Kasatka
 Kasatka performing "The Shamu Adventure" on July 5, 2004. The stage at Shamu Stadium has since been redesigned to accommodate the new "Orca Encounter" show. | |
| Species | Orca |
|---|---|
| Sex | Female |
| Born | c. 1976 |
| Died | 15 August 2017 (aged 40–41) |
| Years active | 1978–2017 |
| Known for | Performer of the Shamu show. |
| Mate(s) |
|
| Offspring |
|
Kasatka (c. 1976 – 15 August 2017) was a wild caught female orca who lived at SeaWorld San Diego.
Life
[edit]Kasatka was captured off the southeastern coast of Iceland on 26 October 1978, with another young female whale named Kahana. Both were estimated to be around 2 years old. The two whales were housed in a sea pen in Grindavík before being shipped to SeaWorld later that year.[1]
Kasatka showed occasional aggression to humans. In 1993, she tried to bite trainer Ken Peters during a show, and again in 1999.[2] On November 30, 2006, Kasatka grabbed Peters again and dragged him underwater twice during their show.[3] Peters survived with minor injuries.[4]
After suffering incurable pneumonia from 2008 to 2017, Kasatka was euthanized at age 40 on August 15, 2017.[5]
Offspring
[edit]Kasatka was the matriarch of the San Diego Orca SeaWorld family.[5] She was the first captive cetacean to successively receive artificial insemination, according to John Hargrove, a trainer there.[6][7]
She bore two daughters and two sons, resulting in six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren by the time of her death:
- Takara (born 1991), female (SeaWorld San Antonio)[8]
- Kohana (born May 3, 2002 – September 14, 2022), female (Loro Parque)[9]
- Adán (born October 13, 2010), male (Loro Parque)
- Victoria ("Vicky") (August 3, 2012 – June 16, 2013), female (Loro Parque)
- Trua (November 23, 2005), male (SeaWorld Orlando)[10][9]
- Sakari (January 7, 2010), female (SeaWorld San Antonio)[11]
- Kamea (December 6, 2013), female (SeaWorld San Antonio)[12]
- Kyara (April 19, 2017 – July 24, 2017), female (SeaWorld San Antonio)[13]
- Kohana (born May 3, 2002 – September 14, 2022), female (Loro Parque)[9]
- Nakai (born September 1, 2001 – August 5, 2022), male (Seaworld San Diego); first orca conceived by artificial insemination[14]
- Kalia[15] (born December 21, 2004), female (SeaWorld San Diego)[16]
- Makani (born February 14, 2013), male (SeaWorld San Diego)[18]
See also
[edit]- List of individual cetaceans
- List of captive orcas
- Captive killer whales
- Killer whale attacks on humans
- Keiko, the star of the 1993 movie Free Willy
References
[edit]- ^ Sigurjónsson, Jóhann; Leatherwood, Stephen (May 1987). "The Icelandic live-capture fishery for killer whales, 1976-1988" (PDF). Workshop on North Atlantic Killer Whales: 307–316. Retrieved 31 March 2022.
- ^ Repard, Pauline (2006-11-30). "Killer whale bites trainer, takes him to tank bottom". SignOnSanDiego.com. Archived from the original on 2009-05-01.
- ^ Kirby, David (July 24, 2012). "Near Death At SeaWorld: Worldwide Exclusive Video". Huffington Post.
- ^ "Killer whale attacks Sea World trainer". CNN.com. November 30, 2006.
- ^ a b "Kasatka". seaworld.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. 2017.
- ^ Hargrove, John (22 March 2016). "I trained killer whales at SeaWorld for 12 years. Here's why I quit". Vox.com. Retrieved 25 February 2019.
- ^ Robeck, T.R.; Steinman, K.J.; Gearhart, S.; Reidarson, T.R.; McBain, J.F.; Monfort, S.L. (1 August 2004). "Reproductive Physiology and Development of Artificial Insemination Technology in Killer Whales (Orcinus orca)". Biology of Reproduction. 71 (2): 650–660. doi:10.1095/biolreprod.104.027961. PMID 15115725.
- ^ Rodriguez, Monica (March 21, 1991). "Sea World Proudly Spouts Off News That Killer Whale Kasatka Is Pregnant". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ a b Newkirk, Ingrid (February 23, 2017). "OpEd: SeaWorld was right to stop breeding orcas, but it should go further". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ Michelle. "Trua". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ "Sakari". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
- ^ "Kamea". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
- ^ "Kyara obit". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment.
- ^ Autumn. "Nakai". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ a b Taylor, Jennicca (December 2, 2014). "Kalia's Calf is Born!". insideseaworld.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ Mike. "Kalia". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ "Amaya". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ Katey. "Makani". seaworldcares.com. SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
External links
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