Date: 20/09/2022
Last Thursday, 15th September, the ex-employee Sebastian McLean published on his social networks a publication of great repercussion in which he talked about the situation of the orcas that live in our facilities. Loro Parque would like to deny the content of this letter, as it contains very serious accusations without providing any evidence whatsoever.
First of all, we would like to clarify that this person has neither the knowledge nor the experience to correctly interpret the behaviour of the orcas. Mr. McLean was employed 13 years ago as a cleaner at the Orca Ocean facility. At no time was he authorised to have any contact with the animals.
To claim that our orcas “hit their heads after presentations” or that they were “left to roast in the sun”, besides being flatly untrue, is a gross disrespect to the keepers of Orca Ocean, who, unlike him, do have the necessary training and experience to care for these animals in an optimal manner and thus ensure their well-being.
All this not to mention a very tasteless insinuation about a possible suicide, an insinuation that has already been disproved by the preliminary findings of the necropsy carried out on the orca.
At Loro Parque we believe that the motives behind his actions are far removed from defending animal welfare. In his own publication, Mr. McLean acknowledges having violated the company’s safety protocols, crossing the safety barrier with his arm to touch Kohana. In doing so, McLean put his own safety and that of the animal at risk.
As a result of Kohana’s death, a number of false accusations have been made against us without providing any evidence whatsoever. From Loro Parque, we call for common sense and responsibility, asking not to contribute to the dissemination of fallacies issued with the sole purpose of harming the family of Loro Parque.
