Theme Park Announces the Death of a Fan Favorite Orca
A theme park in San Antonio revealed on June 19 that one of their fan-favorite killer whales had passed away.
SeaWorld shared the sad news in a Facebook post that with "heavy hearts" their "beloved orca, Kamea" had died at the age of 11.
"Despite the round-the-clock tireless efforts of our animal care and veterinary teams, she succumbed to an illness surrounded by those who loved and cared for her deeply," the statement reads."
The theme park did not disclose the orca's illness, but instead shared a tribute to the young mammal.
Kamea brought joy and inspiration to millions of guests over the years. Her playful spirit and unique personality touched the hearts of all who knew her," the statement continued. "This is an incredibly difficult time for our SeaWorld family, especially those who worked closely with her. We are grateful for the support of our community as we remember and honor Kamea together."
The orca was born in captivity at the Texas park and was the youngest in her pod. SeaWorld San Antonio still has Kamen's mother Takara, 33, her sister, Sakari, 15, and two male orcas in captivity.
Over the decades, animal activists continued to put pressure on SeaWorld. The 2013 documentary, Blackfish, about Tilikum, an orca held by theme park, turned the heat up a few notches and finally allowed executives to come to a resolution.
In 2016, SeaWorld decided to end their breeding and training programs for orcas. The announcement also confirmed, per People, that the current orcas in the parks are "the last generation of orcas in captivity."
After the loss of Kamea, SeaWorld currently has 17 orcas in captivity — eight in San Diego, five in Orlando, FL, and four in San Antonio.
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