Is anybody thinking about when she will stop cycling? Corky was only 19 when she stopped cycling due to being bred so quicky 7 calves in 10 years… The way this is going Katenka could stop in 5 more years… This could fault in Chimelongs program…
It's honestly not known why she stopped cycling at such a young age (21) but it is also possible the large amount of births in quick succession caused heavy strain on her reproductive system resulting in early menopause. It also occurred pretty much immediately after she arrived at San Diego, so there could be a connection there too. However it's pretty much impossible to know exactly why!
On Katenka, it's not guaranteed she'll follow the same path but I do agree it is risky to breed her at unnatural, short intervals.
Do you really think that more calves born into these facilities is a good thing? It just makes me sad. Born into places where the people in charge have no respect whatsoever of orca society and that the calves and their mothers bond for life.
Is anybody thinking about when she will stop cycling? Corky was only 19 when she stopped cycling due to being bred so quicky 7 calves in 10 years… The way this is going Katenka could stop in 5 more years… This could fault in Chimelongs program…
Do you really think that more calves born into these facilities is a good thing? It just makes me sad. Born into places where the people in charge have no respect whatsoever of orca society and that the calves and their mothers bond for life.
I don't think anyone is saying it's a good thing. But, it is natural to reproduce and meet hormonal needs. I prefer natural breeding over A.i.
This is why, despite the controversy, I do not agree with these male/female separation and breeding bans for highly intelligent mammals such as orcas. Humans are allowed to make conscious decisions to castrate and tie tubes for themselves -- but the fact that we decide for other living beings? Who knows what psychological and mental damage it has. If anything, it should've been a ban on A.i. (limited to only endangered species).
For example - despite these 'research studies' that spaying and neutering lengthens lives of dogs (which I found inaccurate in my case study). I have never spayed and neutered my dogs, and they all have lived up until 20 years ( 1 x Pomeranian, 1 x Schnauzer, 1 x Tibetan Terrier, 1 x Lab ). And that was a diverse amount of species I have had. Compared to my friends and our cousins dogs who had that surgery, they all survived half of that. Of course so many other factors can play into this, but I can at least ex-out the neutering/spaying part.
I would also like to see a link to find a source for this information. Seems quite strange that 10+ whales have been under the radar from the entire animal rights and captive cetacean communities.
Updated population list for January 2025 will be posted later today.
This year the deaths off set the birth rate for killer whales with a loss of four whales and no new individuals added to/born into the population that survived. The population gained one new holder, the Kobe Suma Sea World in Japan and lost one holder, the Chimelong Holding Facility in China. A decision on the Marineland Antibes whales will be made in March and until then they will stay at the now closed Marineland being cared for by their current trainers as well as assistance from Loro Parque. There are no currently known pregnancies but it would not be a wild guess to assume some of the Chimelong/Shanghai orcas are pregnant. There are new facilities currently under construction in China that intend on holding killer whales: Zhengzhou Haichang Ocean Park and SunAsia Beluga Whale World. Zhengzhou was supposed to see a July 2024 opening but has since been pushed back to an unknown time point. As for that here is the captive Killer Whale Population as of January 12, 2025: (27.29) 56
0.1 Not Named (Nord x Naja) 2023-12-29 at Moskvarium
0.0.1 Not Named (Unknown x Lovey) 2024-03-16 at Kamogawa Sea World
1.0 Inouk (Kim II x Sharkane) 1999-02-23 at Marineland Antibes
1.0 Keto (Kotar x Kalina) 1995-06-17 at Loro Parque
0.0.1 Not Named (Unknown x Lovey) 2024-03-16 at Kamogawa Sea World
0.1 Stella from Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium to Kobe Suma Sea World
0.1 Ran II from Kamogawa Sea World to Kobe Suma Sea World
0.1 Jade from Chimelong Holding Facility to Chimelong Spaceship
1.0 Jingxi from Chimelong Holding Facility to Chimelong Spaceship
SeaWorld San Diego - San Diego, California, USA (4.4) 8
0.1 Corky (Wild x Wild) 1966-00-00 in Pacific Northwest (Capture)
1.0 Ulises (Wild x Wild) 1977-00-00 in Eastern North Atlantic (Capture)
0.1 Orkid (Orky II x Kandu V) 1988-09-23 at SeaWorld San Diego
