VALLEJO, Ca. (WTVR)--A 19-year old female in Vallejo is looking for a roommate, although compatibility may be an issue.
She's an orca at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in California.
A Vallejo woman is complaining the park is breaking the law by not providing a companion.
Killer whales in captivity need companionship; in fact it is the law--federal law.
Section 3.109 of the Animal Welfare Act states that marine mammals, whenever known to be primarily social in the wild, must be housed in their primary enclosure with at least one compatible animal of the same or biologically related species.
For over 6 months, Shouka, the killer whale living at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo, CA has been alone without the companionship of another compatible animal. Merlin and Cupid, the two male bottlenose dolphins Shouka was housed with for many years were moved to another area of the park leaving Shouka alone.
"It's been almost six months Shouka has been alone,” said animal activist Wendy Brunot.
Brunot started an online petition demanding Six Flags Discovery Kingdom find Shouka a poolmate. So far she more than 1,000 signatures. [Click here to see the petition]
She says current circumstances are cruel and inhumane and that whales need companions.
Six Flags responded in a written statement "due to recent compatibility issues ...Shouka and her companion for the last seven years ..a male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin have been separated "
There is no word on why they were separated or if the separation is final, but park officials say they are actively working on finding a suitable companion for Shouka .
For now she is swimming solo.
"In my opinion she should be flown back to France to her family if they can't find a companion,” said Brunot.
The petition states that for the last 10 years, Shouka's companions have been a few bottlenose dolphins.
Her companion of 7 years, Merlin, a male bottlenose dolphin was removed from her enclosure and placed in another area of the park with other bottlenose dolphins.
The petition says that Shouka has been alone since November 2011.
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A 19-year old female in Vallejo is looking for a roommate, although compatibility may be an issue.
She's an orca at Six Flags Discovery Kingdom in California.
A Vallejo woman is complaining the park is breaking the law by not providing a companion.
Killer whales in captivity need companionship; in fact it is the law--federal law.
"It's been almost six months Shouka has been alone,” said animal activist Wendy Brunot.
Brunot started an online petition demanding Six Flags Discovery Kingdom find Shouka a poolmate. So far she has 700 signatures.
She says current circumstances are cruel and inhumane and that whales need companions.
Six Flags responded in a written statement "due to recent compatibility issues ...Shouka and her companion for the last seven years ..a male Atlantic bottlenose dolphin have been separated "
There is no word on why they were separated or if the separation is final, but park officials say they are actively working on finding a suitable companion for Shouka .
For now she is swimming solo.
"In my opinion she should be flown back to France to her family if they can't find a companion,” said Brunot.
