Their Story; Kasatka.

Picture from www.seaworldcares.com

     My name is Kasatka, I was born in 1976 and captured off the coast of Iceland on October 26, 1978, with my pod-mate Katina. I lived in SeaWorld San Diego with Katina from 1976 to 1984 until we were separated and she was shipped to SeaWorld Orlando. I have been imprisoned in SeaWorld San Diego for four decades (and shipped between the other SeaWorld parks 14 times in 8 years) and am forced to perform upwards of eight shows a day. I have been known to show aggression toward my trainers. In 1993 I tried to bite my trainer Ken Peters and again in 1999. On November 30, 2006, I grabbed Ken Peters again and dragged him underwater twice. He sustained minor injuries. 

     I have been bred multiple times since living in SeaWorld and I have given birth to 4 calves. I am a grandmother or great-grandmother to eight other SeaWorld orcas. My first calf was Takara, she was born on July 9, 1991. Her mating partner (also her father) Kotar died when Takara was only 3 years old after a pool gate closed on his head and fractured his skull. In the wild mothers and their calves live together for their life, Takara and I were separated when she was 12 years old. In 2001 I gave birth to Nakai. Nakai was the first orca to be bred with Tilikum's sperm. I tried to protect him but Nakai was kept in a small concrete tank with incompatible orcas. In 2012 Nakai lost a chunk of his jaw after being attacked by other orcas in the tank. On December 21, 2004, I gave birth to my third calf Kalia after mating with Keet. Lastly, on Valentine's Day 2013, I gave birth to Makani after being inseminated with Kshamenk who lives alone in Argentina at Mundo Marino. 

     In 2008 I was diagnosed with pneumonia but still, was inseminated in 2011 with my fourth calf. I suffered endlessly with pneumonia until my euthanization on August 15, 2017. I was the third orca and the sixth marine mammal to die at one of the parks in that year.

Rest In Peace Kasatka

Their Story; Orkid.

Picture from www.orcahome.de

     My name is Orkid, I was born in Seaworld San Diego, September of 1988. My parents are Kandu 5 and Orky 2, and I am the oldest captive-born orca. I was named after my das Orky who died just a few days after I was born. 

     In 1989 when I was only 11 months old, my mom was involved in a fatal accident with Corky 2. My mom attacked Corky and crashed into a wall, she died of hemorrhaging. Corky became my adopted mother and we are still together to this day and very close. 

     I love making new friends, and I get along with most everyone around me. I had a very close relationship with Kasatka for a while, I'm also close with Keet, Shouka and Ikaika. I used to have issues with Ulises in the past but we get along okay now. I've mated with lots of guys but I've never gotten pregnant. 

     I have had some pretty bad incidents with my trainers, I have been involved in 17 of 87 attacks on them. In 2002, Splash and I attacked a trainer named Tamarie. In 2006 I attacked another trainer attempting to do a sonogram. I've also dragged trainers underwater and wasn't allowed to perform in waterworks shows after that. As of lately, no one has reported much on me, I'm still in my tank in San Diego, performing every day with my best friend Nakai.