Why does the Orac (Killer Whales) fin start to bend when it is in captivity?
Answer Dear Chris Thanks for your question. I have looked at various websites and have come up with the following possible solutions. Collapsed fins occur in about 1% of wild orcas, perhaps because these whales spent lots of time in shallow bays and shallow feeding grounds during their growth spurt. Collapsed fins happen to 30-100% of captives. http://oceanlink.island.net/ask/odontoceti.html states that tanks are usually shallow and the whales can only take a few strokes in any direction before coming to a wall, so they spend much of their time at the tank’s surface. This can lead to skin problems and is the probable cause of fin collapse. This is because gravity pulls the dorsal fin over as the orca matures, because it is not supported by water. This happens to all captive males and many captive females. http://oceanlink.island.net/ask/odontoceti.html#anchor662263 states that the dorsal fins are supported by cartilage. When a male goes through his “growth spurt” in the early teenage y
