Animal rights group Dolphin Project has shared footage of an orca named Morgan repeatedly bashing its head off a metal gate in a medical pool in Loro Parque, on the island of Tenerife.

Loro Parque houses up to six performing orcas which are owned by Seaworld. Dolphin Project said Morgan was distressed and trying to escape into the larger adjacent pool, which contained another orca, Tekoa. Loro Parque released a statement on 27 April contradicting the claim, saying the video was "a new attempt at manipulation through exaggeration and dramatisation of a completely normal situation and that is no problem for animals". It added that Morgan was pent up with "sexual frustration".

The footage was reportedly given to Dolphin Project by an anonymous activist, who it said recorded the footage between shows at the park.

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