Orcas

in

Captivity
Kim 2 (Marineland Antibes, France)

A look at killer whales in aquariums and parks

Current number of known orcas in captivity: 46



For pictures of a certain whale simply click on the whale's name!



sorted by date of capture/birth
NAME MOTHER SEX ORIGIN CAPT./BORN AQUARIUM REMARKS
1960<
Corky 2 / A16 A23? F BC, CAN 1969/12/12 SeaWorld California Corky was about 3 years old when captured. She is a member of the Northern Resident killer whale population. Reportedly she is blind on one eye. She experienced 7 (seven!) unsuccessful pregnancies, with no calf surviving more than 46 days. Corky measures about 20.6 feet and weighs in at 8,200 pounds (February 2004).
1970<
Lolita L pod F WA, USA 1970/8/8 Miami Seaquarium Lolita, also known as Tokitae, was about 4 years old when captured. She is a member of the Southern Resident killer whale population. According to an older newspaper article, Lolita was pregnant a few times when she was still together with her mate Hugo but never delivered a live offspring. She measures about 20 feet and weighs in at 7,500 pounds (February 2004).
Katina ? F Iceland 1978/10/26 SeaWorld Florida Katina, also known as Kandu 6, was about 2 years old when captured. She became the first "successful" mother in captivity with her calf Kalina. Katina measures about 16.4 feet and weighs in at 5,600 pounds (Summer 2004).
Kasatka ? F Iceland 1978/10/26 SeaWorld California Kasatka was about 1 year old when captured. She became the first whale to be artificially inseminated in 2000, using Tilikum's semen. Kasatka measures about 17 feet and weighs in at 5,400 pounds (February 2004).
Kiska ? F Iceland 1979/10 Marineland Ontario Kiska was about 3 years old when captured. She measures about 20 feet and weighs in at 6,500 pounds (July 2006). There is a rumour that Kiska is pregnant again, being due around September 2014.
Ulises ? M Iceland 1980/11/19 SeaWorld California Ulises, sometimes spelled Ulysses, was about 3 years old when captured. He spent a long time alone in Barcelona, Spain. Ulises measures about 20,3 feet and weighs in at 9,400 pounds (February 2004).
1980<
Freya ? F Iceland 1982/10 Marineland Antibes, France Freya was about 1 year old when captured. She measures about 19.7 feet and weighs in at 6,700 pounds (Summer 2004).
Tilikum ? M Iceland 1983/11 SeaWorld Florida Tilikum, sometimes spelled Tillikum, was about 2 years old when captured. He is probably the biggest captive orca, weighing in at 12,000 pounds. He measures about 22.5 feet (Winter 2009/2010).
Bingo ? M Iceland 1984/11 Port of Nagoya Aquarium, Japan Bingo, also known as Thor, was about 2 years old when captured. He measures about 21.3 feet and weighs in at 8,818 pounds (October 2005).
Stella ? F Iceland 1987/10 Port of Nagoya Aquarium, Japan Stella was about 1 year old when captured. She measures about 17 feet and weighs in at 4,409 pounds (2006).
Orkid Kandu 5 F captivity 1988/9/23 SeaWorld California Orkid is sometimes mispelled Orchid. Her mother Kandu 5 died in August 1989. Orkid measures about 19 feet and weighs in at 5,900 pounds (February 2004). Orkid has been artificially inseminated several times, but so far without success.
Kayla Kenau F captivity 1988/11/26 SeaWorld Florida Kayla's mother Kenau died in August 1991. Kayla measures about 20 feet and weighs in at 6,000 pounds (2007).
1990<
Takara Kasatka F captivity 1991/7/9 SeaWorld Texas Takara measures about 17 feet and weighs in at 4,700 pounds (December 2010). She is pregnant again after being artificially inseminated with Kshamenk's semen. Takara's due in early 2014.
Kyuquot Haida 2 M captivity 1991/12/24 SeaWorld Texas Kyuquot's mother Haida 2 died in August 2001. Kyuquot, also known as Ky or mispelled as Kyuquet, was born at Sealand Victoria, Canada. Kyuquot measures about 22 feet and weighs in at 8,000 pounds (October 2010).
Kshamenk ? M Argentina 1992/9/19 Mundo Marino, Buenos Aires Kshamenk, sometimes mispelled as Sharmenk or Shamenk, was about 4 years old when captured. He was forced to strand. Kshamenk measures about 19.5 feet and weighs in at 7,800 pounds (March 2005).
Keet Kalina M captivity 1993/2/2 SeaWorld California Keet was separated from his mother at the age of 1 year 8 months to support Kalina's next pregnancy. Keet weighs in at 7,000 pounds (February 2012).
Shouka Sharkan F captivity 1993/2/25 SeaWorld California Shouka measures about 16.3 feet and weighs in at 4,700 pounds (November 2004).
Keto Kalina M captivity 1995/6/17 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain Keto, sometimes mispelled as Kito, weighs in at about 7,500 pounds (2013).
Valentin Freya M captivity 1996/2/13 Marineland Antibes, France Valentin measures about 19.6 feet and weighs in at 7,000 pounds (September 2010).
Unna Katina F captivity 1996/12/27 SeaWorld Texas Unna measures about 17 feet and weighs in at 4,500 pounds (December 2010). There are rumours that Unna is pregnant again. She had a stillbirth in 2006.
Lovey Stella F captivity 1998/1/11 Kamogawa Sea World, Japan Lovey, also known as Oyako, became the first surviving captive born calf in Japan after 5 unsuccessful pregnancies. She measures about 16.7 feet and weighs in at 4,630 pounds (April 2013).
Inouk Sharkan M captivity 1999/2/23 Marineland Antibes, France Inouk measures about 13.9 feet and weighs in at 2,500 pounds (April 2006).
Tuar Kalina M captivity 1999/6/22 SeaWorld Texas Kalina's latest calf first had been named Flash but people were unhappy with that name. Then he was named Tuar in an on-line poll. Tuar measures about 17 feet and weighs in at 4,500 pounds (October 2010).
2000<
Tekoa Taima M captivity 2000/11/8 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain Tekoa's mother Taima died in June 2010. Tekoa measures about 14.4 feet (2007) and weighs in at 5,500 pounds (December 2010).
Lara Stella F captivity 2001/2/8 Kamogawa Sea World, Japan Lara weighs in at 4,410 pounds (April 2013). Lara might be pregnant for the first time.
Wikie Sharkan F captivity 2001/6/1 Marineland Antibes, France Wikie, sometimes mispelled Wiki, measures about 13.4 feet (April 2006). Wikie is pregnant again, being due in late 2013.
Nakai Kasatka M captivity 2001/9/1 SeaWorld California Nakai measures about 13.2 feet and weighs in at 2,500 pounds (February 2004).
Kohana Takara F captivity 2002/5/3 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain Kohana (Japanese for "little flower") had been referred to as Makea on the internet prior to her official naming. She measures about 14.2 feet (2007) and weighs in at 2,770 pounds (January 2008).
Ikaika Katina M captivity 2002/8/25 SeaWorld California Ikaika measures about 17 feet and weighs in at 4,000 pounds (October 2010).
Skyla Kalina F captivity 2004/2/9 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain Skyla measures about 9.8 feet and weighs in at 1,960 pounds (January 2008).
Kalia Kasatka F captivity 2004/12/21 SeaWorld California -
Trua Takara M captivity 2005/11/23 SeaWorld Florida Trua (Icelandic for "believe") measures about 7 feet and weighs in at 350 pounds (November 2005).
Ran 2 Stella F captivity 2006/2/25 Port of Nagoya Aquarium, Japan Ran 2 (Japanese for "orchid"), sometimes spelled Lan, measures about 13.8 feet and weighs in at 2,646 pounds (December 2011).
Nalani Katina F captivity 2006/9/18 SeaWorld Florida Nalani measures about 7 feet and weighs in at 400 pounds (2008).
Malia Taima F captivity 2007/3/12 SeaWorld Florida Malia (Hawaiian for "calm and peaceful") measures about 6 feet and weighs in at about 350 pounds (March 2007).
Earth Lovey M captivity 2008/10/13 Kamogawa Sea World, Japan Earth (yep, that's his name...) measures about 8.2 feet and weighs in at 683 pounds (2009).
Sakari Takara F captivity 2010/1/7 SeaWorld Texas Sakari weighs in at 1,000 pounds (December 2010).
Morgan ? F Netherlands 2010/6/23 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain Morgan (Welsh for "bright shining sea") was about three years old when captured. She weighs in at 2,453 pounds (January 2012).
Makaio Katina M captivity 2010/10/9 SeaWorld Florida Makaio (Hawaiian for "gift of god") measures about 7 feet and weighs in at 550 pounds (December 2010).
Adán Kohana M captivity 2010/10/13 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain Adán (Spanish for "Adam") measures about 6.6 feet and weighs in at 440 pounds (December 2010).
Moana Wikie M captivity 2011/03/16 Marineland Antibes, France Moana (Polynesian for "Ocean") measures about 6.5 feet and weighs in at 330 pounds (April 2011).
Luna Lovey F captivity 2012/07/19 Kamogawa Sea World, Japan Luna measures about 9.2 feet and weighs in at 620 pounds (November 2012).
Vicky Kohana F captivity 2012/08/03 Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain At birth Vicky (or Victoria) measured about 7.9 feet and weighed in at 335 pounds.
Narnia ? F Russia 2012/08 Seaside Dolphinarium, Nakhodka, Russia Narnia is about 16.4 feet long, which suggests that she's about six years old.
? Stella F captivity 2012/11/13 Port of Nagoya Aquarium, Japan At birth the little girl measured about 6.5 feet and weighed in at around 370 pounds.
? Kasatka M captivity 2013/2/14 SeaWorld California The new calf measures about 6.5 feet and weighs in between 300 and 350 pounds.
Growth rate defined by Duffield and Miller (1988) was used to estimate the age from the length at time of capture.

