Her Story

Katina was likely born in the year 1976. She was collected in October 1978, off the southeast coast of Iceland near Skardsfjara and then sold to SeaWorld. First she was sent to MarineLand of Canada where she supposedly began the training process. Katina spent the summers of 1982, 1983, and 1984 at SeaWorld Aurora and the off-seasons at SeaWorld San Diego.

In the 1980s, SeaWorld began to establish a breeding program for their orcas. Katina was paired with a male named Winston* at SeaWorld San Diego. Staff first noticed her pregnancy in July 1984 while she was at SeaWorld Aurora. In November 1984, Katina was transferred to SeaWorld Orlando where a new pool system, especially built for the breeding program, had opened.

On September 26, 1985, Katina gave birth to a baby girl that staff called Baby Shamu who would later be named Kalina. The birth was SeaWorld's first. Kalina would become the first orca born and raised in a zoological park to reach her first birthday and many more.

Katina would mother several more calves including daughter Katerina* (November 4, 1988 - May 5, 1999) who was fathered by Kanduke*, son Taku* (September 9, 1993 - October 17, 2007), daughter Unna (December 27, 1996), and son Ikaika (August 25, 2002) who were all fathered by Tilikum, and daughter Nalani (September 18, 2006) who was fathered by Taku.

Where You May Have Seen Her

October 1978 - June 1979 (MarineLand of Canada, Canada)
June 1979 - April 1984 (SeaWorld San Diego, USA and SeaWorld Aurora, USA)
April 1984 - November 1984 (SeaWorld Aurora, USA)
November 1984 - Present (SeaWorld Orlando, USA)

What She Looks Like


Photos © Amanda Pippin.
Do not redistribute.

Her Known Family

Daughters: Kalina, Katerina*, Unna, Nalani
Sons: Taku*, Ikaika
Granddaughters: Skyla, Kalia, Halyn, Nalani
Grandsons: Keet, Keto, Tuar, Trua

* = Deceased