Kamea the Orca (2013-2025)
Obituary
Kamea, the youngest orca held at SeaWorld San Antonio, has died.
Kamea, an eleven-year-old orca, died at SeaWorld San Antonio of an undisclosed illness in July 2025. She was the youngest orca held at the amusement park. In the wild, her natural lifespan would be up to 80 years.
Her parents are Takara, born at SeaWorld San Diego, and Kshamenk, who was captured off the coast of Argentina in 1992. She was born via artificial insemination. Kamea was the result of decades of suffering. Her grandmother, Kasatka, was captured off the coast of Iceland in 1978. Kasatka was bred repeatedly before her death from an infection in 2017 at the estimated age of 40. She attacked the same SeaWorld “trainer” multiple times throughout her captivity, likely due to the extreme psychological stress inflicted on her.
All orca populations are under pressure in the wild, and some subspecies are endangered. The Southern Resident orcas, who live off the US Pacific coastline, are critically endangered. For two decades, marine amusement parks stole or killed Southern Resident orcas, pushing their population into decline. Current threats to the Southern Resident orcas include noise pollution from vessels, chemical pollution, and lack of food.
Keeping orcas in captivity serves no conservation purpose. Orcas are kept in captivity solely for entertainment and financial gain. World Animal Protection urges everyone who loves orcas to avoid aquariums and amusement parks and enjoy them in the wild.