captive orcas by aquarium
captive orcas by origin

Sources:


Thank you very much to Andreas Stüger for overhauling the captivity pages regarding statistics and links!


Please for any corrections, comments or if you would like to improve this catalog with better pictures.
But please don't send pictures from someone else's website, if this website asks not to do so without permission or if those pictures have someone else's private copyright on it. And please don't use any of the pictures on this website without permission. Thank you!


Cetacean Cousins has a very nice overview about which whales were at a certain marine park in any given year, here's the link. Just scroll down to "Marine Parks" and click on the park you'd like to know more about. You'll find the information either directly on the park's page or when you click on a "Transfer" link on the left side of the park's page. Cetacean Cousins also have more detailed information on the individual whales. Check it out, they are well worth a visit!

Take a look at orcas deceased in captivity (last updated May 15, 2013)

These facilities are keeping orcas captive (last updated February 15, 2013)

About orcas that escaped or were released from captivity (last updated May 15, 2013)

Violent incidents between humans and orcas in captivity (last updated October 15, 2012)

Study about the life expectancy of orcas in captivity

Study about the impact of the 1962-1973 captures on the Southern Resident orcas

Study about the Icelandic live-capture fishery for killer whales, 1976-1988

The Story of the Taiji 5

The Story of Whale and Eagle

Thoughts on keeping cetaceans captive

On the Makah whaling issue


Get to know some Orca Facts, Stories and Books

Visit my first adoption whale Elwha

Get information about The Lolita Come Home Project

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