1.0 Keet (Kotar x Kalina) 1993-02-02 at SeaWorld San Antonio
0.1 Shouka (Kim II x Sharkane) 1993-02-25 at Marineland Antibes
1.0 Ikaika (Tilikum x Katina) 2002-08-25 at SeaWorld Orlando
0.1 Kalia (Keet x Kasatka) 2004-12-21 at SeaWorld San Diego
1.0 Makani (Kshamenk x Kasatka) 2013-02-14 at SeaWorld San Diego
SeaWorld Orlando - Orlando, Florida, USA (2.3) 5
0.1 Katina (Wild x Wild) 1976-00-00 in Eastern North Atlantic (Capture)
1.0 Trua (Taku x Takara) 2005-11-23 at SeaWorld Orlando
0.1 Nalani (Taku x Katina) 2006-09-18 at SeaWorld Orlando
0.1 Malia (Tilikum x Taima) 2007-03-12 at SeaWorld Orlando
1.0 Makaio (Tilikum x Katina) 2010-10-09 at SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld San Antonio - San Antonio, Texas, USA (2.3) 5
0.1 Takara (Kotar x Kasatka) 1991-07-09 at SeaWorld San Diego
1.0 Kyuquot (Tilikum x Haida II) 1991-12-24 at Sealand of the Pacific
1.0 Tuar (Tilikum x Kalina) 1999-06-22 at SeaWorld Orlando
0.1 Sakari (Tilikum x Takara) 2010-01-07 at SeaWorld San Antonio
0.1 Kamea (Kshamenk x Takara) 2013-12-06 at SeaWorld San Antonio
Mundo Marino - San Clemente del Tuyú, Buenos Aires, Argentina (1.0) 1
1.0 Kshamenk (Wild x Wild) 1938-00-00 in South Pacific (Rescue)
Marineland - Antibes, France (1.1) 2
0.1 Wikie (Kim II x Sharkane) 2001-06-01 at Marineland
1.0 Keijo (Valentin x Wikie) 2013-11-20 at Marineland
Loro Parque - Puerto de la Cruz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Spain (2.1) 3
1.0 Tekoa (Tilikum x Taima) 2000-11-08 at SeaWorld Orlando
0.1 Morgan (Wild x Wild) 2007-00-00 in Eastern North Atlantic (Rescue)
1.0 Adan (Keto x Kohana) 2010-10-13 at Loro Parque
Moskvarium - Moscow, Russia (0.1) 1
0.1 Naja (Wild x Wild) 2012-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
Chimelong Spaceship - Zhuhai, Guangdong, China (9.5) 14
1.0 Tyson (Wild x Wild) 2003-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Nakhod (Wild x Wild) 2004-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Katenka (Wild x Wild) 2006-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Bandhu (Wild x Wild) 2010-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Chad (Wild x Wild) 2010-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Kaixin (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Nukka (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Jade (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Sonya (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Yilong (Nakhod x Katenka) 2019-04-05 at Chimelong Holding Facility
1.0 Loki (Nakhod x Nukka) 2021-04-17 at Chimelong Holding Facility
0.1 Katniss (Tyson x Katenka) 2022-01-27 at Chimelong Holding Facility
1.0 Jingxi (Nakhod/Tyson x Jade) 2023-10-06 at Chimelong Holding Facility
1.0 Bowen (Tyson x Katenka) 2023-12-01 at Chimelong Spaceship
Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park - Pudong, Shanghai, China (4.2) 6
1.0 Panghu (Wild x Wild) 2004-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Dora (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Cookie (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Sean (Wild x Wild) 2011-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
1.0 Cody (Panghu x Cookie) 2021-09-10 at Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park
1.0 Zimo (Panghu x Dora) 2023-12-05 at Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park
Wuxi Changqiao Ocean Kingdom - Wuxi, Jiangsu, China (1.1) 2
1.0 Unknown (Wild x Wild) 0000-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Unknown (Wild x Wild) 0000-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
SunAsia Beluga Whale World - Yingkou, Liaoning, China (0.2) 2
0.1 Unknown (Wild x Wild) 0000-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
0.1 Unknown (Wild x Wild) 0000-00-00 in Western North Pacific (Capture)
Kamogawa Sea World - Kamogawa, Chiba, Japan (0.3) 3
0.1 Lovey (Bingo x Stella) 1998-01-11 at Kamogawa Sea World
0.1 Lara (Bingo x Stella) 2001-02-08 at Kamogawa Sea World
0.1 Luna (Oscar x Lovey) 2012-07-19 at Kamogawa Sea World
Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium - Nagoya, Aichi, Japan (1.1) 2
1.0 Earth (Oscar x Lovey) 2008-10-13 at Kamogawa Sea World
0.1 Lynn (Bingo x Stella) 2012-11-13 at Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium
Kobe Suma Sea World - Kobe, Hyogo, Japan (0.2) 2
0.1 Stella (Wild x Wild) 1986-00-00 in Eastern North Atlantic (Capture)
0.1 Ran II (Bingo x Stella) 2006-02-25 at Kamogawa Sea World
Ran has always been a rather round female so it's hard to say. However she does like a fair bit bigger than she usually is from this photo. Hopefully there is more confirmation soon - I wouldn't be surprised if she was AI'd at Kamogawa prior to her transfer to Suma last year.
