Ramu IV - orca
Sex: Male
Pod: Southern Residents
Place of capture: Penn Cove, Washington State
Date of capture: August 8, 1970
Age at capture: Approx. 2 years
Date of death: August 1971
Location of death: Marineland Australia
History
On August 8, 1970, more than 80 Orcas were herded into Penn Cove in one of the most infamous captures in history. Very few whales were kept, but among those taken captive was a young male named Ramu IV.
While many of his pod mates were sent to marine parks in the U.S., Europe. and Japan, Ramu IV was the only one to be sent to Australia. The young male was originally destined to be a mate for Cuddles in the UK until it was discovered that Cuddles was male.
Ramu IV was then bought by Marineland Australia, where he was to replace the parks original captive Orca, Ramu, who died a few months before.
In August 1971, Ramu IV died due to unknown causes.