Wanda - orca
 | |
| Sex | Female |
|---|---|
| Died | November 20, 1961 Marineland of the Pacific |
| Captured at | Newport Harbor, California |
| Capture age | Approx. 7 years |
| Capture date | November 18, 1961 |
On November 18, 1961, an orca was seen swimming alone in Newport Harbor, California. A team from Marineland of the Pacific rushed to the harbor to try and capture the whale. If they succeeded, Wanda would be the first orca ever to be brought in alive.
After hours of effort, the team finally managed to capture the exhausted orca in their nets and transport her to Marineland in Los Angeles. Wanda was calm as she lay in the shallow water in the back of the truck. However, when she was placed in a 100 x 50 x 19-foot tank, she immediately swam into the wall and then began swimming restlessly around the edge of her tank.
Tragically, less than two days after being captured, Wanda became agitated. She swam rapidly around her tank, hitting her body against the walls several times before finally swimming into a flume way where she convulsed and died at 8:30 am on November 20, 1961.
At 8:30 AM on 20 November, the whale became violent and after encircling the tank at great speed and striking her body on several occasions. She finally swam into a flume way, convulsed and expired -Marineland staff.