Dang good riddance! I red the article (so sorry) and wow, these ppl making it sound like sending the Marineland orcas to LP will end in tragedy where in reality the real death sentence would have been sending them to their so called sanctuary! They do not care about welfare, just their pride/agenda.
I know this sounds negative, but is Loro Parque really the best option? We know its diet change killed 3 animals and they have a bad track record of being transparent. I know grandvista tanks are small but you also have to think about quality of care not just a quick first glance.
I know this sounds negative, but is Loro Parque really the best option? We know its diet change killed 3 animals and they have a bad track record of being transparent. I know grandvista tanks are small but you also have to think about quality of care not just a quick first glance.
Loro Parque and euthanasia are the only options left, all Japanese facilities are completely out of the picture. No facilities are going to be extremely transparent and frankly that is not a big concern when it comes to the whales welfare but rather just public knowledge. LP has since fixed the diet issue and has enrichment and welfare practices leagues better then Kamogawa or Suma giving their whales a much higher quality of life.
This whole situation is infuriating because a legit cetacean sanctuary is very much needed, both for retired animals or animals who's facility has closed down, and a place for rescued cetacean species that don't do well in tanks. The WSP could have been fantastic. Lori and Charles clearly didn't have what it takes to run that kind of facility. They should have stepped down years ago and let someone else take over.
The project should have been run by someone who wasn't so antagonistic with the zoo/aquarium field. Even Naomi Rose and Ingrid Visser have put aside their differences and have worked behind the scenes with marine parks to help improve the lives of captive cetaceans (Rose in Asia, and Visser with Mundo Marino). Lori is so anti captivity, that even Marineland Canada was spooked away from working with the WSP.
WSP have no one to blame but themselves. It seems that both MLF and the French Government wanted to send the whales to WSP and tried to delay for as long as they could, but they just took too long. Yet, even in that statement, WSP blame everyone else for taking too long (ironic when WSP has been 'fundraising' for years and is still in the planning stage).
With the impending end of Marineland and just Loro Parque remaining, could europe see another park eventually bring in Orcas? Oceanographic in Valencia springs to mind. Although given the current status of LP and the SW collection I would imagine any new holder would need to supply the whales from China.
With the impending end of Marineland and just Loro Parque remaining, could europe see another park eventually bring in Orcas? Oceanographic in Valencia springs to mind. Although given the current status of LP and the SW collection I would imagine any new holder would need to supply the whales from China.
I'd consider that extremely unlikely. Thanks to Animal Rights Activists, orca captivity is well on its way out in the western world. Any new holders are inevitably going to be in Asia, not Europe or the Americans.
@Evo: I fear that @Wisp O' Mist is right and I share his (or her? - sorry) statement. Nobody in Western Europe or the Americas would risk to burn his fingers by purchase orcas and built an exhibit for them - neither Zoos/Aquarias/Marinelands nor their sponsors. Unfortunately. And (bottle nosed) dolphins will be next....
