Photo courtesy of ZooNation.org
Sad news from SeaWorld San Antonio as the three month old Orca calf, Kyara has died after complications from an infection like pneumonia. Kyara was born in April at the park, and was under constant care from the staff at SeaWorld San Antonio.
Julie, just one of the orca trainers that spent countless hours caring for the San Antonio orca pod, including many nights with the calf, said “Kyara had a tremendous impact on each of her care staff, not to mention all of the guests that had the chance to see her. From late nights to early morning, rain or shine, we dedicate our lives to these animals, and this loss will be felt throughout the entire SeaWorld family.”
The focus is now on the rest of the pod a the park, and their well being.
Photo courtesy of ZooNation.org
Photo courtesy of ZooNation.org
Pneumonia is a common cause of death of whales and dolphins in the wild, so while this is tragic for the park, it’s not uncommon. There’s no danger to the other animals in the pod, and the animals are still under constant supervision by the team at SeaWorld San Antonio.
The death of Kyra is especially tragic, as she was the last whale to be born at SeaWorld San Antonio. The chain announced last year that they would be stopping all breeding of Orcas at their parks. While the animals are definitely affected by the loss, they aren’t showing any signs of distress.
In light of the recent events, the shows at Shamu Stadium were cancelled July 24th, and there’s no word on when shows will resume in the week. It all depends on the animals, and what the SeaWorld Animal Care staff feels is appropriate.
Our hearts go out to the Animal Care staff of SeaWorld San Antonio. The animal care staff develops a relationship with the animals, so for many when something like this happens, they are hit extremely hard.
To find out more about the loss of Kyra, visit the ofifical SeaWorld Cares site by clicking here.
