A killer whale at SeaWorld Orlando suffered an injury to her dorsal fin, the theme park announced Saturday.
- Killer whale's dorsal fin injured at SeaWorld Orlando
- Katina was injured while interacting with other killer whales
- She is undergoing treatment including "cold-laser therapy"
Katina, the matriarch of the orca pod, was injured March 17 while interacting with other killer whales.
SeaWorld's announcement came after people asked why Katina hadn't been performing in the whale show, One Ocean.
After a full exam, members of the animal care team determined the injury was isolated to the base of the fin, park officials said. Katina’s dorsal fin will have permanent changes due to the injury, according to SeaWorld.
SeaWorld officials said they aren't sure how Katine sustained her injury.
“Killer whales are a social and hierarchal species, so interacting with other members of the pod, even in an aggressive or antagonistic manner, is a natural behavior we’d expect to see,” SeaWorld stated in a blog post. “However, it’s not clear if this was the result of an aggressive behavior or other interactions within the orca pod.”
Katina has been moved to a separate pool with her daughter and son while she undergoes treatment. Veterinarians are using “cold-laser therapy” and medical honey to promote healing and prevent infection.
SeaWorld has faced criticism since the released of the 2013 documentary “Blackfish,” which opposed the company’s practice of keeping killer whales in captivity.
Since then, attendance and revenue have dropped at SeaWorld’s parks.
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