Kyara (pronounced ky-AR-ah) was a 3-month-old female Icelandic killer whale who lived at SeaWorld San Antonio. She was born there tail-first at 2:33 PM CST on April 19th, 2017. [1] Her mother was Takara and her father was Kyuquot. She was the last killer whale to be successfully born at a SeaWorld Park. Kyara passed away due to pneumonia in the early morning of July 24th, 2017 at SeaWorld San Antonio.[2]
Birth & Early Life[]
Takara and Kyara. Photo provided by SeaWorld.
Kyara's birth was the result of a natural mating between her mother, Takara, and her father, Kyuquot. She was conceived before SeaWorld announced the end of its killer whale breeding program in 2016. The event drew significant attention and excitement because it was the last time an orca would be born under SeaWorld's care. Her name combines parts of her parents' names (Takara and Kyuquot).
On April 19th, 2017, after nearly an hour and a half of labor, Takara gave birth to her last calf, Kyara. Takara immediately started caring for her calf and showed very strong maternal instincts. Kyara appeared healthy and was showing good signs of development. She was soon introduced to her two older sisters, Sakari and Kamea. The four formed a close bond and spent a lot of time together. She was also introduced to her father Kyuquot, who was very gentle toward her. Takara remained fully focused on her calf and took great care of her.
Life at SeaWorld[]
By six weeks old, Kyara was participating in small shows like “Dine with Shamu” and “Killer Whales Up Close.” She was very active and mimicked her mother and sisters. By three months, she showed interest in trainers and even allowed them to touch her.
Researchers monitored Kyara from birth to study various aspects of her development, including sleeping habits and growing up around her siblings. Her birth was especially important to researchers because it marked the final opportunity to study a killer whale calf under SeaWorld’s care.
Death[]
On July 21st, 2017, Kyara’s health started to decline. She was separated from Takara and moved to SeaWorld’s Animal Care Center for 24-hour care due to pneumonia. Despite intensive treatment, she passed away on the morning of July 24th at three months old. Pneumonia is a common cause of death in both wild and captive cetaceans, especially calves.
Galleries[]
- Photos of Kyara
- Videos of Kyara