FACTS

- Orkid (OR-kid) is short for "Orky's kid" after her father.
- Born tail first at 17:21 PDT.
- 50% Northern Resident 50% Icelandic orca.

HISTORY

On September 23, 1988, at SeaWorld San Diego, Kandu V* went into labor with her second calf shortly before an afternoon show. A crowd of 3,000 people looked on chanting "push". After a long labor, a healthy baby was born. The trainers discovered that it was a little girl.

Sadly, three days after her birth, her father Orky II* passed away. She was named Orkid (Orky's Kid) in honor of him.

Kandu, while aggressive at times, proved to be a loving mother to Orkid. The two wouldn't be together for long. On August 21, 1989, an older female named Corky II was performing with Orkid in the show pool. Kandu was in a back pool. At some point during the show, Kandu swam from the back pool and straight at Corky with her mouth open and rammed her. Kandu returned to a back pool, but within minutes, blood began to spout out of Kandu’s blowhole as she exhaled.

Orkid swam around Kandu as she lost blood. After 45 minutes, Kandu passed away. Orkid was barely 11-months-old. Surprisingly, Corky became Orkid’s surrogate mother.

In April 1992, a young male named Splash* was moved from a marine park in Canada to San Diego. The two orcas would become best friends.

In 2002, Orkid and Splash were involved in an accident with a trainer. Apparently, she was not with another trainer around the orcas like she was supposed to be. When she put her feet into the water to play with them, the orcas pulled her in. She managed to swim away and get herself out, but she suffered from a broken arm. Neither of the two orcas had an aggressive record. The woman was later moved to another area of the park to work.

TRANSFERS

September 23, 1988 - Present (SeaWorld San Diego, USA)

HOW TO IDENTIFY



KNOWN FAMILY

Mother: Kandu V*
Father: Orky II*
Half-sisters: Kayla
Nieces: Halyn

* = Deceased