Updates on Kayla's Calf of 2005
Above; a photo of Kiska and her daughter Athena at Marineland Ontario, copyright to ME. Please don't take without asking!
Well, welcome to 2006! Just like last year, this news page will be made up of stories concerning wild orcas, captive orcas, and of course the infamous Luna. There will also be birthdays. To classify on birthdays: for wild-caught captive orcas, it's the day they were captured, and their age is based on estimates at Orcahome.de, which is the only source I've found for that. For wild whales, it's the first day they were seen, or sometimes the day they were actually born. This year I'm happy to say I've discovered the birthdays of more wild whales, so this news page will get bigger (hmm that might be a problem). For now, enjoy!
December 27-Happy Birthday, Unna!
Unna at Seaworld Texas turns 10 today! Unna is the 4th calf of Katina, Florida's matriarch, and she currently lives with 4 guys (Keet, Ky, Taku and Tuar), and baby Halyn. Happy birthday, Unna!
December 24-Happy Birthday, Kyuquet!
Happy birthday going out to the big guy of Seaworld Texas today. Kyuquet (Ky) turns 15 today. The fast maturing male was born at Sealand of the Pacific in Canada, before moving at a young age to Texas, where he has stayed. Ky lives with fellow sprouters Keet and Taku, younger male Tuar, female Unna, and Halyn. Happy birthday, Ky!
December 23-Happy Birthday, Comet!
Lots of births this month! Comet (K38), one of the youngest members of K-Pod in the Southern Residents, was first seen today! This makes the little calf 2 years old! Comet is the first calf of Spock, and joins a big, healthy family; he/she joins aunt Deadhead, uncles Scoter and Cali, grandma Skagit, great-grandma Georgia, and great-great-grandma Lummi. Let's hope for many more! Happy birthday, little one!
December 21-Happy Birthday, Kalia!
Today is the second birthday of Kalia at Seaworld California! Kalia is a second-generation captive whale; she is the third child of Kasatka, California's matriarch. The beautiful, playful little girl currently lives with her mom, her older brother Nakai, her 'aunt' Orkid, and Corky, Sumar and Ulises. Happy birthday, Kalia!
December 20-Happy Birthday, Suttles!
Suttles turns 2 today! The young female Southern Resident was first spotted today in 2004, tucked alongside mom Samish. Suttles is Samish's fourth child and her third surviving. She spends most of her time sandwiched between mom, older brother Riptide, and playful older sister Hy'Shqa. Let's hope this beautiful young calf will one day be having calves of her own! Happy birthday, Suttles!
December 18-Happy Birthday, Alki!
Alki/J36 turns 7 years old today! The young Southern Resident was first spotted this day in 1999. Although the juvenile's gender is unknown, he/she is healthy and strong, usually found next to mom Slick or playing with elder brothers Mike or Keet. Happy birthday Alki!
December 17-Anniversary of Corky's Capture
Today is the 37th anniversary of Corky2's capture, meaning she has been in captivity longer than any other whale. She is also one of the oldest, estimated to be around 39 years old. Corky was a member of A5-pod before her capture, and lived for many years at Marineland of the Pacific, where she lost 6 calves. She was moved to Seaworld California when Marineland closed down, and after suffering one last miscarriage, she settled in with her new family. Now, Corky lives with her adopted daughter Orkid, surrogate son Sumar, matriarch Kasatka and her 2 calves Nakai and Kalia, and a male named Ulises. Let's hope for many, many more years with this gentle, one-of-a-kind orca!
November 26-Happy Birthday, Kayla!
Kayla at SeaWorld Florida turns 18 today! This makes her the third captive-born orca to pass her 18th birthday (the first two being Kalina and Orkid). She was orphaned at a young age and spent most of her time growing up at SeaWorld Texas. Only about a week ago, she was moved to SeaWorld Florida, where she is now with Katina and her calf. Let's hope for many, many more years! Happy birthday Kayla!
November 23-Happy Birthday, Trua!
A big happy birthday goes out to little Trua of SeaWorld Florida. Trua is Takara's second calf and a third generation captive whale. He currently spends his time with mom, Katina, and Katina's new baby. He turns 1 today! Hard to imagine that in 10 years, he'll be a big sprouting male. Happy birthday, Trua!
Above photo of Trua with mom Takara copyrighted to Jessica Tietzbauer. Do not use without permission!
November 23-Updates on Move
Apparently Ikaika, a young Seaworld male who formerly lived at SeaWorld Florida, has been moved to Marineland Ontario. We won't know how he's doing until May 19, when the park opens again. It is believed Ikaika was switched with 3 of Marineland's many belugas. Ikaika now lives with the two matriarchs Kiska and Nootka5, and 2 year old Athena.
November 19-Surprise Move At SeaWorld
An unexpected move appears to have happened at SeaWorld Florida and SeaWorld Texas on the night of the 17th. Taku, the 13-year-old young male from Florida, has been seen settling in at the Texas park, while Kayla, the 18-year-old former matriarch of Texas, has been confirmed at Florida. While news has been buzzing about upcoming SeaWorld moves, Kayla was never seen in the picture, while Taku was considered highly unlikely. Taku leaves behind his mom and younger siblings. At Texas, he now lives with fellow males Keet, Kyuquet, and Tuar, and baby Halyn; plus he is reunited with his sister Unna. Kayla leaves behind the boys and Unna, some of whom she grew up with, as well as her own rejected calf Halyn. She joins a bunch of adult females and their calves, where she will hopefully settle in. Best of luck to both of them!
November 19-Anniversary of Ulises' Capture
Today is the anniversary of Ulises at SeaWorld California's capture. Ulises was captured in Iceland at around the age of 3, making him now around 33 years old. He's been in captivity for 26 years. Ulises first lived in Spain, until his living conditions became unacceptable, and he became moody and unpredictable. He was sent to California on a 'breeding loan', and despite never having produced calves, he remains there to this day. Ulises lives with Sumar, Orkid, Corky2, and Kasatka and her calves Nakai and Kalia. Let's hope he'll be around for many more years!
Above photo of Ulises copyrighted. Do NOT use without permission!
November 18-Possible New Calf for Transients
Good news for the BC transient population! Researchers sighted a very young calf off Victoria a week ago. The baby was still very yellowed and clearly very new. Researchers are fairly certain the calf will be T49B1, making this T49B's first calf and confirming her as a female! This will hopefully be confirmed further in the future.
November 8-Happy Birthday Tekoa!
Tekoa, a young male orca living at Loro Parque in Spain, turns 6 today! Tekoa was born in 2000 to Taima, a tempermental mother at SeaWorld Florida. After a few months, Taima began to harass her son, and they were separated. Eventually Tekoa ended up in Texas, and from there he was moved to Loro Parque, where he is today. Now, Tekoa lives with older male Keto, and two young females, Kohana and Skyla. Happy birthday, little guy!
Above photo of Tekoa at Loro Parque copyrighted to Sherie Hurdle. DO NOT use without permission!
November 2-Happy Birthday Mike!
Another Southern Resident birthday today! Mike/J26 is a young male just reaching maturity. He turns 15 today, and is a handsome sprouter witha tall fin that will soon reach its full height. Mike travels with mom Slick and siblings Keet and Alki. Happy Birthday!
November 1-Happy Birthday Indigo!
Today marks the birthday of a young Southern Resident whale. Indigo/L100 turns 5 today! Indigo was mom Ino's first calf, and a welcome sight to researchers. Ino's matriline had all died out until she was the only one left standing (or swimming) and it was a relief to see her with a companion. Now her family seems to be bouncing back with the birth of her second baby, L108, just a few months ago. Happy birthday Indigo!
