Winston - orca
Winston, also known as Ramu, was a male orca who lived at SeaWorld California. He was captured in the United States on August 8, 1970 and died on April 28, 1986.
| Species | Orcinus orca |
|---|---|
| Sex | Male |
| Died | April 28, 1986 SeaWorld of California, USA |
| Cause of death | Chronic cardiovascular failure |
| Captured at | Penn Cove, Washington State |
| Capture age | Approx. 4 years |
| Pod | Southern Residents |
| Capture date | August 8, 1970 |
On August 8, 1970, an infamous event took place in Penn Cove where over 80 orcas were captured using nets. Among the captured orcas was a young male who would later be named Winston. Most of the captured orcas were released, but Winston was kept and initially sent to Windsor Safari Park in the United Kingdom under the name Ramu III. After spending six years there, he was then sold to SeaWorld San Diego, where he was renamed Winston.
Winston gained a reputation for being an exceptionally protective and aggressive orca while in captivity. He was involved in multiple incidents where he attacked three or more individuals, including a model, HRH The Prince of Wales, and his trainers. SeaWorld acquired Winston with the intention of expanding their breeding program. Upon his arrival, he was paired with Kona and Kilroy, but unfortunately, Kona died the following year.
Following Kona's death, three new orcas named Kenau, Kandu V, and Canuck II were introduced. These females were integrated into Winston's group, and together they started participating in shows. Winston frequently interacted with multiple females, and once Katina, Kenau, and Kandu V reached sexual maturity in 1984, successful mating occurred.
In 1985, Kalina, the first orca to be born and raised successfully in captivity, was born to Katina. In January 1986, Kenau gave birth to a female calf but the calf died shortly after birth, while Kandu V's calf was stillborn.
On April 28, 1986, Winston died due to chronic cardiovascular failure.