Killer Whale Dies 12 Days After Its Birth at Sea World

World’s 12-day-old killer whale died, apparently from a “respiratory or flu-like viral disease,” a Sea World spokeswoman said Thursday.

The whale was born at the marine park Jan. 5 to Shamu and his mate, Kenau. It weighed 350 pounds at birth and appeared healthy. Wednesday it displayed symptoms of a respiratory ailment and was moved to an intensive-care pool but did not respond to treatment, spokeswoman Jackie Hill said.

There is a high mortality rate for whales born in captivity. None of the four killer whales born at Marineland in Rancho Palos Verdes have survived. The only killer whale born in captivity to survive is Shamu’s only other offspring, born in September at Sea World in Orlando, Fla.