Dead Captives in 2025: Katina, Kshamenk, Earth, and Kamea

By Mark J. Palmer

In 2025, at least four captive orcas died, two in SeaWorld parks in the US, one in Japan, and one from Argentina, the last captive orca in Latin America.

In 2016, SeaWorld, through the work of the International Marine Mammal Project (IMMP) of Earth Island Institute and our allies, finally announced that it would no longer import or breed captive orcas, so the current 16 orcas left in the three SeaWorld parks (San Diego, San Antonio, and Orlando SeaWorld) are the last in captivity in the Western hemisphere.

David Phillips, Director of IMMP stated: “Every year, we get closer to the end of the cruel holding of orcas in concrete tanks. Captive orca facilities are closing right and left, and not a moment too soon. More and more people around the world recognize that orcas, belugas, and dolphins belong in the oceans, not doing tricks for human entertainment. Yet the captive industry still refuses to release any of them to seaside sanctuaries or the wild. “

Here are stories of the captive orcas lost this year.

Katina was a female aged 50 years old, living in SeaWorld San Antonio. Called “geriatric” by SeaWorld, Katina, in fact, was middle-aged, and her age did not contribute to her death, supposedly from pneumonia. Katina was one of the last SeaWorld orcas that was ripped from her wild family, as opposed to most of the remaining SeaWorld captive orcas, which were born in captivity.

John Hargrove, former senior orca trainer for SeaWorld and author of Beneath the Surface, told IMMP: “I recognized the same PR language SeaWorld has used for decades when every single whale dies, always written by some PR rep that has never put their hands on that whale, has never had a relationship with them, and don't even know who they really are. The language is "deeply saddened...surrounded by animal care and medical teams...ambassador for their species..." etc., etc. Pneumonia is also always noted as the cause of death, yet no journalist ever questions how weird it is that every killer whale that dies dies of pneumonia. The local media just print the PR statement and keep it moving, especially for papers in SeaWorld's backyard.”

Hargrove added: “Another fact is SeaWorld has always lied to the public, and -- yes -- we trainers were also directed to do so to tow the company line. Many whales died for other reasons, but it's much cleaner and digestible for the unknowing public to simply explain it away as pneumonia. Most whales died of pneumonia, but not only due to pneumonia.

“The reason so many have pneumonia is just like people who get it when they aren't active enough to clear the lungs. A human is susceptible to pneumonia after surgery and confined to bed rest. Now imagine the whales resting at the surface breathing in the lethal chemicals of chlorine, aluminum sulfate, and ozone that rest at the surface of the water… Often, ozone levels were so high they would burn our lungs as trainers, and we would officially report it so the levels would be reduced. So imagine the whales who are at the surface around the clock, taking huge breaths with their giant lungs, using 90% of their lung capacity. That's why the lining in their lungs is just destroyed. Gutted.”

“With that said,” Hargrove stated, “I know that all of us trainers truly loved the whales we worked and swam with every day; we were not the corporation. We were gutted and grieved with every death, so I certainly empathize with the trainers who had a relationship with her, especially for the years leading up to her death.”

Unlike Katina, young Kamea died in June 2025 and was only eleven years old – barely an adult. According to the media, SeaWorld San Antonio stated she died from “unknown causes.” SeaWorld obviously could not claim Kamea was “geriatric”, so the death was swept under the rug with little information beyond SeaWorld’s crocodile tears.

In Japan, Earth was the last captive male orca, who died on August 3, 2025, in the Nagoya Public Aquarium. Earth was only 16 years old and was born in captivity, never knowing the ocean. With his death, the country of Japan has no more male captives, so a breeding program for orcas is unlikely to succeed. Japan aquariums can still buy sperm from other captive orcas in other countries, but the likelihood of succeeding in breeding more captive orcas will be difficult.

For years, activists opposing captivity urged the government of Argentina to intervene to release Kshamenk, a male orca caught under questionable circumstances – the aquarium claims they “rescued” Kshamenk, but of course never returned the orca to the sea.

IMMP, the Whale Sanctuary Project, and many others traveled over the years to Argentina to see what could be done, and local activists also protested. But without the cooperation of the aquarium, Mundo Marino, or the Argentine government, there was no way to remove Kshamenk to a seaside sanctuary in Argentina, where he could be rehabilitated and released back into the wild.

The death of Kshamenk was announced on December 14, 2025. He was believed to be 35-36 years old, again middle-aged for a wild male orca.

Our colleagues at Whale & Dolphin Conservation believe there are 52 orcas left in captivity in the world. They will all live miserable lives in small concrete tanks, doing tricks for food to entertain the public. And then they will die and be forgotten.

Captivity for dolphins and whales is a one-way ticket. It should be outlawed, as has been done by many nations, and remaining animals in captivity should be retired to seaside sanctuaries.

************************************

Your support is needed more than ever in 2026 for the protection and rescue of whales and dolphins in captivity, as well as protecting cetaceans in the wild from harpoons, oil spills, ship strikes, entanglement, and the captivity industry. Please donate to the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute. Your donations go directly to prevent the deaths and injuries of thousands of these magnificent animals. Thank you!