Animal Orkid Killer Whale

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American killer whale, later nicknamed 'The Rocket Scientist,' who was born at Sea World before a cheering crowd of 3,000 people. Her mother Kandu V delivered her 6 ft long, 250 lb baby, then one of only eight orca calves ever having been born in captivity. Thousands of people watched the delivery on TV. Orkid's father is Orky II. She was the first killer whale born in the San Diego Sea World Park successfully. Orky II died only three days after Orkid was born. She was named Orkid, in memory of her father (most likely a combination of "Orky" and "kid"). On 21 August 1989, Kandu V, a dominant female Icelandic orca, charged female newcomer orca, Corky II, during a live show. The blow broke Kandu V's jaw, and severed an artery in Kandu's head; apparently in an act of trying to assert her dominance over Corky II. As a result, she began spouting blood with every breath she took. Forty five minutes later Kandu V sank to the bottom of the pool and died, bleeding to death. Orkid witnessed this; for weeks after the incident, she would circle the tanks calling out and vocalizing. However, she was raised by Corky, and later befriended a male named Splash. Orkid has been artificially inseminated many times, but has so far not gotten pregnant. Orkid is highly intelligent (having been affectionately nicknamed by trainers 'The Rocket Scientist'), and knows hundreds of behaviours. Only the most senior trainers are allowed to work with her, as she has shown aggression toward trainers in the past. After an incident in 2006 where she dragged a trainer to the bottom of the show pool, Orkid has been barred from performing waterworks with trainers. Link to Wikipedia biography