Above photo of Indigo copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
November-Happy Birthday Cookie/Anniversary of Bingo's Capture
This month celebrates another Southern Resident birthday; Cookie/J38 turns 4! Cookie is the second calf of mom Oreo, and together with big brother Doublestuf, they make the cookie group. This month also marks the anniversary of Bingo the captive whale's capture. Bingo was around 2 at the time of his capture; he has now been in captivity for 22 years and is around 24 years old. He lives at Kamogawa Sea World with another male, Oscar, a female, Stella, and his daughters, Lovey, Lara and Ran2. Let's hope for many more!
Above photo of Cookie copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
November-Happy Birthday Misty & Sonata!
This month is the birthday of two young wild whales! Misty/A62 is a member of the Northern Resident community and turns 13 this month! Misty gave birth to her first baby, A83, last year. Sonata/K35 is a member of the Southern Resident community and is now 4! The young whale travels with mom Opus, aunt Lea and cousins Lobo and Yoda. Let's hope for many more!
Above photo of Sonata sandwiched between mom Opus and aunt Lea copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
October 29-Happy Birthday Cali!
Today is Cali/K34's birthday! The young male is now 5 years old. Cali's family is huge and has remained remarkably untouched by death during the study (only 2 have died that we know about, one in 1974 and one in 1997). It's also the only 5-generation family out there! Cali is mom Skagit's 4th kid. He travels with mom, siblings Spock, Scoter, and Deadhead, grandma Georgia, great-grandma Lummi, and Spock's baby Comet. Here's hoping for many more!
Above photo of Cali behind his mom copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION.
October 27-RIP K39 :(
More sad news from the Southerns. In addition to the 3 young whales confirmed gone, K39, a four-month-old calf has also disappeared and is presumed dead. This playful calf, 12-year-old Raven's first, was orphaned when mom disappeared unexpectedly. Researchers saw K39 with nursing aunt Sekiu and hoped the calf would be taken in, but 2 newborns were clearly too much to handle, as K39 disappeared within a few days. RIP beautiful!
Above photo of K39 copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
October 26-Anniversary of Katina & Kasatka's Capture
Today is the anniversary of the capture of two well-known SeaWorld matriarchs. Kasatka is the leader of SeaWorld California, and watchful mother of 3 young whales, Takara, Nakai, and Kalia the baby. Kassie was about 1 year old when the two were captured in 1978, making her around 29, still in the prime of her life. Katina is the matriarch of SeaWorld Florida, and she is a very successful mother, with 6 children: Kalina, Katerina (deceased), Taku, Unna, Ikaika, and an unnamed calf. She was about 2 at the time of capture, making her around 30. Both of them have now been in captivity for 28 years.
Above photo of Kasatka copyrighted to Nicole Jardine.
October 18-Happy Birthday, Echo!
Today is Echo's 16th birthday! The young male, scientifically known as A55 and a member of the Northern Resident community, is one of the few whales we've seen on their first day of birth. He has the honour of being the first calf of a very successful mom, and is now maturing to a beautiful male. Echo travels with mom Simoom, siblings Misty, Eclipse & Hope, and Misty's new baby A83. The family just lost a young member with the death of sibling Stormy. Occasionally the family travels with grandma Scimitar and uncle Nimpkish, and Echo gets to hang with an older guy. Also, when the family travels with the A36s, Echo likes to dash ahead with Kaikash. Let's hope for many more, big guy!
Above photo of Echo and the Roller Bay copyrighted to ME. Leave it alone and don't steal it!
October 17-3 Unexpected Deaths in the Southern Residents
Awful news from the south today. The Center for Whale Research has announced the suspected deaths of 3 young whales in their prime. Hugo/L71, a twenty year old male who just fully matured, was last seen July 15. Hugo leaves mom Baba with one surviving daughter. Jelly Roll/L43, a playful young 34 year old mother, was last seen early September. She leaves behind a two year old, Domino, who just celebrated its 2nd birthday this month. Also left behind are son Nigel, daughter Racer, and grandchild Fluke. And finally, Raven/K28, only 12 years old, has disappeared. She was seen September 19 with a 'peanut head', or a depression behind the blowhole, which indicates sickness usually. Researchers speculate that she may have suffered from the birth of her first calf, K39. K39 is now left orphaned at only 4 months. This is mom Sequim's second child lost in 2 years, after son Tatoosh's death last year. These deaths are especially worrying, as 20 year old whales used to hardly ever die-it was practically unheard of. These three were all in what should have been the lowest death percentage for age. RIP Hugo, Jelly Roll, and Raven.
Above photo of Jelly Roll copyrighted to Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
October 17-Happy Birthday, Fluke!
Fluke of the Southern Residents was first seen today 2 years ago, meaning this little calf has made it through the perilous first 2 years! Fluke is the first calf of Racer, but when he/she was born, researchers thought the mom was Ophelia. The confusion was what gave the little one its name. Fluke travels with mom, uncle Nigel, and aunt/uncle Domino. Happy birthday, little one!
Above photo of Fluke copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT take without permission!
October 9-Happy Birthday, Halyn!
Today is a very special day for SeaWorld Texas! Halyn, the first orca calf raised from birth by humans, turns 1 year old today! The baby girl was rejected by her mom Kayla and now lives alone in the back pools. However, trainers hope to soon introduce her back into the pod. It's wonderful to see her reach such a milestone when there were such worries that she wouldn't survive. Congratulations, Halyn!
Above photo of Halyn copyrighted to Jenna Elizondo. Don't take without permission!
October 8-Happy Birthday, Domino!
Happy birthday going out to Domino of L-Pod today! The little one was first seen today in 2004, making him/her around 2 years old! Domino was just named earlier this year. The calf travels with mom Jelly Roll, siblings Racer and Nigel, and cousin Fluke. Let's hope for many more!
Above photo of Domino copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
October-Happy Birthday, Aurora, G76, G75 and G77!
October isn't just a busy month for captive whales. Aurora/L101 in the Southern Residents turns 4 this month! Aurora travels with grandma Grace, mom Splash, and uncles Gaia and Wavewalker. Meanwhile in the northerns, a whole bunch of G-Pod whales were first spotted this month! G76, in the G12 pod, was first seen this month in 2004, making the calf two years old. G76 travels with mom G27 and siblings G41, G58, and G64, and niece/nephew G75. G75 was spotted the same month (and year) as G76, actually! So congratulations going out to first-time mom G41! In the G2 matriline, G77 was first seen in 2004, with G2, surprising researchers! G2 is estimated to be over 40! It's wonderful to see so many young whales grow, especially with the high mortality rate. Happy birthday to all of them!
Above photo of Aurora is copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research and MAY NOT BE TAKEN without permission.
October-Anniversary of Sharkane, Stella, Freya, & Oscar's Captures
October was apparently a very popular month for captures. Freya at Marineland France was captured 24 years ago, making her about 25 years old. Also in France, Sharkane was captured 17 years ago, making her about 21 years old. The two share their home with Freya's only son, Valentin, and Sharkane's children, Wiki and Inouk. In Japan, we have three anniversaries. Nami, the only orca at the Taiji Whaling Museum, was captured in this month in 1985, making her about 24. At Kamogawa SeaWorld, we have two anniversaries: Stella and Oscar were both captured in 1987, making them around 20 years old. They live with another male, Bingo, and Stella's three children, Lovey, Lara and Ran2. Here's wishing many more years for them all!
Above photo of Sharkane copyrighted to Stefan Jacobs. Don't take without permission.
October-Anniversary of Kiska & Nootka5's Captures
Kiska & Nootka5, the co-matriarchs of Marineland Ontario, have been in captivity for 27 and 25 years, respectively. Kiska was captured in 1979 in Iceland, at around the age of 3, making her about 30 years old. Nootka was captured two years later, also from Iceland, at around the age of 2, making her about 27 years old. They currently live at Marineland with Kiska's young daughter Athena. Both females have lost many calves, the most recent being Nootka's suspected miscarriage this year. Let's hope both of them live to see many more years!
Above photo of Kiska copyrighted to ME. Steal, and fear my wrath.
September 26-Happy Birthday, Kalina!
