Three days after her birth, her father, who had suffered from chronic pneumonia for months, died. Orkid was given her name then, which means "Orky's Kid". She often interacted with her cousin, an older Canadian female named Corky, who attempted to spend as much time possible with Orkid, though her mother often chose to keep Orkid & Corky separate. Orkid was not, however, introduced to Knootka, another Canadian female, for fear for what the often- unpredictable whale would do.

When Orkid was 11 months old, her mother Kandu attacked Corky in the middle of a show. Orkid was at her side. After raking Corky, Kandu hit into her side, fracturing her jaw. Sea World trainers, unaware of what was happening, attempted to keep the show going. After a few minutes, with Kandu exhaling large amounts of blood, and the crowd getting upset, Sea World canceled the show. After 45 minutes of bleeding, Kandu died. After Kandu's death, Orkid relied heavily on the support of her trainers and Corky.

Orkid is now a healthy, adult whale of 13. At 19.4 feet, and 5,600 pounds, Orkid is the 3rd largest whale at Sea World of California, and one of the largest females in the country. She's known as the "Rocket Scientist" and is most likely the smartest whale held in captivity today. Orkid enjoys spending time with Takara, Keet, Ulises, & Kasatka's new calf. And, while she is very dominant, she has yet to reach the level of trainer aggression that either of her parents displayed.