Icelandic Orca In Captivity

Information Resource by Orca Aware

Orca Currently Alive

Stella

Stella was around the age of one when she was captured in 1987 and is on display at the Port of Nagoya Aquarium in Japan. Up until 02 August 2014, Stella resided with another wild-caught Icelandic orca, Bingo (also known as Thor). Stella and Bingo produced four surviving calves: Lovey (born 1998), Lara (born 2001), Ran 2 (born 2006) and Rin (also known as Lynn, born 2012). Their third calf, Sarah, lived from May 2003 until April 2006. 

Kiska

Kiska was captured in 1979 at the age of three and is currently the only orca kept at Marineland Ontario in Canada. Kiska has produced five calves, all of which are dead. The longest-living calf died at age six and the shortest-living calf only survived for 62 days. 

Ulises

Ulises was around three years-old when captured from Icelandic waters. Ulises was captured in 1980 and is now held at SeaWorld in California. He suffers from flaccid fin syndrome & prior to SeaWorld's breeding ban, was used as a breeding bull, including to impregnate a captive orca at Marineland Antibes in France. Ulises has sired two calves (although it is unconfirmed whether he is the father of the first calf in France).

Katina

Katina (also known as Kandu 6) is contained at SeaWorld in Florida. Katina was captured in 1978 at the age of two. Katina has four surviving calves, of which only two are at SeaWorld Florida with her. Three more of her captive-born offspring have died. 

• Find out about Katina's calf, Kalina: the original 'Baby Shamu'. 
• Found out about Katina & Tilikum's calf, Taku

Deceased Orca 

A further 49 orca were captured from Icelandic waters (that we know of). Of these, 48 individuals have died in captivity, with only one female surviving past the age of 30 in the captive environment. The majority of these Icelandic orca have survived in captivity for considerably less time, with several having died after only a few months.  

Name, Age at Capture, Time in Captivity: 

Kim, 5 years, 1976 - 1982

Kenau, 1 year, 1976 - 1991

Gudrun, <1 year, 1976 - 1996

Magnus, 1 year, 10/1977 - 12/1977

Canuck 2, 2 years, 1977 - 1981

Koana 2, 2 years, 1977 - 1987

Kandu 5, 3 years, 1977 - 1989

Suzie Wong, <1 year, 1977 - 1997

Winnie, <1 year, 1977 - 2002

No name, 1 year, 10/1978 - 02/1979

Shawn, 1 year, 1978 - 1979

Betty, 3 years, 1978 - 1987

Kahana, 1 year, 1978 - 1991

Kotar, <1 year, 1978 - 1995

No name, 1 year, 11/1978 - 02/1979
Kasatka, 1 year, 1978 - 2017
Shamu, 1 year, 1979 - 1983

No name, 3 years, 11/1979 - 01/1980

King, <1 year, 1979 - 1983

Caren, 2 years, 1979 - 1987

Benkei 2, <1 year, 1980 - 1983

Finna, 3 years, 1980 - 1997

Vigga, 1 year, 1980 - 2000

Bjossa, 3 years, 1980 - 2001

No name, 4 years, 10/1981 - 1982? 

No name, <1 year, 10/1981 - 12/1981

Neptune, 4 years, 1981 - 1983

Nemo, <1 year, 1981 - 1986

Ruka, 2 years, 1981 - 2000

Nootka 5, 2 years, 1981 - 2008

No name, 1 year, 10/1982 - 05/1983

Nootka 4, 3 years, 1982 - 1994

Haida 2, <1 year, 1982 - 2001

Kim 2, <1 year, 1982 - 2005
Freya, 1 year, 1982 - 2015

Nandu, 2 years, 1983 - 1988

Samoa, 3 years, 1983 - 1992
Tilikum, 2 years, 1983 - 2017

No name, 4 years, 11/1984 - 01/1985
Bingo, 2 years, 1984 - 2014

Freyja, 2 years, 1984 - 1987

Junior, 2 years, 1984 - 1994

Kandu 7, 6 years, 1984 - 2005

Prince, 3 years, 1987 - 1991

Maggie, 3 years, 1987 - 1997

Oscar, 1 year, 1987 - 2012

Ai, 1-2 years, 1989 - 1995

Tanouk, 3 years, 1989 - 2000

Ran, 1-2 years, 1989 - 2004

Sharkan, 4 years, 1989, 1989 - 2009

Keiko, 2 years, 1979 - Keiko died in 2003 after being returned to his natural habitat. 

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