Today is the original Baby Shamu's birthday! Well ok, this is a week late, but ah well. Kalina was born to Katina way back in 1985, making her 21 years old and the oldest captive-born orca ever! Kalina is also a five time mother herself. She's had 3 sons, Tuar, Keet and Keto; 1 daughter, Skyla, and 1 stillborn. This beautiful whale currently lives at SeaWorld Florida, where she stays with best friend Takara and Takara's son Trua. Here's hoping for many more!
Above photo of Kalina copyrighted to Nicole Jardine. DO NOT take without permission!
September 23-Happy Birthday, Orkid!
Today is Orkid's 18th birthday! Orkid is a young female at SeaWorld California. She was born to Kandu5 in 1988, and though orphaned at a young age, she was adopted and raised by an older female, Corky2. Now, Orkid has a close-knit group of whales surrounding her, including best friend Kasatka, adopted mom Corky, playmate Nakai, and 'niece' Kalia. A motherly and intelligent orca, we're hoping to see some calves from this beautiful whale! Happy birthday, Orkid!
Above; Orkid, taken by Nicole Jardine and copyrighted. DO NOT take without permission!
September 23-Update on Transients
An update on transients is long overdue, I suppose. There's been a million changes to the transient book since its publication, and I'm not going to bother to post them all here (I am, however, going to begin the transient pages today). Births, however, I will post. For a more complete update, see the main transients page.
Births:
T2B1 to T2B (2006)
T2C1 to T2C (2002)
T2C2 to T2C (2005)
T10C to T10 (1999)
T19C to T19 (2001)
T30C to T30 (unknown year)
*Possible calf born to T36A, unknown year*
T46D & T46E to T46 (unknown years)
T46B1 to T46B (2003)
T71B to T71 (unknown year)
T73C to T73 (unknown year)
T77B to T77 (prior to 2003)
T100C & T100D to T100 (T100D in 2006)
T101C to T101 (unknown year)
T109C to T109 (unknown year)
T123A to T123 (unknown year)
T124E to T124 (1999)
T124B1 to T124B (unknown year)
T124A2 to T124A (2006)
T137A to T137 (prior to 2005)
T141A to T141 (unknown year)
September 22-Congratulations, Pedder!!
Great news from up north for the transient population! Pedder/T2B has been seen with a newborn calf! The tiny baby was born between August 31 and September 19, when it was first seen, as Pedder was seen baby-less on that August date. The calf will be designated T2B1, and is Pedder's first baby. Pedder has broken away from her family and travels with many different transients. Her biological family, however, has also celebrated a birth lately, with the birth of T2C2 in 2005.
September 20-Happy Birthday, Yoda & I108!
Today is the anniversary of the first day Yoda/K36 was seen in the southern residents! Yoda surprised everyone, since mom Lea hadn't had a baby in almost 10 years! This beautiful little one is now 3 years old, and travels with mom and big brother Lobo. I108, in the northerns, was also first seen around today, making that baby around a year old! We'll be watching this calf closely, since he/she is mom Goletas' first calf since 1995, and that one didn't have a long life. Hopefully things will go better this time! I108 travels with mom, grandma Egeria, aunt Loquillilla, uncles Skuna and Kokish, and cousins Quatsino, Zayas and Levy. Good luck, little ones!
Above photo of Yoda copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
September 19-Anniversary of Kshamenk's Capture
Today is the anniversary of Kshamenk's stranding/capture. Kshamenk is the only whale at Mundo Marino in Argentina. He lived with two other whales, Belen and Milagro, until their deaths a few years ago. Kshamenk is a big, beautiful male-this marks his 14th year in captivity. Since he was around 4 at the time of his capture, then he's probably around 20 now, meaning he's probably just finished maturing. Hopefully he'll see many more!
Above photo of Kshamenk copyrighted to Caio Ribeiro. DO NOT take without permission!
September 18-CONGRATULATIONS, Katina!
Katina at SeaWorld Florida has finally given birth today! After many anxious days of waiting and false labours, Katina began to really show signs of labour on September 16, and today at 3:23 pm, in Shamu Stadium. She was assisted by her older son, Taku, and gave birth to the adorable 'little' 7-ft-long, 350 pound calf. Sex hasn't been determined yet. Congratulations, Tina!!! This brings SeaWorld Orlando's population up to 9.
Above photo of Katina & her new baby from SeaWorld.
September 9-Happy Birthday, Taku!
Happy birthday to Taku at SeaWorld Florida today! Taku, the third offspring of Katina, and her first son, turns 13 years old today! Taku lives at Orlando with his mom and his younger brother Ikaika; the three are inseparable. Soon this little group is going to expand, however, as Katina is pregnant and due anyday. (Yeah, I'm late with this). Recently, Taku has started maturing and is getting HUGE FAST! Happy birthday, big boy!
Above photo of Taku copyrighted to Nicole Jardine.
September 6-Happy Birthday, Cedar!
September is a busy month for orcas, so expect lots more birthdays. Cedar/A75, of the A30 family in the Northern Residents, was first seen today, making him/her 5 years old! Cedar is part of a close knit family that is quickly growing. Cedar is always beside mom Blinkhorn, and this year he/she got a new sibling with the birth of A86. The juvenile also travels with grandma and matriarch Tsitika, uncles Blackney and Pointer, and aunt Clio and her children, Bend and A84. On a random note, Cedar has to be one of my favourite whales of all time :) Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above photo, of Cedar with mom Blinkhorn, copyrighted to Yvonne Nixon. DO NOT take without permission!
September 3-Happy Birthday, Rocky!
Rocky, scientifically known as T2C1, was first seen today in 2002! The little transient is now 4 years old! It's especially significant since we rarely know the (estimated) birth dates of transients. However, Rocky's family is fairly common. Rocky travels with mom Tasu, and a little sibling just born last year and not yet named, T2C2. It's entirely possible that Florencia, Rocky's grandma, also travels with the group. Happy birthday, little one!
Above ID photo of Rocky when he/she was first born, from Issue 12 of the Blackfish Sounder.
September 1-Happy Birthday, Nakai!
Nakai at SeaWorld California turns 5 today! Nakai is one of the most charismatic whales in the world, and a favourite of many orca-lovers. The young whale currently spends most of his time with mom Kasatka and little sister Kalia, or with his best friends Orkid and Sumar. He also hangs out with Corky2 and Ulises occasionally. Happy 5th birthday, big boy!
Above photo of Nakai copyrighted-do NOT use without permission!
August 25-Happy Birthday, Ikaika!
Ikaika (shown above with his big brother Taku) at SeaWorld Florida turns 4 today! Ikaika is a playful young whale who is extremely close to his brother and his mom, Katina. The three of them are never seen apart, and soon they'll be joined by a new little fin-Katins is pregnant and due within the month! Happy birthday, Ikaika!
Above photo of Ikaika and Taku copyrighted to Nicole Jardine. Don't take without permission!
August 20-K41 Has Survived!
Researchers were overjoyed today to see little K41 back beside mom Sekiu. This little one is certainly getting a lot of news! This is very unusual behaviour for a calf; K41 disappeared for a few days, and is now out of synch with mom and the pod. But, he/she is keeping up and seems very healthy and energetic. Congratulations K-Pod!
August 15-K41 Gone?
Worrying news from the southerns. The beautiful little baby, only born a few days ago to Sekiu in K-Pod, seems to have disappeared! Worried researchers have seen K-Pod for 2 days now without any newborn. Hopefully the calf is just tucked out of site!
August 13-Congratulations K-Pod!!
I'm back! No, that's not the news. Great word coming from the southern residents today! K22, known as Sekiu, is reported to have a new calf. The little one was photographed beautifully, and is now designated K41 (in case you're wondering where K40 went and if you missed something, an early mix-up in research made Raggedy be called K40). Sekiu has a 5-year-old son already, Tika. Her family is full of great moms. Her mom Sequim has 2 other surviving children, and her sister just had her first calf. Congrats beautiful!
