Skana (pronounced skah-NAH) was an approximately 17-year-old female Southern Resident killer whale who lived at the Vancouver Aquarium. She passed away on October 5th, 1980 from a fungal infection. Skana was one of the first killer whales captured for captivity and the second killer whale owned by the Vancouver Aquarium.
Capture and Early Life[]
On February 15th, 1967, the first pod of killer whales was captured for live display in aquariums. A total of 15 whales were captured. 7 were released, 3 drowned and another 5 were taken into captivity. Skana, along with Katy, Ramu, Kandu, and Kilroy, were sent to a sea pen in Yukon Harbor. Skana became the final of these five selected to be transferred to the Seattle Marine Aquarium, which occurred on March 4th[1]. She was brought to the Vancouver Boat Show on March 8th on a 12-day loan[2]. She was purchased by the Vancouver Aquarium and arrived there on March 20th, at 10 AM[3].
Life at the Vancouver Aquarium[]
Skana being treated for her injuries in 1969. Photo provided by Jason M. Colby.
Skana spent the first year at the Vancouver Aquarium alone. She was immensely popular, and she brought in hundreds of thousands of visitors. Skana quickly became the Vancouver Aquarium's biggest attraction. In September of 1967, Skana met Soviet fisheries minister Alexander Ishkov.
On January 22nd, 1969, Skana was waiting for a show to start. She was excitedly swimming around the pool and jumping when she hit the observation window. The glass shattered, and Skana was pulled into the broken window. Skana, stuck between shards of glass, had to be pulled out by her tail with a crane. Miraculously, she survived without any major injuries.
On March 14, Skana's tankmate Splasher, a male bottlenose dolphin, was injured while playing. Although he appeared to be recovering, he was found dead three days later. Although his death was caused by internal injuries, there were tooth marks from Skana on his body. Skana had been carrying him to the surface and helping him breath before his death.[4]
Later that year, Skana met Hyak II. The two got along well.
Death[]
On October 5th, 1980, Skana passed away from a fungal infection.
Galleries[]
- Photos of Skana
- Videos of Skana
Transfer History[]
| FROM: | TO: | ON |
|---|---|---|
| Yukon Harbor, Washington | Yukon Harbor Sea Pen, Washington | Feb. 15, 1967 |
| Yukon Harbor Sea Pen, Washington | Seattle Marine Aquarium, Washington | Mar. 4, 1967 |
| Seattle Marine Aquarium, Washington | Vancouver Boat Show, British Columbia | Mar. 8, 1967 |
| Vancouver Boat Show, British Columbia | Vancouver Aquarium, British Columbia | Mar. 20, 1967 |
References[]
- ↑ (1967) "Griffin adds fifth whale to aquarium", Seattle Daily Times, March 6, pg. 10
- ↑ (1968) K. G. Hewlett & Murray A. Newman, "'Skana', the killer whale Orcinus orca at Vancouver Public Aquarium", International Zoo Yearbook 8(1): 209-211.
- ↑ (1967) "Walter comes to aquarium and it's a whale of a sale", The Vancouver Sun, March 20, pg. 5
- ↑ Orca: How We Came to Know and Love the Ocean's Greatest Predator