SeaWorld Orlando orca gives birth

Great-grandmother Katina delivered the 7-foot-long, 350-pound calf at the Orlando SeaWorld Saturday, The Orlando Sentinel reported.

It swam to the surface for its first breath moments after its birth, and is bonding with its mother, SeaWorld spokesperson Nick Gollattscheck said. The calf's sex won't be known for a while.

Katina's first-born calf, Kalina, died at the park suddenly Monday at 25, the report said. Results of a necropsy could take up to six weeks.

Taima, 20, died giving birth to a stillborn calf in June, the newspaper said.
The 12,000-pound father drowned a SeaWorld trainer in front of park patrons in February; the incident made national news, the report said.

In an online profile, SeaWorld said Katina is the most successful mother in captivity, and is the park's oldest orca.

The new calf is the 16th born at SeaWorld Orlando, and the 27th born at three SeaWorld parks in the United States.

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