Sumar, the Killer Whale, dead at the age of 12

One of the problems for orcas in captivity is that they tend to die young. So it was sad, but not surprising, to hear of the death of 12-year old Sumar at SeaWorld San Diego earlier this week. And it was even more sad to watch the video of him being removed while Orkid, his longtime friend, looks on.

Here’s part of the report from San Diego’s 10News.com:

SAN DIEGO — A killer whale died Tuesday afternoon at SeaWorld, prompting the cancellation of whale shows at the park, officials told 10News.According to SeaWorld officials, trainers noticed that the whale named Sumar was not feeling well on Monday. Veterinarians were notified and blood samples were taken.Despite being given antibiotics, Sumar’s condition worsened Tuesday and he was declared dead shortly before 1:45 p.m., park officials said. “Unfortunately … he did not respond,” said SeaWorld spokesman Dave Koontz. “His condition continued to deteriorate today. … Whatever illness he had, it moved very fast.”Park officials told 10News the 12-year-old whale had no prior history of major health problems. The whale was removed from the park grounds and a necropsy will be performed to determine the cause of death, 10News reported. Koontz said it was a “very sad day” for trainers and other staff members at SeaWorld.”They love these animals,” Koontz said. “They are devoted to these animals, and (the death of one is) like losing a member of their family.”Killer whales in captivity routinely live into their 30s or 40s, according to Koontz.

It would be nice if SeaWorld would release the results of the necropsy, because the reasons killer whales in captivity die suddenly are not very well understood. And despite what Koontz says, they DO NOT routinely live into their 30s and 40s. Of the 41 orcas still alive in captivity, only two have survived long enough to reach the age of 40, and only three have survived long enough to reach the age of 30. More than 130 have died before reaching those ages (details here).

As an update; it has been reported that Sumar died of Intestinal/Mesenteric Volvulus. This is not an ‘illness’ that comes suddenly. Nausea, vomiting of bile, bowel movements that are mixed with blood and mucus, constipation, diarrhea, lethargy and fever occur as symptoms. Without immediate treatment, volvulus can lead to strangulation of the twisted bowel loop, ischemia, infarction, perforation, and fatal peritonitis. Since he doesn’t have the ability to speak and say, “I’m having major pain here.”, and they weren’t able to pick up on the clear signs he was mortally ill until the day before he died, they fed him antibiotics, which would do nothing to heal this particular ailment, and instead Sumar died a painful death because they are not equipped to treat such a thing. This in despite of SeaWorld’s claims which repeatedly states, “We provide superior care for our animals”.

To give you a sense of how young orcas in captivity mostly are when they die, here is a list of orcas that have died at SeaWorld over the years, and their age at death (which doesn’t include more than a dozen stillbirths or miscarriages).

1. Shamu (F) – lived 6 years

2. Ramu – (M) lived 15 years

3. Kilroy (M) – lived 11.5 years

4. Kandu (F) – lived 4 years

5. Orky 2 (M) – lived 20 years

6. Nootka (F)– lived 20 years

7. Winston (M) – lived 15.5 years

8. Kandu 3 (F) – lived 4 years

9. Sandy (F) – lived 4.5 years

10. Kona (F) – lived 6 years

11. Canuck (M) – lived 2.5 years

12. Frankie (M) – lived 5 months

13. Kanduke (M) – lived 15 years

14. Kenau (F) – lived 15 years

15. Gudron (F) – lived 19.5 years

16. Canuck 2 (M) – lived 4 years

17. Kona 2 (F) – lived 10 years

18. Kandu 5 (F) – lived 12 years

19. Winnie (F) – lived 24.5 years

20. Kotar (M) – lived 16.5 years

21. Shawn (F) – lived 1 year

22. Kahana (F) – lived 12.5 years

23. Nootka 4 (F) – lived 12 years

24. Haidi 2 (F) – lived 19 years

25. Samoa (F) – lived 8.5 years

26. Bjossa (F) – lived 21 years

27. Katerina (F) – lived 10.5 years

28. Splash (M) – lived 15.5 years

29. Taku (M) – lived 14 years

30. Nyar (F) – lived 2 years

31. Baby – lived 38 days (Haida 2)

32. Hayln (F) – lived 2 1/2 years

33. Taima (F) – lived 21 years

34. Baby Shamu 2 – lived 11 days (Kenau)

45. Sumar – 12 years

46. Kalina (F) – 25 years

There are lots of pics of Sumar here. And here is some video of Sumar doing what Sumar was trained to do.

RIP Sumar.

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