Best Seaworld

Shamu was an orca (Orcinus orca) held in captivity by SeaWorld San Diego beginning in 1965. Her survival represented a pioneering instance of intentionally keeping an individual orca for public display. She became synonymous with the park’s early operations and served as a key figure in establishing...

Li'i is an individual dolphin notable for the distinction of being documented in global marine park inventories as a dolphin living in human care.

Kalina was a captive killer whale born at SeaWorld Orlando in 1985 to mother Katina. She was the first orca to be successfully born and raised in captivity, marking a significant milestone in marine park breeding programs. Nicknamed "Baby Shamu," she lived at various SeaWorld parks and became a foun...

Katina is a female orca born in Icelandic waters around 1976 and captured in 1978, who has lived at SeaWorld Orlando since 1985. She is recognized as the matriarch of SeaWorld's captive orca population and is the mother of Kalina, the first captive-born orca to survive into adulthood. Throughout her...

Corky II is a female orca from the Northern Resident population of British Columbia who was captured in 1969 and subsequently kept in marine parks, including Marineland of the Pacific and SeaWorld San Diego. She gave birth several times in captivity, but none of her calves survived to adulthood. Her...

Shamu was a female orca captured in the northeastern Pacific and brought to SeaWorld San Diego, where she began performing in 1965. Her name became closely associated with SeaWorld's killer-whale shows and was later reused as a stage name for other orcas at its parks. The original Shamu died in 1971...

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

Nakai was an orca born at SeaWorld San Diego in 2001, notable for surviving a severe jaw injury in 2012 that drew global attention to the welfare of captive marine mammals.

Tilikum was a captive SeaWorld orca who killed three people, including a trainer in 2010, sparking widespread animal welfare debates and inspiring the 2013 documentary film Blackfish.

Kalia is a captive-born orca at SeaWorld San Diego, notable for her prominent role in the park's orca breeding program and her appearance in the 2013 documentary Blackfish.

Female orca at SeaWorld San Diego who died in 1989 after a collision with Corky II ruptured an artery, an incident captured on video and widely cited in debates over captive orca welfare.

Male orca captured off Iceland around 1980 and held primarily at SeaWorld San Diego, one of the longer-lived captive male killer whales, performing at that park for over two decades.

A captive killer whale born at SeaWorld Texas in 1991, notable as one of the most successful breeding females in the park's history.

Male orca captured off British Columbia in the late 1960s and held at Marineland of the Pacific, later transferred to SeaWorld San Diego where he fathered Orkid before dying in 1988.

Corky is a female orca captured in British Columbia in 1969 and held at SeaWorld San Diego, recognized as the longest-living captive orca in the world as of the early 2020s.

A captive killer whale born at SeaWorld San Antonio in 1988, notable for her long life until her death at SeaWorld Orlando in 2019.

A captive killer whale born at SeaWorld San Antonio in 1989, notable for her aggressive behavior toward trainers before her 2010 death.

A captive killer whale kept at SeaWorld San Diego, notable for being collected from Washington state waters in 1969.

A captive killer whale born at SeaWorld San Diego in 2002, notable for his temporary transfer to Marineland in Ontario, Canada.

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

Male orca held at multiple North American marine parks during the 1970s and 1980s, one of several wild-caught killer whales that performed during the peak era of captive orca exhibitions.

Sparrow is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.

Nala is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.

Naia is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.

A captive killer whale born at SeaWorld Orlando in 2005, notable for being one of the park's resident performing whales.

Neo is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.

Sasha is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.

Delilah is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.

Amara is a bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus) recorded in international marine mammal databases, notable as a documented subject in cetacean tracking.