August 8-24: Off to BC!
In case you're wondering why in the world I've already posted news articles for Lolita and Athena, don't worry-I do have a calendar! But I'm outta here from August 8 to August 24, and no updates will happen on the page between those days. I'm off to BC and Washington to see the Northerns, the Southerns, and Vancouver Aquarium! So expect lots of new photos when I get back! Until then, hasta la vista! Oh yes, and I WILL be answering my email while I'm away, so please keep sending...well, anything!
Above; Loki, the unofficial mascot of this site, shows off her pretty tail feathers :) Copyrighted to me, although why would you want to steal a photo of my bird?
August 11-Anniversary of Lolita's Capture
Lolita, the only whale at Miami Seaquarium and sole survivor of the Southern Resident captures, has been in captivity for 36 years to the day today. This makes her time in captivity the second longest ever (the first is Corky at SeaWorld). Lolita, also known as Tokitae, was around 4 years old at the time of her capture, making her about 40 years old. She's one of the oldest whales in captivity. There have been frequent complaints that her tank is far too small, and indeed there has been no effort by the Seaquarium to improve it, despite promises that they would. Hopefully Lolita will be around for many more years to come (remembering that female orcas in the wild can live up to 90 years)!
Above photo of Lolita copyrighted to Nicole Jardine. Don't take without permission!
August 8-Happy Birthday, Athena!
Athena at Marineland Ontario turns 2 years old today! The little girl is the only living offspring to be born at Marineland, out of at least 12. Born to Kiska and Kandu7, Athena currently spends all her time playing with her mom. She's usually kept separate from the other female at the park, Nootka5. Kiska has had 4 other calves, none of them living past the age of 6. Hopefully Athena's life will be much longer! Happy birthday, beautiful girl!
Above photo of Athena copyrighted to me, Orcasforever. Do not take, or suffer my wrath.
July 27-Happy Birthday, Moonlight!
Yes, I'm a little late with this. Let's just pretend it's still the 27th (and still July, actually), shall we? Anyway, it's Moonlight's 16th birthday in L-Pod! Moonlight, scientifically known as L83, was seen only a few hours after her birth in Dyes Inlet, so we know the day of her birth! Moonlight's family, though extremely close, has had bad luck the past few years. She travels with her grandma Ankh, her mom Marina and her little sibling Muncher. Sadly, since 2000, three of her newborn siblings (L99, L102 and L107) have died the year they were born. Soon, however, we should see Moonlight with a little one of her own! Happy birthday, beautiful!
July 26-Even More Death in the Northern Residents
Even more depressing news has reached us of the Northern Residents. Not only has Quadra passed away, but apparently Stormy/A74 has gone missing as well. This beautiful young whale was only 6 years old, and is the only calf of Simoom ever known to disappear. Stormy was very energetic and healthy, and hunting well last year, so researchers expressed surprise about his/her disappearance. And there's yet another sad announcement: Racey/A59 has gone missing and is presumed dead. This is Skagit's first missing calf as well, and to make it worse, Racey was Canoona's mother (see below news article). The poor calf's chances look even slimmer now.
Above; Simoom and almost definitely Stormy (behind) by Cee/Carolyn. Don't take without permission.
July 26-Horrible News from the Northern Residents
Awful news from the northerns. Quadra, or C21, Lama's third calf, was found dead near Prince Rupert on July 18th. A fisherman called in the body, and researchers were able to quickly do a necropsy. She was discovered to be female, and although the exact cause of death isn't sure yet, she had suffered severe blunt force trauma, probably from a collision with a boat. Quadra was only 12 years old, and probably would've had a calf soon. Also, Canoona, scientifically known as A82, was hit by a boat in Johnstone Strait on July 14th. No word on the 2-year-old's condition, so let's all hope this baby makes it! Canoona is Racey's first calf in the A4 pod. Please, take this to heart: be careful around whales in boats!
July 13-Happy Birthday, A83!
You can tell we're getting into orca season, can't you? The summer months are full of wild babies! Today was around the day A83 in the northern population was first sighted! A83 is the first calf of Misty, in the A34 matriline. The little one has lots of playmates in this booming pod, with Hope only a year older, and Stormy only 5 years older. Everyone was glad to see Misty bring her little calf back after its first winter. The baby will be named next year.
July 11-Happy Birthday, Gypsy & Kasatka!
For all you captivity people who are wondering about the Kasatka part, I meant Kasatka in the wild, also known as L82. She was born today (not just sighted) in Dyes Inlet down the coast. Kasatka turns 16 today, so we should be expecting a calf from her soon! She travels with her mom Nugget and her new sibling Lapis. Meanwhile up in the northerns, Gypsy/D19 turns 8 years old! The young whale was a source of confusion when he/she was born into the D7 pod. Gypsy's mom Cascade was thought to be a male, so researchers were surprised when the little calf showed up! Gypsy travels with mom, aunts Winchester, Takush and Balaklava, and cousins Geetla, Hakai and Whiskey. Happy birthday to both of them!
July 11-Happy Birthday, Taima!
Today is the 17th birthday of one of my favourite whales, Taima at SeaWorld Florida. The beautiful (if a little moody) girl is the constant companion of Tillikum, the biggest male in captivity. She is the mother of two but was separated from her children because she was aggressive towards them. She's now the only known whale on birth control! Taima is a spectacular performer, but doesn't get along with most other whales. Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above photo of Taima copyrighted to Jessica Tietbauzer. Don't take without permission!
July 9-Happy Birthday, Takara!
Today Takara at SeaWorld Florida turns 15! Born in 1991 and Kasatka's first calf, Takara has become one of the most loved whales in captivity. She's very interactive and loves people and attention, and she's proven herself to be a great mom. Her daughter Kohana was moved away a year ago, but her newborn Trua is still stuck to mom's side. Happy birthday, beautiful girl!
Above photo copyrighted.
July 1-Happy Birthday, J41!
J41, a favourite little calf of researchers and whale-watchers, turns 1 year old today! Either first sighted today or tomorrow (there's a bit of differing in the accounts), the baby was born to Shachi last year around now. Researchers worried about the calf (who is suspected to be female), as Shachi had only had one calf before, years ago, who died at a young age. However, J41 has now passed her first birthday and is happy and healthy! The little one will be named soon; the 4 options for her name will be announced in 2 days, then in a month she'll be officially named. Happy birthday, baby!
Above, Shachi with newborn J41, by Stefan Jacobs. Don't take without permission!
July-Happy Birthday, Springer!
Yes, this month marks the birthday of one of the most famous orcas in the world. Springer, the little orphaned calf who was separated from her population and lost in Puget Sound, was incredibly reunited with her pod after some great human intervention. Springer now travels with her great-aunt Yakat, and her cousins Skeena and Nahwitti, as a normal, solid member of their matriline. She acts like a completely normal little orca, and this month marks her 6th birthday! With perfect timing, she showed up in Johnstone Strait only a few days ago, snuggled up to Yakat. Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above; Springer's photo scanned from the Blackfish Sounder, issue 10.
June 22-Congratulations, Blinkhorn!!
Great news from the Northern Residents today! Blinkhorn/A54 has been spotted with a new calf! Apparently, the DFO spotted her during their spring survey with the little one. This brings the number of the A30 matriline up to 9, since Clio's little baby of last year has survived its first winter! Also, the I31s, the A43s and the A25s were seen by CetaceaLab, as well as a large group of residents going near the Naiad. Looks like the residents are coming back from the winter!
Above; Blinkhorn and her first calf, Cedar, copyrighted to Cee. Do NOT take without permission!
June 22-Happy Birthday, Tuar!
Happy birthday goes out to Tuar at SeaWorld Texas today! Tuar turns seven today! Born to Kalina at SeaWorld Florida, Tuar was moved at a young age, with his best bud Tekoa to Texas. Tekoa has gone to Spain now, but Tuar spends his time hanging out with Unna, Kayla, Keet, and his new best friend, half-brother Kyuquet. Happy birthday, Tuar!
