swap_horiz Qila Alternatives

1

Ruffles (J1)

Ruffles was a male Southern Resident orca, specifically part of the J1 matriline. He gained recognition through his dist...

Research Historical Wild Orca

9.2 Excellent

2

Ocean Sun (L25)

The Ocean Sun (L25) was a critically important member of the Southern Resident killer whale population. This individual...

Research Historical Wild Orca

9.0 Excellent

3

52-hertz whale

Unidentified whale first detected in 1989 via US Navy hydrophones that vocalizes at approximately 52 Hz, far above any k...

Research Hybrid Wild 1980S 2020S

8.8 Great

4

Varvara

Gray whale documented completing the longest recorded migration of any mammal—over 22,000 km round trip—between Russia's...

Research Migration Wild 2010S

8.8 Great

5

Granny (J2)

Matriarch of the Southern Resident killer whale population, estimated to have lived over 100 years, regarded as possibly...

Research Historical Wild Orca

8.5 Great

6

Tokitae (Lolita)

Orca captured from Puget Sound in 1970 and held at Miami Seaquarium for over 50 years, becoming a central symbol of capt...

Controversial Captive Orca Miami Seaquarium

8.4 Great

7

Benny

Benny is a beluga whale famously sighted feeding in the River Thames in the United Kingdom during 2018, drawing signific...

UK Wild 2010S Beluga

8.4 Great

8

Kiska

Female orca captured off Iceland around 1979 and held at Marineland Canada, she spent her final years as the sole orca a...

Controversial Captive Orca Marineland

8.3 Great

9

Kavna

Kavna was a beluga whale at the Vancouver Aquarium who lived to be 46, making her one of the oldest recorded belugas and...

Research Historical Captive Beluga

8.1 Great

10

Hvaldimir

Beluga whale that appeared off northern Norway in 2019 wearing a harness labeled 'Equipment St. Petersburg,' leading mar...

Military Russia Wild Beluga

8.0 Great

11

Patches

Patches is a North Atlantic right whale closely observed by researchers studying the critically endangered marine mammal...

Research Pacific Wild 2010S 2020S

8.0 Great

12

Onyx (L87)

A wild Southern Resident killer whale born in 1992, uniquely notable for traveling with the J-pod after his own matrilin...

Research Wild Orca Southern Resident

7.4 Good

13

Orkid

Female orca born at SeaWorld San Diego in 1988 to Kandu V and Orky II, among the earliest second-generation captive-born...

Research Captive Orca Seaworld

7.1 Good

14

NOC

Beluga whale held at the US Navy Marine Mammal Program who in the 1980s produced vocalizations closely mimicking human s...

Research Talking Captive Beluga

6.8 Fair

15

Martha

Martha is a North Atlantic right whale tracked by marine conservationists in the Atlantic Ocean to monitor the health of...

Research Captive Beluga 1980S 2020S

6.5 Fair

16

Mauyak

Mauyak is a beluga whale residing at the Shedd Aquarium in Chicago, notable for successfully giving birth to multiple ca...

Research Captive Beluga 1980S 2020S

6.3 Fair

17

Bjossa

Female orca captured in 1980 and held at the Vancouver Aquarium for over two decades, the last orca kept at that institu...

Historical Captive Orca Vancouver Aquarium

6.2 Fair

18

Kela

Kela is a beluga whale kept at Mystic Aquarium in Connecticut, notable for her long-term participation in marine mammal...

Research Captive Beluga 1980S 2010S

6.1 Fair

19

Sumar

A captive killer whale born at SeaWorld Orlando in 1998, notable for later living at SeaWorld San Diego before his 2010...

Entertainment Captive Orca Seaworld

5.9 Mediocre

20

Hyak

A captive killer whale housed at the Vancouver Aquarium in Canada, notable for being captured in the Pacific Northwest i...

Historical Captive Orca Vancouver Aquarium

5.5 Mediocre