Shamu (SeaWorld show)

This article refers to the SeaWorld killer whale shows. For the original killer whale (orca) named Shamu, see Shamu

Shamu show, San Diego SeaWorld, 2009

Shamu is the name used for several SeaWorld orca (killer whale) shows and is the stage name given to the "star" of those shows, beginning with the original Shamu in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The orca Shamu died in 1971, but the name Shamu was trademarked by SeaWorld (as well as the names "Namu" and "Ramu") and has been given to different orcas at different times when performing in Shamu shows.^[1]

Baby Shamu

The first "Baby Shamu" was named Kalina. She was the first surviving orca born in captivity on September 26, 1985. Ten orca calves had been born in captivity before 1985, but five were stillborn and the others all died within two months of their births.^[1] Kalina's parents, Katina and Winston, were bestowed the names Kandu VI (Katina) and Ramu (Winston). The stage name "Grandbaby Shamu" was given to Kalina's first calf, which was born on February 2, 1993 – a male named Keet. The first "Great Grandbaby Shamu" was Keet's first calf, born on December 21, 2004 – a female named Kalia. Kalia gave birth to the first "Great Great Grandbaby Shamu" Amaya, on December 2, 2014. The father is Ulises.

Shamu shows

Shamu shows have been presented at the following SeaWorld parks:

• SeaWorld San Diego in California
• SeaWorld Ohio (closed in 2001)
• SeaWorld Orlando in Florida
• SeaWorld San Antonio in Texas

The orca performances have been held in SeaWorld's Shamu Stadium(s), which each seat 5,500, and all of the shows have involved a part where one or more whales splash the audience. The San Diego show has usually ended with a hangglider landing at or near the stadium.

Shamu show, San Diego SeaWorld, 2005

"Shamu Goes Hollywood" August 1973

Shamu Shows throughout the years:

Year	Name
1966-1971	Doctor Dolittle
1971–1974	Shamu Goes Hollywood
1974–1975	Shamu for Mayor
1975–1977	Shamu the Yankee Doodle Whale
1977–1980	Shamu Goes to College
1980–1982	This is Shamu
1982–1984	Shamu, Take a Bow
1984–1986	Shamu Celebration
1987	Shamu's Water Symphony
1988–1990	Shamu 25th Anniversary
1989–1991	Baby Shamu Celebration
1992–1995	Shamu New Visions (Played from 1998–2004 at SeaWorld San Antonio)
1995–1998	Shamu: World Focus
1998–2006	The Shamu Adventure
2005–2006	The Shamu Experience
2006–2011	Believe (First show featured in all three parks.)
2011–present	One Ocean

Night shows performed during the spring and summer;

Name	Location
House of Douse - before 2007	San Diego, CA
Shamu Rocks Texas - before 2007	San Antonio, TX
Shamu Rocks - 2007-2014	Orlando, FL and San Diego, CA
Shamu's Celebration: Light Up the Night (50th Anniversary Show) - 2014-present	Orlando, FL, San Antonio, TX, and San Diego, CA

SeaWorld Orlando & SeaWorld San Antonio presents "Shamu Christmas Miracles" during "SeaWorld's Christmas Celebration", a yearly holiday event. SeaWorld San Diego presented "Shamu's Christmas" until the 2014 season, when "Shamu Christmas Miracles" débuted at the park.

Shamu Educational Shows throughout the years :

Name	Location	Year
Shamu Story	San Antonio, TX & San Diego, CA	2010 - 2015 (Presented from 2011 in San Diego)
Killer Whale Story	San Diego, CA	2015
Killer Whales: Education & Conservation	San Diego, CA	2015
Killer Whales: Up Close	San Diego, CA & San Antonio, TX	2015 - Present

