r/CaptiveOrcas • u/Sea_Bully • 4d ago

SeaWorld Names?

Gallery image

Gallery image

Gallery image

Hey guys, I’m curious if anyone can help me name these orcas. This was at SeaWorld Orlando in the early 80s. I found the pictures in my mom’s photo albums and she thinks it was around 81-83ish but can’t quite remember.

29 Upvotes

100% Upvoted

5 comments sorted by

9

u/Gr8HmrHead ProWellfare - Tekoa, Malia, & Trua !! 4d ago

Ramu is on the first and 3rd picture, he’s known for his open saddle patch! And I believe the orcas in the second photo are Kahanah and Kona 2! Not sure who’s behind Ramu in the 3rs picture, however

4

u/Sea_Bully 4d ago

Oh cool! I thought the smaller ones were kahana and kona 2 but was unsure on the bigger one! Thank you so much for the help

4

u/Starbright525 3d ago

The big orca is definitely Ramu. He died in 1982, so those photos could be around 1980ish or 1981ish. I saw vintage footage of Sea World Orlando from 1981 and the orca trainers were wearing those same wetsuit colors as the photos you posted. As for the smaller orcas, they are definitely the young Icelandic female Kona II, because she lived at Sea World Orlando until her death in 1987, and possibly Kahana jumping next to Kona II. Kona II had large white eyepatches. She was very easy to recognize.The little orca pictured in the back on the slideout next to Ramu in the third photo could possibly be young Katina, as she also had lived at Sea World Orlando too.

3

u/Sea_Bully 3d ago

She said ‘81 fits her memory! Thank you so much for the info!

3

u/Starbright525 3d ago

You're very welcome. I like your mom's old vintage photos of the orcas at Sea World Orlando. That was the old orca tank that is currently being used by the bottlenose dolphins. Sea World Orlando built the now current Orca Encounter tank as well as the back tanks around 1984. That is where Katina gave birth to the very first Baby Shamu, Kalina in the much larger orca show tank in September 1985.