Keiko (left) poses with Jason James Ritcher (right) on the set of Free Willy (1993). Image provided by Shutterstock.
This is a list of famous, well-known, historically significant, or otherwise unique killer whales. This includes killer whales that have been featured in movies, documentaries, or TV shows, individual killer whales with extremely distinct appearances (ex: notable orcas with albinism), killer whales that were involved in historical events, and killer whales that are extremely well-known for one reason or another. Individuals will be grouped according to whether they were captive or wild. Wild individuals be subgrouped into populations.
Please note that this is not a comprehensive list as an animal's level of notability is subjective.
In Human Care[]
| Name | Reason for Notability | Location | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Moby Doll | Deceased | ||
| Shamu | Deceased | ||
| Namu | Deceased | ||
| Tilikum | SeaWorld Orlando, Florida | Deceased (2017) | |
| Keiko | N/A (Released) | Deceased (2002) | |
| Katina | The most prolific female killer whale in human care, as well as one of the oldest. Mother of Kalina. | SeaWorld Orlando, Florida | Alive |
| Kalina | The first killer whale to be born and survive in human care. Also known as the original "Baby Shamu." | SeaWorld Orlando, Florida | Deceased (2010) |
| Kyara | The last killer whale to be born through SeaWorld's killer whale breeding program. | SeaWorld San Antonio, Texas | Deceased |
| Keto | Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain | Alive | |
| Kasatka | SeaWorld San Diego, California | Deceased | |
| Chimo | Sealand of the Pacific, Canada | Deceased | |
| Wikie | Marineland Antibes, France | Alive | |
| Tokitae ("Lolita") | Miami Seaquarium, Florida | Deceased (2023) | |
| Hugo | Tokitae's first and only conspecific tankmate. Also known for his cause of death. | Miami Seaquarium, Florida | Deceased |
| Kiska | Marineland Ontario, Canada | Deceased (2023) | |
| Kshamenk | Mundo Marino, Argentina | Alive | |
| Corky II | The oldest killer whale in human care and the only full-blooded Northern Resident in human care. | SeaWorld San Diego, California | Alive |
| Ishmael | US Naval Base, Hawaii | Unknown (Escaped) | |
| Morgan | Loro Parque Tenerife, Spain | Alive | |
| Hyak II | Known for his curious fascination with staring at pictures of killer whales, featured in a documentary for this reason. | Vancouver Aquarium, Canada | Deceased |
| Haida | Famously enjoyed the sounds of the flute. Musician Paul Horn spent lots of time playing for Haida and published an album of the two making music together. | Sealand of the Pacific, Canada | Deceased |
In the Wild[]
| Name | Reason for Notability | Population/Ecotype | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Old Tom | Deceased | ||
| CA165 Lonesome George | One of the largest known wild killer whales, estimated to be around 33 feet in length. He also boasts a very tall dorsal fin and a large chunk taken out of his pectoral flipper. | Bigg's Transient | Alive |
| T046B1B Tl'uk | Bigg's Transient | Deceased | |
| CA216C1 Frosty | Bigg's Transient | Alive | |
| J35 Tahlequah | Southern Resident | Alive | |
| J2 Granny | Southern Resident | Deceased | |
| Port | The first half of a pair of male orcas known for eating great white shark livers. | Alive | |
| Starboard | The second half of a pair of male orcas known for eating great white shark livers. | Alive | |
| L98 Luna | Southern Resident | Deceased | |
| L25 Ocean Sun | Southern Resident | Alive | |
| A73 Springer | Alive | ||
| J50 Scarlet | Southern Resident | Deceased | |
| CO539 Iceberg | Alive |
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