A 20-year-old male killer whale that has been at SeaWorld San Diego since his birth died Thursday night following treatment for an infection, the park announced Friday. Despite aggressive efforts to treat the infection, the orca, Nakai, died surrounded by members of the animal care and medical teams who had worked closely with him over the last two decades, SeaWorld said in a statement. Nakai’s death leaves SeaWorld with eight killer whales, ranging in age from 9 to 57. Nakai, who was born in September 2001 at SeaWorld, is the park’s second orca to die in the last year. SeaWorld subsequently announced it was ending killer whale shows at its parks.

Source: Los Angeles Times August 06, 2022 22:55 UTC