Toa, which means brave in Maori, ran aground near Wellington on 11 July. Experts and volunteers took care of him ever since. An attempt was made to find his family, in the hope of being able to release him. An airplane and boats were used in the search. New Zealanders were urged to look out for groups of orcas.
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Deteriorated health
Toa’s health deteriorated at a rapid rate on Thursday, animal aid organization Whale Rescue said on Facebook. Veterinarians tried to save the orca, but help was to no avail. No details have yet been released as to why he died.
Toa was transferred to a new residence just before his death, a cordoned off stretch of sea. Before that, he was cared for in a basin due to bad weather conditions. The orca baby would not have been able to survive on its own. Caregivers had to feed him every four hours. In addition, orcas are social animals that live in groups, called pods.
No facilities
Experts warned that Toa’s pod must be found quickly. If the search failed, they would have to put him to sleep. New Zealand does not have a basin or other facilities necessary to care for a baby orca for the rest of its life.
A killer whale can live up to 25 years in captivity.
The caretakers said goodbye to Toa this morning with a special ceremony at dawn. There were about seventy people who had helped to care for the animal.
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