Captive orca going mad: NZ expert

Morgan's tongue rolling is a sign of her boredom, New Zealand orca specialist Ingrid Visser says. Photo / Ingrid Visser

The mental state of a young orca held captive in Holland is deteriorating rapidly, according to the Northlander trying to return it to the wild.

Ingrid Visser, a Tutukaka orca expert, has spent the past month in the Netherlands waging a campaign to free Morgan, a sick female orca rescued off the Dutch coast in June last year.

It was nursed back to health by staff of Dolfinarium Harderwijk, a marine mammal park east of Amsterdam.

A coalition of conservationists and scientists say the animal must now be returned to the wild.

The coalition feared a bid by the Dolfinarium to transfer Morgan to a theme park in Spain's Canary Islands this month would have ended any hope of freeing Morgan.

However, on August 3, a Dutch court ruled that Morgan could not be shipped out of the Netherlands. The judge also ordered the Dolfinarium to move Morgan to a bigger tank.

Dr Visser told the Northern Advocate this week that she was concerned about the orca's mental state and frustrated by the park's refusal to move Morgan into a larger enclosure.

"They have refused to release any of her health records, her DNA profile or her acoustical records, which would help to get her back to her extended family.

"Her mental health has deteriorated a lot. She is now screaming so loud that it is ear-piercing."

Dr Visser said Morgan was also exhibiting signs of boredom, such as rolling her tongue.

- APN