A 6-year-old female orca died unexpectedly Thursday after showing signs of illness a day before, SeaWorld San Diego said.
The cause of death will not be known until the results of a post-mortem examination are complete, which SeaWorld says may take a couple of weeks.
According to SeaWorld, the orca, named Amaya, began showing signs of illness on Aug. 18, and animal care specialists and veterinarians began treating her immediately.
“Despite her care team’s efforts, Amaya’s condition continued to decline rapidly. Her death was sudden and unexpected,” SeaWorld said in a statement. “This is a very difficult time for those who knew and loved Amaya. She inspired millions of guests to appreciate and learn more about this amazing species. The specialists who cared for her at SeaWorld are heartbroken.”
Amaya, whose name means “night rain,” was the youngest orca at SeaWorld. Her mother was Kalia and her father was Ulises, both orcas live at SeaWorld San Diego, according to SeaWorld’s website.
No other information was available.
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