at the aquarium, where he has remained ever since.

According to the Whale Sanctuary Project, the lonely orca last interacted with another of his species in 2000 when his female tankmate, Belen, passed away.

“Belen became pregnant with his first calf but delivered a stillborn in 1998. She became pregnant again the following year but died while pregnant in 2000,” the project said.

Since Belen’s death, Kshamenk has spent the last 24 years alone in what many describe as a shallow and cramped pool.

Animal welfare organizations are now calling for his relocation to an open sanctuary where he can interact with other whales.

The 24-hour timelapse video – which has been widely shared online – allegedly shows the orca barely moving in the confined space, per the Daily Mail. The footage has intensified calls for action to improve his living conditions.

“We continue to work with Argentinian activists and members of Congress to try to highlight and address his cruel world,” a spokesperson from UrgentSeas stated, per the Daily Mail.

“He needs to be removed from his tiny concrete tank and to join other members of his species before it’s too late.”

According to the Dolphin Project, a 2006 study by the Wild Earth Foundation concluded that Kshamenk’s population of origin is unknown, making reintroduction into the wild difficult.

The study noted: “If Kshamenk is released in the wild, he may revert to a previous pattern of behavior that may put him in danger, such as begging for food or seeking human contact.”

Kshamenk might not survive in the wild, like the orca pictured. Credit: Wolfgang Kaehler/Getty

People have flooded the comments of the video with their disgust, with one person writing: “People have to stop buying tickets to these types of shows. No money no shows. Animals are not here for our entertainment.”

A second person added: “This is so heartbreaking and disgusting. How can anyone support this.”

A third said: “This is such horrific abuse! Why is it still being allowed to happen?!”

The footage has sparked renewed calls for action to free Kshamenk and raise awareness about the conditions faced by captive marine animals.