Halyn - orca

Sex: Female

Date of Birth: Born October 9, 2005

Age at Capture: Captive born

On October 9, 2005, a captive-born female orca named Kayla gave birth to her first calf, a female named Halyn, at SeaWorld Texas.

However, Kayla, who lacked experience as a mother, immediately rejected Halyn and displayed no interest in her calf. In fact, Kayla's behavior became aggressive towards the newborn. Consequently, the staff had to intervene, separate the pair, and take on the task of hand-rearing Halyn.

Halyn was kept away from public view in the animal care section of the park. To provide temporary companionship, a female Bottlenose Dolphin was introduced to her. The staff created a formula using Kayla's milk, which was then used to bottle-feed Halyn. She required feeding every two hours, and constant monitoring was necessary.

At three months old, Halyn was moved back to Shamu Stadium where she was introduced to the other whales through the gates.

In 2007, Halyn had the opportunity to meet her father, Keet. Unfortunately, she would never have the chance to meet her mother, as Kayla had been transferred to the Orlando park in 2006.

On June 15, 2008, Halyn passed away suddenly due to acute necrotizing encephalitis—a condition characterized by inflammation and swelling of the brain.