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Kayla's Page
Kayla is a 13 year old female Icelantic-Canadian captive born whale. She was born at Sea World of Texas on November 26, 1988. She was the first whale born at the park, which had only recently opened. Her mother, Kenau, was a 16 year old Icelantic female, captured in 1976. She had lived previously in Holland, California, Ohio, and Florida. Her father, Orky (2), was a 35 year old Canadian male, captured in 1969. He lived in California, were he met Kenau. Kenau was transported to Texas several months pregnant. Kayla has one half-sister, Orkid, born in 1988 to her father and Kandu, a companion of her mother's. Orkid was born and continues to live in California. She also had 10 half-siblings who passed away. 3 born to her mother: A sister stillborn in 1984; a sister who died 11 days after her birth of a heart defect in 1986; and a brother who died along with Kenau in 1991. Her father also had 7 calves with a Canadian whale named Corky, none of whom survived more than a few months.

After her birth, Kayla became rather well known. She stared in her own themed show at the age of a year. Sadly, once her mother Kenau became pregnant in 1990, she was separated from Kayla and flown to Sea World's Florida park. A few months later, Kayla herself was transported, this time to Sea World's seasonal Ohio park, where she joined Katerina, who had been born just a few weeks prior to her, in Florida. Katerina had also been recently separated from her mother, Katina. Katerina and Kayla remained a performing pair until Katerina, the dominant whale, was transferred to Texas in 1994.

After Katerina's removal, Kayla was joined by an adult Icelantic female named Winnie. Winnie had been severely tormented by the much larger and more dominant whales at Sea World of Florida, and was moved to Ohio to be with a very passive whale. Kayla and Winne got along very well, and spent the next 5 years performing together. Then, in 1999, both were transported to Sea World of Texas. Once in Texas, Kayla received several serious injury-rakes from the other whales. As usual, when whales settle in, some scuffles issued. However, after a short time, Kayla adjusted well.

At 13 years old, Kayla is currently healthy and active at Sea World of Texas. Despite her numerous transports, Kayla is now back home in Texas, and expected to stay. She is one of the most common whales seen in Texas's shows, and her sweet disposition makes her a favorite of many. She's defiantly inherited much more of her mother's temperament than her fathers! Sea World says they expect Kayla to soon become pregnant, as her interest in Ky, a 10 year old male, is mutual. At nearly 19 feet long and a little over 4,000 pounds, Kayla will likely be one of the larger captive females.