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Carlsbad woman’s hunger strike aims to free orcas

CARLSBAD — A Hermetic Kabbalah teacher began a hunger strike Jan. 17 at Carlsbad State Beach in protest of SeaWorld’s captive orca program.

Rachel Grayner, 35, who calls herself Kali Ren, will conduct her hunger strike at Tamarack Beach next to Lifeguard Station 38.

Grayner said she intends to continue her hunger strike until either SeaWorld releases all orcas they have in captivity — either into the wild or by transferring them to seaside sanctuaries — or until she dies as a result of the strike, according to her website.

Kali Ren. Photo via kalidragons.com

According to Grayner, she will allow only “A-list” celebrities to feed her juice to prolong her life and raise awareness to this cause during the hunger strike.

SeaWorld discontinued their orca breeding program in 2016, stating that the killer whales “…currently in the company’s care would be the last generation of orcas at SeaWorld,” Ren quotes.

However, the company allegedly still holds 21 orcas in its three parks in the United States, and also owns at least four at Loro Parque in Spain, according to Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC).

Captive orcas are known to live to an average of 35 years.

According to the Change for Animals Foundation, there are 53 orcas currently being held in captivity worldwide.

More information can be found at changeforanimals.org/whales-and-dolphins-in-captivity.

A list of killer whales in captivity can be found at Orca Home: orcahome.de/orcastat.htm.

For daily updates, visit kalidragons.com/hunger-strike.

Grayner lists captivity locations, as of September, 2016, to be:

  • SeaWorld San Diego, Calif., Orlando, Fla. and San Antonio, Texas
  • Miami Seaquarium, Miami, Fla.
  • Marineland, Ontario, Canada
  • Loro Parque, Tenerife, Spain
  • Marineland, Antibes, France
  • Mundo Marino, San Clemente del Tuyú, Argentina
  • Kamogawa SeaWorld, Kamogawa, Chiba, Japan
  • Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium, Nagoya, Aichi, Japan
  • Moskvarium, Moscow, Russia
  • TINRO Center, Vladivostok, Russia
  • Chimelong Ocean Kingdom, Henqin, Zhuhai, China  

8 comments

Yank January 24, 2019 at 6:19 pm

Awesome, I live near by and plan on supporting her with man juice. I will tell her my name is yank arron. Should work, she sounds pretty stupid.

Tanesha January 23, 2019 at 5:52 pm

This is….a breath of fresh air! I hope she sticks it out. I hope this reaches national news! I’m on the vibrational wavelength of support and encouragement for her and the cause she supports. Ready to ride this wave!!

Jonathan January 23, 2019 at 9:59 am

I agree with her. Orcas have intelligence and emotions close to humans. They live to age 80 in the wild. Average life span of 35 in captivity shows that they are in severe stress. They must be transferred to seaside sanctuary with option to travel out into the wild at their choice. They should be able to come back to sanctuary if they choose.

Morgan January 22, 2019 at 5:36 pm

Does she really think she is that important?

Rosa January 22, 2019 at 4:55 pm

@Sherri, they can all be released to marine sanctuaries which are radically different from these theme park prisons.

Joan Harrison January 22, 2019 at 3:46 pm

What about the hundreds of Orcas that are in cells so to speak off the Russian coast..They were captured to LEASE or sell..They do not belong to parks..so parks do not count them..a way to get around..They are kept in HORRIFIC conditions.. The fact they can do this is wrong..A huge customer for them is none other than China..China is committed to opening and operating at least 15 -25 parks to entertain..
Russia and China are the worst culprits of them all..and let’s not forget Japan..

SHERRI A CONSTABLE January 22, 2019 at 8:02 am

Sadly She does not understand most of the Orcas at SeaWorld were born at the parks. They can not be released into the Wild.

Ruppert Jennkkins January 22, 2019 at 12:00 pm

For a radical, she’s very hot. Most animal radicals have purple hair and 10 nose rings.

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