List of captive orcas


s, or killer whales, are large predatory cetaceans that were first captured live and displayed in exhibitions in the 1960s. They soon became popular attractions at public aquariums and aquatic theme parks due to their intelligence, trainability, striking appearance, playfulness in captivity and sheer size. As of February 2019, captive orcas reside at facilities in North and South America, Europe and Asia.
The first North Eastern Pacific orca, [|Wanda], was captured in November 1961 by a collecting crew from Marineland of the Pacific, and over the next 15 years, around 60 to 70 orcas were taken from Pacific waters for this purpose. When the US Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 effectively stopped the capture of Pacific orcas, captures were made in Icelandic waters. Since 2010, captures have been made in Russian waters. However, facilities in the United States such as SeaWorld have not collected wild orcas in over 35 years.
As of 18 August 2025, this is how the captive orcas are spread around the world:
Total: 23 + 6 + 25 = 54 orcas
Captured/Rescued: 5 + 1 + 18 = 23 orcas
Captive-born: 19 + 5 + 7 = 31 orcas
Out of the 23 captive orcas currently located in the western world, 19 were born in captivity. Only 5 are wild-captured or rescued individuals still held in these countries. [|Lolita], the last surviving Southern Resident orca in captivity, died in 2023.
In Japan, 5 of the 6 orcas on display were born in captivity. The only wild-captured survivor is [|Stella].
All 25 known captive orcas in China and Russia are Russian ecotypes. Of these, 18 were wild-captured: [|Naja/Naya] and 17 individuals in China, Katenka, "Kyra", Nakhod, Nukka/Grace/Yaohe, Pànghǔ, "Samara", Sean. Additionally, there are 7 orcas in China that were born in captivity:, Cody, Jingxi, Katniss, Loki, Wulong, Yīlóng ).
[|Kalina], born in September 1985, was the first captive-born orca calf to survive more than a few days. In September 2001, Kasatka gave birth to [|Nakai], the first orca conceived through artificial insemination, at SeaWorld San Diego. This technique lets park owners maintain a more healthy genetic mix in the small groups of orcas at each park, while avoiding the stress of moving orcas for breeding purposes.

List of living captive orcas

This table contains a full list of living captive orcas in human care.
NameSexPopulationCurrent locationCurrent countryOriginBirth / Capture DateAge
AdánMale 87.5% Icelandic – 12.5% Southern residentsLoro ParqueSpainCaptive born
BandhuMale 100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured2013–2014
ChadMale 100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured2013–2014
Bowen Male100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptive born1 December 2023
Cody Male 100% Russian TransientShanghai Haichang Ocean ParkChinaCaptive born
CookieFemale 100% Russian TransientShanghai Haichang Ocean ParkChinaCaptured - birth /
July 2015? - capture
Corky IIFemale 100% Northern ResidentsSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptured - birth /
12 December 1969 - capture
DoraFemale 100% Russian TransientShanghai Haichang Ocean ParkChinaCaptured - birth /
summer 2015 - capture
IkaikaMale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptive born
JadeFemale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured2013–2015; betw. August 2013 and July 2014; may have been captured on 13 August 2013?
JingxiMale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptive born6 October 2023
KaliaFemale 87.5% Icelandic – 12.5% Southern ResidentsSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptive born
Kaixin Male100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured2013–2015; fall of 2013 or summer of 2014
KatenkaFemale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured - birth /
- capture
Katniss Female100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptive born
KeetMale 75% Icelandic – 25% Southern ResidentsSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptive born
KeijoMale100% IcelandicMarineland of AntibesFranceCaptive born
KshamenkMale 100% Argentinian TransientMundo MarinoArgentinaRescued - birth /
17 November 1992 or 19 September 1992 - stranding
"Kyra" Female100% Russian TransientSunAsia Beluga Whale World ChinaCaptured2016??
KyuquotMale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld San AntonioUnited StatesCaptive born
LaraFemale100% IcelandicKamogawa Sea WorldJapanCaptive born
Loki Male100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptive born
LoveyFemale100% IcelandicKamogawa Sea WorldJapanCaptive born
LunaFemale100% IcelandicKamogawa Sea WorldJapanCaptive born
LynnFemale100% IcelandicPort of Nagoya AquariumJapanCaptive born
MaliaFemale 25% Bigg's Transient – 75% IcelandicSeaWorld OrlandoUnited StatesCaptive born
MakaioMale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld OrlandoUnited StatesCaptive born
MakaniMale 50% Argentinian – 50% IcelandicSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptive born
MorganFemale100% NorwegianLoro ParqueSpainCaptured
Naja/Naya Female100% RussianMoskvariumRussiaCaptured
NakhodMale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCapturedbetw. August 2013 and July 2014 - Capture 2005 - Birth
NalaniFemale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld OrlandoUnited StatesCaptive born
Nukka/Grace/YaoheFemale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured
OrkidFemale 50% Icelandic – 50% Northern ResidentSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptive born
Pànghǔ Male100% Russian TransientShanghai Haichang Ocean ParkChinaCaptured
Ran IIFemale100% IcelandicKobe Suma Sea WorldJapanCaptive born
"Samara" Female100% Russian TransientSunAsia Beluga Whale World ChinaCaptured2016??
SakariFemale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld San AntonioUnited StatesCaptive born
Sean Male100% Russian TransientShanghai Haichang Ocean ParkChinaCaptured
ShoukaFemale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptive born
SonyaFemale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptured
StellaFemale100% IcelandicKobe Suma Sea WorldJapanCaptured
TakaraFemale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld San AntonioUnited StatesCaptive born
TekoaMale75% Icelandic – 25% Bigg's TransientLoro ParqueSpainCaptive born
TenoMaleMother 100% Norwegian, father unknownLoro ParqueSpainCaptive born
TruaMale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld OrlandoUnited StatesCaptive born
TuarMale 75% Icelandic – 25% Southern ResidentSeaWorld San AntonioUnited StatesCaptive born
TysonMale100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCapturedbetw. August 2013 and July 2014 - Capture 2005 - Birth
UlisesMale 100% IcelandicSeaWorld San DiegoUnited StatesCaptured
WCKWOWR-OO-C1601Male100% Russian TransientWuxi Changqiao Killer Whale Ocean World ResortChinaCaptured
WCKWOWR-OO-C1601Male100% Russian TransientWuxi Changqiao Killer Whale Ocean World ResortChinaCaptured
WikieFemale 100% IcelandicMarineland of AntibesFranceCaptive born
Yīlóng Male100% Russian TransientChimelong SpaceshipChinaCaptive born
ZimoMale100% Russian TransientShanghai Haichang Ocean ParkChinaCaptive born