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Corky (II) is a female orca (also known as a killer whale) from the A5 Pod in British Columbia, Canada. She currently lives at SeaWorld in San Diego, California. Corky (II) received her name after the park's original Corky died in December of 1970. Of the other animals captured on that day, only Corky still survives. Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... It has been suggested that [[:: Katina (whale), Nalani, Halyn, Kasatka, Kayla (whale), Keet, Corky, Ikaika (whale), Kalina (whale), Kohana, Kyuquot, Nakai (whale), Orkid, Ramu III (Winston), Sumar, Taima (whale), Taku (whale), Tilikum (whale), Trua, Ulises, Unna (whale) | Katina (whale), Nalani, Halyn, Kasatka, Kayla (whale), Keet, Corky, Ikaika (whale), Kalina (whale... Binomial name Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 Orca range (in blue) The Orca or Killer Whale (Orcinus orca) is the largest species of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). ... Binomial name Orcinus orca Linnaeus, 1758 Orca range (in blue) The orca (Orcinus orca), commonly known as the killer whale, and sometimes called the grampus, is the largest member of the oceanic dolphin family. ... A5 pod is a name given to a group of orcas (Orcinus orca) found off the coast of British Columbia, Canada. ... Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km... For the unrelated theme park in Australia, see Sea World. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates , Government County San Diego Mayor City Attorney         City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Jerry Sanders (R) Michael Aguirre Scott Peters Kevin... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Early Life & Capture

Corky is presumed to have been born sometime in 1964. Her mother has the official designation of A23, though she is also known by the nickname 'Stripe.' She was captured, along with several other orcas, on December 11, 1969 in Pender Harbor, British Columbia, Canada. Motto: Splendor Sine Occasu (Latin: Splendour without diminishment) Capital Victoria Largest city Vancouver Official languages English Government - Lieutenant-Governor Iona Campagnolo - Premier Gordon Campbell (BC Liberal) Federal representation in Canadian Parliament - House seats 36 - Senate seats 6 Confederation July 20, 1871 (6th province) Area  Ranked 4th - Total 944,735 km...

Of the orcas captured, six were sold to aquariums. Corky, along with a young unnamed male and a young female later named Patches, were sold to Marineland of the Pacific, in Palos Verdes, California. Marineland of the Pacific was a public aquarium and tourist attraction located on the Palos Verdes Peninsula coast above the Pacific Ocean in Los Angeles County California, USA. It operated from 1954 through 1987, when it was purchased by the owners of SeaWorld, who moved Marinelands popular Killer Whales... Palos Verdes is often used to refer to a group of coastal cities on the Palos Verdes Peninsula in the Los Angeles/South Bay area of California. ... Official language(s) English Capital Sacramento Largest city Los Angeles Area  Ranked 3rd  - Total 158,302 sq mi (410,000 km²)  - Width 250 miles (400 km)  - Length 770 miles (1,240 km)  - % water 4. ...

Life at Marineland

Corky was placed in a small pool with an adult male, Orky (II) also caught in Pender Harbor the year before her own capture. The two orcas remained together at the park for the next seventeen years.

During her time at Marineland, Corky became the first orca to become pregnant and give birth in captivity. With her first calf, nobody even knew she was pregnant. On February 28, 1977, the first calf to be born alive in captivity was born at Marineland to Corky and Orky. The calf was a male and died after sixteen days.

Corky went on to give birth six more times while at Marineland. Kiva, the longest surviving calf, lived only a total of 47 days. There are several reasons as to why Corky's calves didn't survive. The first might be that she was captured too young to have learned how to properly take care of a calf. Though, even after she went through training to teach her how to nurse, the calves continued to die. Another reason the calves died so young could be attributed to the shape of Marineland's pools - small circles. Corky had to continually push her calves away from the walls and could not properly present her mammaries to the calves so that they could nurse.

Her time at Marineland ended in January of 1987, after the park was sold to SeaWorld. Corky, then pregnant for the seventh time, was moved with Orky a few hours south, to the park in San Diego. There, at Sea World, Corky suffered a miscarriage. For the unrelated theme park in Australia, see Sea World. ... Flag Seal Nickname: Americas Finest City Location Location of San Diego within San Diego County Coordinates , Government County San Diego Mayor City Attorney         City Council District One District Two District Three District Four District Five District Six District Seven District Eight Jerry Sanders (R) Michael Aguirre Scott Peters Kevin...

Life at SeaWorld

Corky and Orky were placed with the other orcas at Sea World, in a system of pools much larger than those they had lived in at Marineland. Orky was desired primarily for Sea World's new successful breeding program, and while at Sea World he sired two female calves, both of which are still alive today.

Corky, on the other hand, never became pregnant again. Sadly, just three days after the birth of his first daughter, Orky died. His daughter, Orkid, remains at the park today. This article lacks information on the importance of the subject matter. ...

In 1989, the dominant orca at the park, Kandu V, attempted to rake Corky - a way orcas show dominance by forcefully scratching at another with their teeth. Kandu struck Corky just before a show. Shortly after the show began, it was apparent that something was very wrong. Kandu began exhaling large amounts of blood. Kandu died shortly after and was discovered to have fractured her upper jaw. Kandu V was a dominant female Icelandic Orca, caught in 1977 and kept at SeaWorld, California. ...

Orkid, orphaned at only 11 months old, was placed with Corky, and the two remain together at the park to this day.

Today, Corky lives with 6 other whales (Kasatka, Ulises, Orkid, Sumar, Nakai and Kalia). Corky is one of the gentlest whales in captivity; when a trainer enters the water with a whale for the first time, the whale is always Corky. She loves to mother everyone, and in fact has adopted and partially raised quite a few whales since her move to SeaWorld: Orkid, of course, as well as Splash (now deceased), Sumar and others. Corky gets along with all of the whales, except for Ulises, who for unknown reasons will try to rake her when they're together.

Corky is easily identified thanks to her tall, straight fin; her pointed eyepatches, and most distinguishing, her big size for a female. She also seems to love swimming upside down in the tanks.

Corky Today

Corky is now approximately 40 years old - about middle age for an orca. She has lived in captivity for almost 37 years - longer than any other orca in history. She suffers from cataracts in her right eye, though it does not seem to impair her daily activities. She still performs regularly in shows, under the stage name 'Shamu.'

Various organizations over the years have campaigned to release Corky. Many wanted to see her returned to her mother, A23 (Stripe). Unfortunately, Stripe died in 2000. Corky has several family members she has never met (which she can only find in the wild), including one deceased brother, A27 (Okisollo), a living sister, A43 (Ripple), who now has calves of her own, and a younger brother A60 (Fife). On October 9th 2005, Corky became a great-auntie for the first time when Kayla gave birth to Corky's cousin's grandchild Halyn. Orcalab in British Columbia is campaigning to have Corky released into the wild. [1]. Corky is currently on medications for liver and kidney problems, which are attributable to old age.

Further reading

• Ford, John K.B.; Ellis, Graeme M.; & Balcomb, Kenneth C. (2000). Killer Whales (2nd ed.). UBC Press. ISBN 0-7748-0800-4.
• Hoyt, Erich. (1990). Orca: The Whale Called Killer (3rd ed.). London: Robert Hale Limited. ISBN 0-920656-25-0.
• Morton, Alexandra. (2002). Listening to Whales: What the Orcas Have Taught Us New York: Ballantine Publishing Group. ISBN 0-345-43794-2.