Above photo copyrighted to Laurie Neron. Do NOT use without permission!
June 19-5000 hits!
Yay! Tsitika's Page has gotten 5000 hits since it started! A huge thank you to everyone who's visited (especially if you signed the guestbook/petition!). I'm still working hard on it, and it won't be abandoned for a LONG time. At the present time, I'm almost done the C-Pod pages, at which point I'll put them up. Thanks again to everyone! *skips away*
Above; Loki, my psycho birdy,the unofficial mascot of the page. Copyrighted to ME. No, seriously. I'm proud of my Loki photos! (And yeah, it's big, but it won't get smaller, and besides, it's big news! In my world...)
June 17-Happy Birthday, Keto!
Keto at Loro Parque, Spain, turns 11 today! The young male is beginning to mature; he's grown quite a bit in the last few years and his dorsal is getting bigger. Keto was kept at SeaWorld Texas until recently, when he was moved into Loro Parque. Now, he spends his time with Kohana, Skyla, and Tekoa. Happy birthday, Keto!
Above, Keto at Loro Parque, copyright to Sherie Hurdle. Do NOT use without permission!
June 15-Name the Babies
The Whale Museum has begun it's Name the Babies contest, so if you're a member, send in some name suggestions! Five babies are up for naming: K38 (mom Spock), J41 (mom Shachi), L106 (mom Surprise), L104 (mom Jelly Roll) and L105 (mom Ophelia). You can send names in until June 30th.
June 15-Congratulations! Two New Babies in the Southern Residents!
Great news from down south today! OrcaNetwork and the Centre for Whale Research have both confirmed that Ino (L54) has had a calf, now designated L108. Apparently the baby was playing with older brother Indigo (NOTE: I made a mistake when I said Aurora, Aurora is Splash's calf, not Ino's) and seems in good health. As well, excellent news for K-Pod! Raven/K28 (whose birthday just passed!) is reported to have a new calf, her first! Although no official ID has been given yet, it is presumed the calf will be K39. Congrats to both of them!
June 5-Happy Birthday, Raven!
Raven/K28 turns 13 today! She was first seen with mom Sequim this day in 1993. Raven is a very playful young whale who travels with her mom, her sister Sekiu, her brother Rainshadow, and her nephew Tika. The family recently lost her brother Tatoosh. She spends a lot of time with Deadhead, another whale in K-Pod. The two grew up together and are very close. Happy birthday!
Above photo of Raven with a salmon, is copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
June 4-Happy Birthday, Lapis!
Lapis/L103 turns 3 today! The little calf was just named last year in a naming contest by the Whale Museum. Lapis travels with mom Nugget, and sister Kasatka, and often with aunts Ophelia and Surprise, and cousins L105 and L106. Happy birthday, little one!
Above photo of Lapis copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
June 3-Happy Birthday, Deadhead!
Well, June and the orca season has finally started! The majority of wild whales were born during the next few months, so expect lots of birthdays. Today, it's Deadhead! Scientifically known as K27, this young lady turns 12 today! Deadhead is part of an amazing five-generation family. She travels with *takes deep breath*: great-grandma Lummi, grandma Georgia, mom Skagit, brothers Scoter and Cali, sister Spock, and Spock's new baby. And you can bet that soon that huge family can expect a new addition! Deadhead has reached the age most whales have their first calf, so keep an eye out for her first baby soon. Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above; Deadhead, with Rhapsody, Doublestuf, Cali, Cookie, Skagit, Oreo, Shachi and possibly Opus, copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
June 1-Happy Birthday, A84!
A84, of the A30 matriline, was first seen today a year ago! Clio has once again proven she's a great mom (hey, she learned from the best! ...Not that I'm biased). A84 travels with mom and big sibling Bend, as well as grandma Tsitika, uncles Blackney and Pointer, aunt Blinkhorn and cousin Cedar. The little one has survived it's first winter, and if the calf returns next year, he/she will be named by Vanaqua's KWAP. Happy birthday, little one!
Above; Photo of A84 (tucked safely between Bend and Clio) taken by Yvonne Nixon. DO NOT take without permission!
June 1-Happy Birthday, Wiki!
Wiki at Marineland France turns 5 today! Even though she's still the baby of the family :) Wiki lives with mom Sharkane, "aunt" Freya, brother Inouk and half-brother Valentin. The little girl plays all the time with her two brothers and still sticks near mom. The family recently lost Wiki's dad, Kim2. Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above; Wiki a few years ago, copyrighted to Stefan Jacobs. Don't take without permission!
June-Happy Birthday, Magin!
Magin/A71, of A24 Matriline, turns 7 this month! A far cry from her ID photo in the book, which shows her as a newborn. (Yes, I am getting very impatient waiting for a new book! 7 years is a long time!!) But anyway, Magin was first spotted in June in 1999. We don't know the juvenile's gender, though we should in a few years. Magin travels with mom Kelsey, who although she doesn't have a good mom track record, has managed to raise Magin, sister Schooner, and newest sibling Toba. Happy birthday, little one!
May 27-Unfortunate News from SeaWorld Texas
Sad news from SWT today. A reliable source has reported that trainers confirmed that Unna had her baby in April. Sadly the little calf was still-born. Unna seems to be dealing with it alright. There is no news about the gender or size of the calf. RIP little baby Unna.
Above, Unna, copyrighted to Orcaspitt. Don't use without permission!
May 20-Happy Birthday, Crewser and Muncher!
Today is the anniversary of the first sighting of 2 young Southern Residents. Crewser/L92 and Muncher/L91 were both first seen on the same day, in the same year! Both were born in 1995, making them 11 years old! While we know Crewser is a male, Muncher's gender is still unknown, although a new calf or sprouting dorsal should tell us soon. Crewser's mom Rascal died in 2002, when he was only 7. He now travels with grandma Baba, uncle Hugo, and aunt Ballena. Muncher's also had tragedy in his family: three of his siblings, born in 2000, 2002 and 2005, all died in their first year of life! Muncher travels with mom Marina, sister Moonlight and grandma Ankh. They're a very close knit family. Happy birthday, guys!
May 15-New calf in the Southern Residents!
Great news from down south today! While it hasn't been possible yet to get a complete census of the southern residents (especially K and L Pods), Orca Network has just reported a new calf in L-Pod! Apparently Ino/L54 has given birth to a new baby, first seen May 8th. The little one will travel with Ino and her son Indigo/L100, born in 2001. Also, unconfirmed news of a J-Pod calf came from whale-watching today. We'll be waiting for confirmation!
Above photo of Ino copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
May 14-Happy Birthday, Sumar!!
Today is Sumar's 8th birthday! Born in 1998 to Taima, Sumar had to be separated from his mom because she was aggressive. He was sent at a very young age to SeaWorld Ohio, and eventually ended up at SeaWorld California, where he was adopted by Corky2. Now, he's a playful young male who gets along with everyone. He's good friends with Orkid and Ulises, and is best buds with Nakai. Happy birthday, Sumar!
May 11-Nodales/A51 has a new baby!!
Congratulations going out to Nodales/A51, who has finally had a calf of her own! The little one was first spotted by the CetaceaLab researchers, who wrote it up in their online journal. Just yesterday, the Killer Whale Adoption Program confirmed for me that Nodales has indeed had a baby, ID'd as A85. Researchers suspected that Nodales had a calf a few years ago but it died before being ID'd. When Springer was released back north, Nodales cared for her for a while, proving that she can be a great mom.
May 6-Happy Birthday, L106!
Today marks the 1st anniversary of the day researchers spotted L106, making the little one a year old! L106 is the first calf of Surprise. While L-Pod has not yet returned to San Juan waters, we can all hope that Surprise has proven herself as a mom and L106 made it!
