Six-year-old orca dies unexpectedly at SeaWorld

Marine park says cause of death is unknown

A six-year-old female orca has died unexpectedly at SeaWorld after suffering from a short, unknown illness.

The San Diego marine park said the orca, named Amaya, died on Thursday after becoming unwell the previous day.

SeaWorld said the cause of death had not yet been established, and results from a post-mortem exam could take several weeks.

A spokesperson for the park said animal care specialists and veterinarians began treating Amaya immediately on Wednesday, but she died almost 24 hours later.

“Despite her care team’s efforts, Amaya’s condition continued to deteriorate. Her death was sudden and unexpected.” said the spokesperson.

Amaya was the youngest orca at SeaWorld, and was described as “one of the most playful whales in our pod."

The controversial animal theme park has long been criticised for its treatment of whales and other animals.

According to charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation, which seeks to protect whales and dolphins, at least 49 orcas have died at SeaWorld parks.

SeaWorld came under intense scrutiny when the 2013 documentary Blackfish was released, which told the story of Tilikum, a performing killer whale that killed several people while in captivity.

Filmmakers accused the company of abuse of the whale, and criticised both SeaWorld and the wider sea park industry for keeping creatures in cruel conditions in captivity.

The documentary proved influential, and led to a steep decline in attendance at the parks.

SeaWorld’s website said Amaya had helped them “gather and share critical information about calf development for researchers studying wild populations.”