Killer Whales, Killer Teeth: Poor Dental Health Leads to Premature Mortality of Captive Orcas

Aug. 16, 2010 - PRLog -- The PRIMARY risk factors for developing poor oral health conditions in captive orcas (killer-whales) are AGE and CAPTIVITY. The longer animals are in confinement, the higher the risk of developing problems. Definitively, there is a high 'prevalence' of fractured and broken teeth in a majority of captive orcas. However, there is an unknown rate of new occurrences since orca mortality decreases the 'prevalence' of broken teeth (dead whales get removed from the population, and younger whales have better teeth). It is speculated the risk increases for the male gender, based on increased testosterone levels and subdominant status. Additionally, social strife and moving animals from park to park may increase risk, because every time an animal moves, it must "reestablish" itself on the social hierarchy. This is more prevalent with mid-range and lower animals within the social hierarchy. Upper echelon whales may have less of a need to establish themselves as they are already at the top of the society. It would make sense that subdominant animals would are more susceptible to these problems.

The impact of captivity on the teeth and jaws of various orcas can be seen in at a Photo Gallery located here: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14631&id=1000010444...

SeaWorld, Six Flags and other marine mammal parks have managed to keep this cloaked in relative secrecy. The damage usually occurs from threat displays involving two orcas separated by a steel gate. In some instances the broken teeth lead to behaviors of grinding down the jaw itself, probably from chronic pain. There is one image included in the collection (Orca Teeth 1) where you can see how this orca has worn the jaw. This particular orca has been observed using the corner of the performance stage like a big file; swimming by at high speed with an open mouth biting the corner of stage and wearing down the bone. It is also common for orcas to "go at it" while separated by gates and teeth fragments have been found on the bottom of the pool afterwards. Contributors to the poor oral conditions of captive orcas include Jaw-popping (a form of threat display), tooth grinding, tooth "flattening" and tooth "drilling".

Few people are aware of this practice whereas captive orcas routinely have holes drilled in their teeth as well as grinding or “flattening” of their teeth. And very few people understand, or have even thought about, how the holes are drilled. Trainers are forbidden to speak of this practice publicly. SeaWorld trainers use a variable-speed tool (similar to a Dremel tool) with a stainless drill bit attached.  The whales are conditioned to "accept" the noise, heat, vibration and obvious pain associated with drilling vertically through the tooth column and into the fleshy pulp below. Success is measured by blood spilling out of the hole, in which case it’s apparent the bore is complete. This entire procedure is performed without a local anesthetic for reasons which are not fully understood.  For example, while the teeth of many of SeaWorld’s orcas are in train-wreck status, drilling and flushing routinely takes place regardless of whether the teeth are infected or in need of this procedure. The training and education staff at SeaWorld contends that the thrice daily "tooth flushes" are "superior dental care". What they don't tell you is that the teeth have holes in them, and if the impacted fish isn't flushed with a Waterpick daily, an infection would likely occur. This is done by filling the reservoir of a device with a Betadine solution which is pumped down into the jaw. In the case of Tilikum, the orca involved in the February 24, 2010 death of trainer Dawn Brancheau, this procedure is, or was, performed three times a day.

SeaWorld, for example, routinely does the following to CLOAK the teeth issue:
1. They will use a juvenile or dominant orca with good teeth for all public photo shoots.
2. They will create an angle where the photographer can only see the top jaw (in many cases the damage is to the lower jaw only)
3. They won't let anyone close to an animal, citing "safety" reasons (how ironic, since they tout how safe things are).
4. They sell the public on “superior dental care” as they often perform the tooth flush husbandry behavior publicly several times a day.
5. PR pictures were always done mindful of avoiding mouth close-ups for fear of inadvertent disclosure.

Conversely, Lolita (Tokitae) at Miami Seaquarium (Photo Gallery: Orca Teeth 18) has pretty good teeth. The front teeth are barely erupted or worn down. Perhaps this is due to Lolita's isolation, and lack of a need for social climbing (no competitors in her facility) or other available mechanism of injury resulting from social climbing and/or threat displays such as “Jaw-popping”. However, although Lolita appears to have relatively good dental health, numerous other issues arise as to the detrimental effects of her captivity.

These issues and images are strong evidence illustrating another example of the inhumane nature of orca confinement. In the wild, male orcas live an average of 30+ yrs and females 50+ yrs although many can live well into their 80s or 90s. In captivity orcas rarely make it into their teens.

It is hoped that by discussing and sharing this information we may gain a better understanding of these intelligent sentient beings and raise awareness about the adverse affects of their unecessary captivity and exploitation.

Orca Teeth Photo Gallery: http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=14631&id=100001044495673&l=331ecd1197