Above photo of L106 copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
May 3-Halyn moves into Shamu Theatre!
Fantastic news from SeaWorld Texas today! Halyn, the orca calf rejected by her mom and raised by trainers, has been moved back into Shamu Theatre! Halyn has been kept out of the public's eye in the Animal Care pool up until now. According to trainers, she has made enough progress to return to the Theatre and be re-introduced to the other whales. It's unknown who she'll meet first or when.
Above; Halyn in Animal Care, by Jenna Elizondo. Do not take without permission!
May 3-Happy Birthday, Kohana!
Kohana turns 4 today! Kohana was the second whale born through artificial insemination, and her mom Takara's first calf. She lived at SeaWorld California before moving with her mom to Florida. Kohana and Takara were amazingly close, even for mother-daughter pairs. Shortly after her new baby brother Trua was born, Koho was moved to Loro Parque, Spain, where she lives now. Despite leaving her mom behind, she seems to have settled in well. She currently lives with best pal Skyla, and Tekoa and Keto. Happy birthday little girl!
Above; Kohana at Loro Parque, by Sherie Hurdle. Do NOT take without permission!
May-Happy Birthday, Tika and Lobo!
This month marks the birthdays of two southern residents! Lobo/K26 turns 13, and Tika/K33 turns 5! Lobo travels with mom Lea and sibling Yoda, while Tika spends most of his time still sticking close to mom Sekiu. Best of luck to both :)
April 29-Update on Southern Residents
Well, J-Pod's back, but we already knew that! Other news from the Whale Museum's monthly newsletter: J-Pod was sighted again the other day but no one saw Granny/J2 and Ruffles/J1, wonder where they are? 12 L-Pod whales were sighted down by Oregon, heading north, so we might be seeing part of L-Pod soon. No word yet on K-Pod, but they didn't return until July last year. Mike/J26 and Blackberry/J27 are really sprouting!
Above photo of Ruffles & pod copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
April 26-"Ran" at Kamogawa Named!
Happily, despite the sadness of Sarah's death (see below), Kamogawa Sea World did have some good news today. Stella's latest calf, her daughter born in February, has been named! A contest was held for weeks for the public to vote for names, and in the end, the name ended up as a combination of her parents' names (Thor and Stella). This translates into English as "Ran". Good luck to the baby girl!
Above photo of Ran copyrighted to Kamogawa Sea World.
April 26-Sarah at Kamogawa Passes Away :(
Sad news from Kamogawa Sea World in Japan today. Sarah, a young orca who would be 3 years old at the end of the month, passed away today at 2:45 pm. Sarah had been ill last year in May, but recovered thanks to devoted effort from the Kamogawa staff. Sadly, she became sick again this year, and this time did not recover. This tragedy comes only months after her baby sister's birth. Sarah was the third calf of Stella; she also lived with her two older sisters, Lovey and Lara, her dad Bingo, her newborn sister Ran, and another male, Oscar. RIP beautiful girl!
April 20-Orca Ocean (Spain) Closes for Repairs
The Orca Ocean exhibit at Loro Parque, Spain (home to former SeaWorld whales Kohana, Tekoa, Skyla and Keto) has been closed for at least a month due to repairs. Apparently the paint was peeling off and the orcas were chewing on the walls. The show tank is currently drained and being fixed, while the four whales are living in the two (large) back pools. Meanwhile, looks like they're settling in quite nicely!
Above photo of Kohana at Loro Parque is copyrighted to Sherie Hurdle. Do NOT take without permission!
April 19-J Pod Returns to San Juan
Good news for whale lovers in BC and Washington! J Pod has been spotted back in coastal waters. Each year the pod (along with the other southern residents) leaves to the open ocean for the winter and returns any time from April-June. Today Granny/J2 and Ruffles/J1 returned, leading their family, to the joy of their many fans. Ruffles is especially going strong, having stayed miles ahead of the family foraging. Shachi/J19 and her baby J41 were also sighted; pleased to say that J41 is doing great, was very energetic and kept jumping on Shachi's blowhole! There was worry about the little one because Shachi lost her last calf, but the baby's survived its first winter. Also positively ID'd were Princess Angeline/J17, Mike/J26, and Blackberry/J27. Later that day, the pod was seen farther out and now we're wondering if this was just a quick visit before they return to the ocean. Hopefully they're here to stay!
Above; a beautiful photo of Shachi/J19 copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
April 15-Bad News for Taiji Whales
Some bad news for the future of wild orcas living around the Japan town of Taiji. Taiji was traditionally a strong whaling village, but lately whale-watching has started up there. Of course, that's not to say the whaling has stopped. Last time Taiji captured orcas was in 1997, when they captured five, two of which are alive today (Asuka at Izo-Mito Sea Paradise and Ku at Nagoya Port Public Aquarium). The Taiji mayor announced the plan for capturing orcas just recently. Mr Kazutaka Sangen said that he would like to send the orcas to China, for scientific research, to improve their ties with that nation. I find it unbelievable that two nations are now trying to capture orcas (Russia and Japan), when the captive breeding program is stronger than ever. There's been one baby this year, plus three more pregnant females due in 2006 (Unna, Nootka5 and Katina) and possibly also Kalina. We can only hope that no more free orcas are taken.
April 3-Happy Birthday, Mako!
Three years ago today, Mako/J39 was first seen popping up beside mom Blossum/J11. Mako is now three years old (well obviously lol)! He travels with mom, big brother Blackberry and big sister Tsuchi, often joining up with great-grandma Spieden, aunt Shachi and cousin J41. Best of luck, little one!
Above photo of Mako behind Blossum copyrighted to the Center for Whale Research. Do NOT use without permission!
March 19-Navy Sonar Implicated in Death of 4 Whales
The deaths of 4 Cuvier's Beaked Whales (seen above) in late January is being blamed on the Royal Navy and their "secret sonar". A British warship had been using the sonar near the whales, and they later washed up dead. The sonar has been proven to disorient the whales (some scientists say that it was the cause of the Thames whale wandering up the river), causing them to beach. This is the first time the Royal Navy has been blamed for the death of whales concerning sonar.
Above photo of a Cuvier's Beaked Whale scanned from the Audobon Marine Mammals Guide.
March 15-Update on Unnamed Calves
The adoption program emailed me back right away about the calves, so here you go. The three calves of 2004 that weren't named (C25, D21 and D22) weren't spotted last year. BUT-neither were their families! The C and D pods have been quite elusive in the past year, and the researchers are having a hard time surveying them. They're hoping that in the next few months they'll be able to catch up to them, but until then, the calves won't be verified until they are absolutely sure they made it.
March 14-New Names for 7 Northern Resident Calves!
7 calves in the northern residents have been named by the BC Killer Whale Adoption Program. 21 calves were born last year to the population, 10 of them in the adoption program. I'm not sure why the other 3 haven't been named, although there is the sad possibility that they didn't make it. However, I've emailed the adoption program and will keep you posted. But on the happy side, 7 calves have definitely made it, 3 new moms have proven themselves! Simoom/A34 now has had five babies make it through their tender years, as her 2004 calf, A80, is named Hope. Kiltik/A52, who lost her first calf A76 four years ago, has raised Nalau/A81, while her sister Racey/A59, a first-time mom, has her calf Canoona/A82. Sonora/A42's third calf, A79, is named Current. Klaskish/B14 has given Scarlett/B7 her first grandkid, with Arrow/B16. M.B./G46 has had her first calf, Petrel/G72. And finally, Loquillilla/I12 has had her third calf, Levy/I105. Good luck to all the little ones and their moms!
March 10-RIP Luna!! :(
Luna/L98, the little whale who got lost and turned up in Nootka Sound, capturing the heart of millions, has sadly died. He was sucked into the propellor of a large tugboat, who had taken refuge in the Sound because of bad weather. This was unexpected, as Luna was usually very clever around propellors. This is a truly sad day-Luna was beautiful, gentle, friendly and playful. He would have been seven on September 19. I've made a Luna Tribute Page.
