Belen - orca

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Sex: Female

Place of capture: Samborombón Bay, Argentina

Date of capture: January 6, 1988

Age at capture: Approx. 1 year

On January 6, 1988, a young female orca was captured in Argentina and immediately purchased by Mundo Marino. Here, she met the resident male Milagro; the two seemed to get along well.

Belén was soon trained for shows and both she and Milagro performed daily. However, when Milagro died in 1991, Belén was left alone while Mundo Marino searched for a replacement.

In September 1992, two male orcas were captured via forced stranding on a beach not far from Mundo Marino. The larger male died less than a day after his capture; it is unknown if Belén ever met him. The younger male, known as Kshamenk, survived and soon became Belén’s tank mate.

Both whales got along well, and mated once they reached sexual maturity. Belén got pregnant with her first calf, but in February 1998, she gave birth to a stillborn. In 1999, it was rumored that Belén was expecting a second calf.

Belén died on February 4, 2000 due to unknown causes. She was in the 4th month of her second pregnancy when she died.