These 23 orcas will be the last at SeaWorld
On Thursday, SeaWorld announced the end of its killer whale breeding program: The 23 whales currently at the parks, will be the last.
SeaWorld's current menagerie of orcas range in age from 1 to 51.
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The United States stopped issuing permits to capture orcas in 1989. All of SeaWorld's whales that were born after that date were bred in captivity.
The life expectancy for a killer whale in the wild is roughly 30-50 years for females and 30 years for males. SeaWorld estimates the life expectancy for orcas in captivity is 17 years for males and 29 years for females, although they have several whales that have lived longer.
Besides one orca at Miami Seaquarium, these 23 are the only ones left in captivity in the U.S.
Katina
Name: Katina
Sex: Female
Age: 41 (estimated)
Birthplace: Wild; captured off the coast of Iceland in October 1978
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Tilikum
Name: Tilikum
Sex: Male
Age: 35 (estimated)
Birthplace: Wild, captured off the coast of Iceland in November 1983
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Tilikum gained fame in the documentary Blackfish. He has been linked to three trainer deaths.
Last week, SeaWorld released a statement regarding Tilikum’s health: “We are saddened to report that over the past few weeks, Tilikum’s behavior has become increasingly lethargic ... The SeaWorld veterinary and animal care teams are concerned that his health is beginning to deteriorate.”
He is being treated for a bacterial infection in his lungs.
Kayla
Name: Kayla
Sex: Female
Age: 27
Birthplace: SeaWorld San Antonio, Nov. 26, 1988
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Trua
Name: Trua
Sex: Male
Age: 10
Birthplace: SeaWorld Orlando, November 2005
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Nalani
Name: Nalani
Sex: Female
Age: 9
Birthplace: In captivity, September 2006
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Malia
Name: Malia
Sex: Female
Age: 9
Birthplace: SeaWorld Orlando, March 12, 2007
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Makaio
Name: Makaio
Sex: Male
Age: 5
Birthplace: In captivity, October 2010
Current location: SeaWorld Orlando
Takara
Name: Takara
Sex: Female
Age: 24
Birthplace: SeaWorld San Diego, July 1991
Current location: San Antonio
Takara is currently pregnant, according to SeaWorld.
Kyuquot
Name: Kyuquot
Sex: Male
Age: 24
Birthplace: Sealand of the Pacific, December 1991
Current location: SeaWorld San Antonio
Tuar
Name: Tuar
Sex: Male
Age: 16
Birthplace: SeaWorld Orlando, June 1999
Current location: SeaWorld San Antonio
Sakari
Name: Sakari
Sex: Female
Age: 6
Birth: SeaWorld San Antonio, January 2010
Current location: SeaWorld San Antonio
Kamea
Name: Kamea
Sex: Female
Age: 2
Birth: SeaWorld San Antonio, December 2013
Current location: SeaWorld San Antonio
Corky 2
Name: Corky 2
Sex: Female
Age: 51
Birthplace: In the wild, captured in December 1969 off the coast of British Columbia
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
She is the oldest whale at any of the SeaWorld parks.
Kasatka
Name: Kasatka
Sex: Female
Age: 38
Birthplace: In the wild, captured in October 1978 off the coast of Iceland
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Ulises
Name: Ulises
Sex: Male
Age: 38
Birthplace: In the wild; captured November 1980 off the coast of Iceland
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Orkid
Name: Orkid
Sex: Female
Age: 27
Birthplace: SeaWorld San Diego, Sept. 23, 1988
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Orkid was the first killer whale born at SeaWorld San Diego.
Nakai
Name: Nakai
Sex: Male
Age: 14
Birthplace: In captivity, September 2001
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Nakai was the first killer whale to be conceived through artificial insemination.
Kalia
Name: Kalia
Sex: Female
Age: 11
Birthplace: In captivity, Dec. 21, 2004
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Ikaika
Name: Ikaika
Sex: Male
Age: 13
Birthplace: SeaWorld Orlando, Aug. 25, 2002
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Shouka
Name: Shouka
Sex: Female
Age: 23
Birthplace: In captivity in Antibes, France, Feb. 25, 1993
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Keet
Name: Keet
Sex: Male
Age: 23
Birthplace: SeaWorld San Antonio, Feb. 2, 1993
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Makani
Name: Makani
Sex: Male
Age: 3
Birth: SeaWorld San Diego, Feb. 14, 2013
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
Amaya
Name: Amaya
Sex: Female
Age: 1
Birth: SeaWorld San Diego, December 2014
Current location: SeaWorld San Diego
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Cailey studied journalism at SUNY Purchase and french cinema & literature at Paris IV Sorbonne. She is a cynical optimist and Talking Heads karaoke enthusiast. Drop her a line @misscaileyanne