Above photo of Luna by Rene on Orca-Live, do NOT use without permission!
March 9-Halyn's father is Keet!
Although it hasn't officially been announced, a source has stated that trainers confirmed Keet, a young male at SeaWorld Texas, is indeed the father of Halyn, the female calf who was rejected by her mother last October. This confirms what many orcaholics have suspected-Keet is now the father of two, Halyn and Kalia at SeaWorld California. Halyn is not a year old yet, while Keet is 13. OrcaOasis, a very reliable site, has confirmed this.
Above photo of Keet by Nicole Jardine, don't use without permission!
March 6-Takara's calf named Trua
Takara's calf has now been named! The little one, who is almost half a year old, is now named Trua. Yes, another T name, but oh well. It'll grow on us ;) Trua currently lives at SeaWorld Florida with his mom and Kalina.
Above photo of Trua and Takara by Jessica Tietzbauer from Time for Orcas. Don't use without permission!
February 25-Congratulations Stella!!
A new baby has been welcomed into the Kamogawa SeaWorld family! Stella, who was 18 months pregnant and due this month, has given birth to a daughter...her fourth! Interestingly, although she has now had 4 girls, she's never had a son. The father of the calf is Bingo/Thor. The little girl seems very healthy and active, and immediately swam with her mom, dad, and sisters. The beautiful little one joins the growing Kamogawa family: dad Bingo, mom Stella, Oscar, and older sisters Lovey, Lara and Sara. The calf is about 6.5 feet long and weighs around 375 pounds. There's a video of the birth and moments afterward HERE
Above; photo of the calf with her mom and one of her sisters, possibly Lara.
February 25-Happy Birthday, Shouka!
Yet another French birthday this month! Although Shouka now lives at Six Flags MarineWorld, she was born and raised at Marineland France. She's the eldest child of Sharkane, and she lived in Antilles up until a few years ago. She now lives alone at Six Flags. She's turning 13 this year! Happy birthday Shouka!
Above; photo of Shouka when she was at Marineland France, by Stefan Jacobs.
February 23-Happy Birthday, Inouk!
Today is Inouk's 7th birthday! Inouk is the youngest male orca at Marineland France. February is clearly a popular time for the French orcas! Inouk is the second calf of Sharkane. He currently lives with his his mom, Freya, his half-brother Valentin, and his sister Wiki. Inouk loves playing with his little sister, and with the older Valentin. Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above; Inouk with a trainer, photo copyrighted to Stefan Jacobs.
February 14-Happy Birthday, Valentin!
Valentin, at Marineland France, turns 10 years old today! Valentin is the only surviving child of Freya, one of the matriarchs there. Freya has suffered numerous miscarriages, so trainers were thrilled when Valentin survived. The young male currently lives with his mother, Sharkane, Wiki and Inouk. Valentin recently lost two of his closest companions, his half-sister Shouka, who moved to Ohio, and his father Kim2, who sadly passed away. However, the energetic adolescent now plays mostly with Wiki and Inouk, or spends time with Freya. Happy birthday, beautiful!
Above; A photo of Valentin from a few years ago, by Stefan Jacobs. Don't take without permission!
February 14-The Four SeaWorld Orcas Finally Make the Move to Spain
At last, SeaWorld has shipped four of their young orcas off to Loro Parque, Spain. After months of orca lovers wondering just who would be leaving, we finally know. Kohana and Skyla have been moved from SeaWorld Florida, while Tekoa and Keto have been moved from SeaWorld Texas. This is the first time orcas have been held at Loro Parque, which just constructed their orca exhibit. The four young ones will be revealed in a 'showcase' of sorts on February 17. There are some concerns about how Kohana and Skyla's moms will react, as Kalina (Skyla's mom) has lost many of her calves, and Takara (Kohana's mom) is especially close with her daughter. Keto is also leaving behind a close friend, his brother Keet, while Tekoa is now separated from his adopted brother Tuar, although those two have grown apart in recent years. Orca lovers the world over will be watching to see how all orcas, and parks, concerned, adjust to this change. Most likely for SeaWorld, it won't be a big deal. But this is the introduction for Loro Parque into the world of orca-ness.
Above; Kohana with her mom Takara, copyrighted photo. Don't take without permission!
February 13-Mass Gathering of Transients
An unexpected visit turned out to be a huge gathering of transients on February 11! The whales first showed up off Constance Bank, then were later rediscovered in Haro Straight. Today they showed up near Vashon. The whales include Pender/T14, Kwatsi/T20 and his mom, T40, T87, T88, T94, T97, T30, T90, T85 with calf, T100s, T101s, T93, and the Slippery Six from Hood Canal 2005: T71, T71A, T71B, T124A, T124A1, and T124A2. Indeed, it seems the Slippery Six are in need of a name change, because it seems T124A has shown up with a new calf! T100 also appeared to have a new baby. Both calves still need to be confirmed. In all, over 35 transients are in the area. We'll keep you posted on what happens with this intriguing event.
February 13-Stranded Kamogawa Orca Dies
Sad news came from Kamogawa SeaWorld, Japan, today. The young orca rescued a few days ago didn't make it. The 4-year-old male was severeley malnourished and couldn't eat or swim on his own, so it comes as no surprise. At least he's no longer suffering...kudos to the Kamogawa team, who worked round the clock to try to save him. Thankfully, they still have Stella's upcoming baby to look forward to. RIP little one!
February 11-Young Orca Rescued by Kamogawa SeaWorld
A young orca, estimated to be about 4 years old, came aground on a beach in Japan recently. Kamogawa SeaWorld, home to the captive orcas Stella, Bingo, Oscar, Lovey, Lara and Sarah, arrived on the scene to find the juvenile weak and unable to swim on its own, with no family in sight. Apparently the orca is about 4 m, and weighs about 760 kg. He is in very serious condition, and while he has no external wounds that are serious, he has lost a lot of weight. Currently, I believe he's at Kamogawa SeaWorld, and we're uncertain about his chances. If he does survive, there's a lot of worrying about where he'll go, since Kamogawa is already pressed for space. We'll be anxiously awaiting updates. In the meantime, good luck to the little one!
Ps; GO CANADA! Gold on Day 1! (Olympics, if people are looking at their screen as though I am crazy)
February 9-Anniversary of Ku/Asuka's Capture
Today is the anniversary of Ku and Asuka's capture, in 1997. Ku currently lives at Nagoya Port Aquarium, with a bunch of dolphins, and she seems to be under the impression that she IS a dolphin. A curious, interactive, adorable whale, Ku was estimated to be about five years old when she was captured, making her about 14 years old now. There are rumours that Nagoya Port Aquarium is attempting to AI her. Asuka lives at Izu-Mito Sea Paradise by herself. She was estimated to be about 7 at the time of capture, and is now probably 16. Let's hope for many more!
Above; Photo of Ku and her dolphins by Caio Ribeiro. DON'T USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
February 9-Happy Birthday Skyla!
Today is Skyla's 2nd birthday! Skyla is the fifth calf of Kalina, who was the first orca ever successfully raised in captivity. Skyla currently lives with her mom, her grandma Katina, her uncles Ikaika and Taku, Taima, Tillikum, Takara, and her best friend Kohana. However, many orca-lovers speculate that she is one of four orcas being moved to Loro Parque, in Spain, possibly today. Happy birthday, beautiful girl!
Above photo by Nicole Jardine. Don't take without permission!
February 8-Happy Birthday Lara!
Today is Lara's 5th birthday! Lara lives at Kamogawa SeaWorld in Chiba, Japan, with her older sister Lovey, her younger sister Sarah, her dad Bingo, and another male, Oscar. She also lives, of course, with her mom Stella, who is currently expecting her fourth sibling, meaning Lara will soon have a new baby brother or sister! Lara was the second orca ever successfully born in captivity in Japan (sis Lovey was the first). Happy birthday, beautiful!
