Mission: Gen Z–Age Orcas Have the Worst Birthdays Ever at SeaWorld

Posted by Calvin on October 17, 2024

Take a sec to think about all the memorable things you’ve done in your life so far and what you’ll accomplish as you get older. Yes, you’re pretty freaking awesome. 💁 But get this: While you’ve been learning, traveling, and making new friends, Gen Z–age orcas at SeaWorld—who may even share your birth year or day—have been swimming in endless circles in tiny, barren concrete tanks for their entire lives. 🐬 Show your followers that orcas in captivity always have the worst birthdays ever.

Orcas in marine abusement parks are deprived of everything that’s natural and important to them: their culture—including their vocal, social, and foraging traditions—and, most importantly, their freedom. Instead of enjoying vast open waters with their squads, these orcas are forced to spend their birthdays in tiny tanks. 😭 Here are just a few of the intelligent orcas around your age who have languished in SeaWorld parks for most of their lives (with their years of birth included).

• 1999: Tuar is a 25-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld Orlando and currently lives at SeaWorld San Antonio. When he was 4 years old, he was taken from his mother in Orlando, Florida, and shipped to Texas.
• 2002: Ikaika is a 21-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld Orlando and currently lives at SeaWorld San Diego. When he was 4 years old, he was separated from his mother and shipped to Marineland in Ontario, Canada. After just a few years there, he was moved thousands of miles away from his family to SeaWorld San Diego.
• 2004: Kalia is a 19-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld San Diego and still lives there. She was sexually abused in SeaWorld’s former orca-breeding program, and her calf Amaya died at just 6 years old.
• 2005: Trua is an 18-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld Orlando and still lives there. When he was just 3 years old, he was separated from his mother when she was shipped to another SeaWorld park.
• 2006: Nalani is a 17-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld Orlando and still lives there. When she was just 9 days old, she was attacked by two male orcas in her tank.
• 2007: Malia is a 17-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld Orlando and still lives there. When she was 3 years old, her mother died while giving birth to a stillborn calf.
• 2010: Sakari is a 14-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld San Antonio and still lives there.
• 2010: Makaio is a 13-year-old orca who was born at SeaWorld Orlando and still lives there.

Help These Orcas

You may have heard that SeaWorld ended its orca-breeding program—but the orcas still trapped at its marine parks will keep having sad birthday after sad birthday unless we do something about it! Follow these tips to inspire your friends to speak up for these orcas and to pressure SeaWorld to move the remaining ones to seaside sanctuaries:

1. Post a few sentences on IG about the best parts of your life—and remind your friends that orcas your age have spent their entire lives swimming in endless circles in tiny tanks while you’ve been busy being awesome.

2. Take a screenshot of your post and submit it for 15 peta2 points. (Heads-up: You’ll only get points once for taking this action.)

You must be logged in to complete missions.