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Asuka
Asuka is an adult female Japanese transient Orca. She was captured on February 7, 1997 in Taiji, Japan, along with 9 members of her pod. At capture, she was 5.4 meters long, making her a mature female. Soon after capture, she, along with Coo (a 4 year old female) were trucked to the Taiji Whaling Museum. They were placed in a small (21 by 21) pen, apart from Taiji's adult female Nami-Chan. Asuka remained there for a month, before being transported to Izu Mito Sea Paradise. There, she joined an adult male Icelandic Orca, named Yamato.

At first, Asuka appeared to be in poor health. She was listless, hardly ate, and moody. However, she was the quickest of her pod-mates to adjust to captivity, and within months was learning husbandry training, eating, and interacting with Yamato and trainers. Within a year, she was also performing.

Yamato and Asuka appeared to get along very well, playing, resting, mating, and performing together. Sadly, Yamato passed away in November of 2000, after a long illness, during which he and Asuka had been separated.

Since Yamato's death, little info has been received about Asuka. We know that she is performing and eating well, but nothing other than that.