February 6-Sign the Anti-Whaling Petition!
An ambitious petition has been launched online to protest the continuous commercial whale slaughter for 'scientific reasons'. The petition will read, "We the undersigned wish to show our support for an end to commercial whaling. We believe that the slaughter of whales for so-called 'scientific reasons' is wrong. We wish to add our voices to the global campaign to protect these precious mammals from extinction."
The petition hopes to get 1, 000, 000 signatures, and it will be sent to the IWC, and the Australian Federal Government. Who knows if it'll be effective? All I know is that I'm putting the link on my page, because if it does work, then good for us! Signatures are already pouring in. Besides, there's a cool game where you get to play as a whale. That sperm whale is so darn slow!!!
The link to the petition/game: CLICK HERE
Above; Antarctic Minke Whales, the species most commonly targeted, in a photo scanned from the Audobon Guide to Marine Mammals, an excellent book.
February 2-Happy Birthday, Keet!
Keet, the first third-generation captive-born orca, turns 13 today! Keet was the first Grandbaby Shamu; he's the first son of Kalina, the first orca successfully born in captivity. Keet is beginning to mature and sprout. He currently lives at SeaWorld Texas, with his full-brother Keto, Kyuquot, his aunt Unna, Kayla, his half-brother Tuar, Tekoa and Halyn. Happy birthday, beautiful boy!
Above; Keet at Texas a few years ago, by Nicole Jardine. Don't take without permission!
February-Happy Birthday, Surf!
Surf/A66, in the northern residents, was born this month, 10 years ago. Surf travels with aunt Havannah, mom Sonora, and his new sibling, A79. Surf is growing at a fast rate; soon he'll be maturing. Let's hope for many more!
January 30-K-Calf Finally Named...Halyn doing well!
The beautiful little girl born Oct 9 at SeaWorld Texas has finally been named. Breaking the long-suffering tradition of naming whales with names starting with K, T, or S (see Random Orca Stuff page), trainers voted unanimously to name the gorgeous little fighter Halyn, which means 'unique, like no other'. She certainly is! A more detailed update on the calf can be found on her page.
January 20-Northern Bottlenose Whale Appears and Dies in the Thames
A completely unexpected event happened today in London. A northern bottlenose whale, member of a rare species hardly ever seen under the best circumstances, appeared in the Thames River! Causing great excitement among Londoners, the whale quickly came a concern as it became evident that there was trouble. The whale tried to strand but people standing on shore forced it back into the river. As fear mounted and thousands of people crowded the shores to watch, a decision was made to move the whale into the sea and release it, or, if examination showed it was suffering beyond aid, to put it down. The whale was hoisted out of the water and put on a barge, where vets examined it and blood tests were done. Opinions quickly became pessimistic as the 18-foot juvenile began to stiffen, having muscle trouble from being out of the water. However, there was still limited hope, and officials moved to place the whale nearby in deeper water, hopefully far from the Thames so that it wouldn't end up there again. However, after nearly 24 hours of rescue mission, the decision was made to put the whale down. This seemed the only humane solution, as the whale was deteriorating and suffering, and it would probably drown if released. However, because they COULD put it down, the whale died on its own. RIP young one! Although of course it's a very sad event, the bright side is that thousands of Londoners, many of whom had never seen such a creature, spent all day hoping and praying for that animal. Just by making a wrong turn, that young Bottlenose raised awareness and made us care. And when humans care, things get done. Hopefully this is good news for whales all over!
January 22-Kandu7 Confirmed Dead
Kandu7 has definitely died, numerous sources confirm. A news article was published, eliminating doubts. Apparently Kandu died on December 21. It may seem as though it took a while for this to get out, but considering how long it USUALLY takes Marineland to publicize a death (in Nova's case, never), this was short. Kandu lives on in his only surviving daughter, Athena, out of 11 calves. RIP beautiful boy!
January 11-Kandu7 dead????
Unexpected and tragic news has gotten out that Kandu7 is suspected to have died. Kandu7, who has/had been in captivity for 22 years, was the father of all the calves at Marineland Ontario, only one of which is surviving, his daughter Athena. Kandu was (is?) a beautiful whale who was always very gentle with people and his children. He's one of the few whales I actually met. Let's hope for the best, but considering Marineland's past, it's not looking promising.
Above; Kandu7 by Emilie Giguere. Used with permission, but that doesn't mean you can take it without asking!
January 11-Antarctic Whaling Still Happening
Unbelievably, the Japanese whaling fleets in Antarctica are still hunting and killing whales, despite the fact that it is illegal. Antarctica was declared, years ago, as a sanctuary for whales, and supposedly no whaling was ever supposed to happen in there. Greenpeace and Sea Shepherd protestors are harassing the fleets, and it is quickly getting dangerous. Ships are being rammed, whales are being cruelly slaughtered in what is called, "A modern-day tragedy", and the battle's just begun. Clearly tensions are running high. It should be noted that even though there is an international moratorium on whaling, Iceland and Norway both hunt whales as well. The moratorium is notorious for having too many loopholes. Protesters had hoped the International Whaling Commission (the IWC) would tighten the moratorium, but now Japan and its allies are pushing for the whole thing to be scrapped! Japan plans to kill 935 minke whales in Antarctica, and, even more outrageously, they plan to kill 10 fin whales. Fin whales are the second biggest whale on the planet, and they were severely depleted by whaling before. They are now ENDANGERED, though apparently that no longer means any protection. This clash between whalers and protesters may soon get out of hand. For now, all we can do is sit back, wait, and worry.
Above; a photo of a fin whale from the book Reader's Digest Guide to Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises.
January 11-Happy Birthday, Lovey!
Today is Lovey's 8th birthday at Kamogawa Sea World. Lovey was the first whale born in Japan to survive. She is the first daughter of Stella, and now she has two younger sisters, Lara and Sara. She also lives with two males, Oscar and Thor. Happy birthday little girl!
January 10-Happy Birthday, Hy'Shqa!
Yet another J-Pod birthday today! Hy'Shqa/J37 turns 6 today! Hy'Shqa recently got a younger sister, Suttles, when she was born last year. Besides her, he usually travels with mom Samish and big brother Riptide, and sometimes great-grandma Granny and great-uncle Ruffles. Happy birthday, little one!
January 2-Happy Birthday, Riptide and Tsuchi!
More J-Pod birthdays today! Today was the day two young whales were first seen, years ago. Riptide/J30, a young male, turns 11 today. And Tsuchi, a young female, also turns 11! Tsuchi will soon be having calves of her own. Hopefully we'll be able to see both these whales grow old.
Above; Tsuchi, in a fabulous photo from the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT TAKE WITHOUT PERMISSION!
January- Happy Birthday, Keet and Polaris!
The last two birthdays of the month are two older southern resident whales. Keet/J33 (not to be confused with Keet at SeaWorld Texas) turns 10 this month. He currently travels with mom Slick, big brother Mike and younger sibling Alki. Polaris/J28 is part of a very close-knit family, consisting of her, her younger sister Tahlequah and her mom Princess Angeline. Polaris is now 13 years old! She helped her mom a lot with taking care of Tahlequah, so now that she's reached maturity, she's sure to be a great mom.
January- Happy Birthday, Cookie, and Rainshadow!
January is a busy month for wild whales! Some of the orcas who have their birthday this month include Cookie, and Rainshadow in the southern residents. Cookie/J38 turns 4 this month! Cookie, whose gender is still unknown, travels with mom Oreo and big brother Doublestuf...see a theme in this family? Rainshadow is now 1 year old! He travels with mom Sequim, and sisters Sekiu and Raven, brother Tatoosh and nephew Tika. Tika, who I previously believed to be born in January, was...not. His birthday is above.
Above; A photo of Cookie/J38 when he/she was very young, from the Center for Whale Research. DO NOT USE WITHOUT PERMISSION!