Killer whale dies at SeaWorld San Antonio

Julie Scardina, SeaWorld's "Animal Ambassador" works with Unna, a 3,100 pound killer whale at the park, Friday, Mar. 7, 2003. Julie Scardina, SeaWorld's "Animal Ambassador" works with Unna, a 3,100 pound killer whale at the park, Friday, Mar. 7, 2003. Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Photo: BOB OWEN, SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS Image 1 of / 56 Caption Close Killer whale dies at SeaWorld San Antonio 1 / 56 Back to Gallery

Unna, a killer whale at SeaWorld San Antonio, died Monday after suffering from a fungal infection.

The 18-year-old whale contracted a strain of fungus called Candida and was under “constant care” from the park’s veterinary team in recent months, according to a news release. The park said it will conduct a necropsy to determine a cause of death.

Unna is the third whale to die at the park in the past six months. A two-year-old beluga whale named Stella died in November after being treated for gastrointestinal problems. A newborn beluga died in July after being born premature.

The park canceled all killer whale shows on Monday.

“This is a difficult time for the SeaWorld team and all of Unna’s many fans, and we thank you for your thoughts and well wishes,” the park said in the release.

Unna was being treated for fungal infection as early as September, according to the company’s website. She began taking medication in October that was not previous used in killer whales. The medication gave her an intermittent loss of appetite, so her veterinary team supplemented her eating with fluids.

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SeaWorld’s killer whale shows have been a source of controversy since the critical “Blackfish” documentary was released in 2013. The company announced last month that it was phasing out its orca shows at its San Diego park in response to customer feedback.