Show incidents

• On February 23, 1984, a 7-year-old female orca by the name of Kandu V grabbed a SeaWorld San Diego trainer, Joanne Hay, and pinned her against a tank wall during a performance.^[2]
• On March 4, 1987, 20-year-old SeaWorld San Diego trainer, Jonathan Smith, was grabbed by one of the park’s 6-ton killer whales. The orca dragged the trainer to the bottom of the tank, then carried him bleeding all the way back to the surface and then spat him out. Smith gallantly waved to the crowd when a second orca slammed into him. He continued to pretend he was unhurt as the whales repeatedly dragged him to the bottom of the stadium pool. Smith was cut all around his torso, had a ruptured kidney and a six-inch laceration of his liver, yet he managed to escape the pool with his life. Later reports indicated that the whales involved in the attack were the 10-year-old female Kenau and the 9-year-old female Kandu V, who had previously attacked the trainer Joanne Hay in 1984.^[2][3]
• In November, 1987, Orky (II) was involved in an accident that injured trainer John Sillick during a show for the public. Sillick was riding on the back of a female orca when Orky breached. Sillick's back, leg, and pelvis were broken when Orky landed on top of him. A lawsuit ensued. According to Sillick's lawyer, after several operations Sillick can again walk but his activity is limited.^[4] Orky may have been responding to another trainer's (perceived) signal to breach. Court documents are sealed but the judge's remarks, which were not sealed, revealed that Orky may have had "visual limitations" that had not been disclosed to the trainer.^[5]
• On June 12, 1999, 22-year-old Kasatka grabbed her trainer Ken Peters by the leg and attempted to throw him from the pool during a public show at SeaWorld San Diego.^[2][6][7]
• In late July 2004, during a show at the SeaWorld park in San Antonio, Texas, a male orca named Kyuquot (nickname Ky) repeatedly jumped on top of his trainer, Steve Aibel, forcing him underwater and barred the trainer from escaping the water. After several minutes the trainer was able to calm the animal and he exited the pool unhurt. "Veterinarians believe the whale… felt threatened by the trainer, perhaps a result of the effects of adolescent hormones."^[6][7]
• On April 4, 2005, SeaWorld Orlando trainer Sam Davis was repeatedly "bumped" by an 11-year-old male orca named Taku. The show continued uninterrupted but the trainer was later taken to Sand Lake Hospital for unspecified minor injuries and released the same day. Additional eyewitness account: "The trainer and Taku were about to slide on the slide out at the end of the show when Taku completely stopped and started "bumping" the trainer. The trainer was male and he finally swam out of the tank. I knew something was wrong because none of the whales except Kalina wanted to perform. Then they finally got Taku out to splash people at the end of the show, when this incident took place."^[6]
• On November 15, 2006, a SeaWorld San Diego trainer was injured when the park's 18-year-old female killer whale, Orkid, grabbed veteran trainer Brian Rokeach by the foot and pulled him to the bottom of the tank, refusing to release him for an extended period of time. Orkid released Rokeach only after heeding fellow trainer Kenneth Peters's repeated attempts to call the animal’s attention back to the stage. Rokeach suffered a torn ligament in his ankle but was not taken to the hospital. In response to the incident, SeaWorld increased the number of trainers who must be available during performances and in water training to five staff members but this however was ineffective because no more than two weeks later trainer Kenneth Peters was involved in a similar incident with different orca.^[6][7][8]
• On November 29, 2006, Kasatka, one of SeaWorld San Diego's then seven orcas, grabbed her trainer, Ken Peters, by the foot and dragged him to the bottom of the tank not once but twice during an evening show at Shamu Stadium. The senior trainer escaped only after staff members managed to separate the two with safety nets. This was the second documented incident of Kasatka attacking Peters; the first attack had occurred in 1999.^{[2][7][8][9][10]}
• On February 24, 2010, toward the end of a "Dine with Shamu" show, the orca "Tilikum" pulled down an experienced female trainer.^[11][12] Dawn Brancheau, a 40-year-old with extensive training experience, drowned as at least two dozen tourists looked on from above a whale tank and from an underwater viewing area. Brancheau was finishing up a session with Tilikum, the largest orca in SeaWorld's collection, following the Dine with Shamu show.^[13] Following this accident, trainers no longer go into the water with the orcas at SeaWorld parks shows.^[14]

References

1. "Ask Shamu: Frequently Asked Questions". SeaWorld/Busch Gardens. Retrieved 2008-05-05.
2. The San Diego Union-Tribune. "SeaWorld San Diego suspends Shamu show". Retrieved 2011-07-08.
3. Los Angeles Times. "SeaWorld San Diego worked to improve safety after several whale trainer injuries". Retrieved 2011-07-09.
4. Hoyt, Erich (1992). "A Whale of a Business: Danger to Trainers". Frontline Online. pbs.org. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
5. "SeaWorld Investigation: Secrets Below The Surface Part 2". San Diego News. 10News.com. 2007-05-17. Retrieved 2011-02-05.
6. USA Today. "A rap sheet of captive animals". Retrieved 2011-07-08.
7. Orlando Sentinel. "Feds detail 5 earlier SeaWorld killer-whale incidents". Retrieved 2011-07-09.
8. USA Today. "Orcas and trainers under OSHA scrutiny". Retrieved 2011-07-09.
9. Time. "No Punishment for 'Shamu'". Retrieved 2011-07-09.
10. msnbc.com. "Killer whale attacks SeaWorld trainer". Retrieved 2011-07-09.
11. Los Angeles Times. http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/wire/os-seaworld-orlando-shamu-injury-20100224,0,5560011.story "Experienced trainer slipped, killed by whale attack at SeaWorld Orlando"]
12. "SeaWorld Trainer Killed By Whale ID'd" Archived February 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine.
13. Orlando Sentinel. "SeaWorld Orlando investigation: Killer whale pulled in trainer by ponytail"
14. "SeaWorld Trainers To Stay Out Of Water". WFTV. 3 February 2011. Archived from the original on 6 February 2011. Retrieved 3 July 2011.

External links

• Shamu.com – SeaWorld's official Shamu site
• SeaWorld's "Believe" show page