One Dolphins Story: Sumar

Sumar was born on May 14, 1998, at SeaWorld Orlando. His mother, Taima, was born in captivity, and his father, Tilikum, was captured off Iceland in 1983.

Taima was just under nine years old when she gave birth to Sumar, making her one of the youngest captive orcas to become a mother. Her youth and inexperience may have contributed to the challenges she faced in caring for him.

Taima’s mother, Gudrun, was captured off Iceland, while her father, Kanduke, was a West Coast Transient (Bigg’s) orca, captured in British Columbia, Canada. Sumar was a hybrid orca – 75% Icelandic (from Tilikum and part of Taima’s lineage) and 25% Bigg’s transient (from Kanduke). His mixed genetic makeup is typical of hybrid orcas bred at SeaWorld during this period, reflecting the company’s practice of combining different ecotypes without consideration for their distinct cultural backgrounds, behaviors, social structures, or vocal dialects.

Sumar’s full siblings who survived to adulthood are Tekoa, a male at Loro Parque in Tenerife, Spain, and Malia, a female orca at SeaWorld Orlando.

Taima cared for Sumar during his first few months, but by August 1998, she began showing aggression toward him. By November, the aggression had escalated, and Sumar was permanently separated from his mother.

Sumar lies on the concrete platform, while Ulises, a male taken from the waters off Iceland, is in the pool below. Born at SeaWorld in May 1998, Sumar was the son of Taima, a captive-born female, and Tilikum, a male captured near Iceland, making him a hybrid orca created by SeaWorld’s practice of breeding different ecotypes. Credit: Eddie Maloney (provided by Sarah Farrell); Inherently Wild: https://inherentlywild.co.uk

Sumar was transferred between SeaWorld parks several times during his early years, a routine practice at the company. In May 1999, SeaWorld relocated him to San Diego with another male orca, Keto. In April 2000, he was sent to SeaWorld Ohio with Keto and Keto’s full brother Keet. In February 2001, Sumar and Keet returned to San Diego, while Keto was sent to SeaWorld Texas.

Sumar died at SeaWorld San Diego on September 7, 2010, at 12 years old. His mother Taima had died three months earlier, in June 2010, at SeaWorld Orlando, reportedly from stillbirth complications. (Source: Killer Whale Wiki.)

SeaWorld ended its captive orca breeding program in 2016 after years of mounting public, political, and financial pressure. As a result, no more orcas will be bred at any of SeaWorld’s theme parks.

Today, SeaWorld holds 16 orcas across its three US parks in Orlando, San Diego, and San Antonio. The orcas are still used to attract visitors: SeaWorld sells a “Killer Whale Up-Close Encounter,” with prices starting at $79 USD — interactions that continue to exploit captive orcas for entertainment, as they were in Sumar’s time.

Featured image: According to online reports, Sumar’s mother, Taima, showed aggression toward him when he was still very young, and he was eventually separated from her. Credit: Katerina Studios; Inherently Wild