The orcas of the UK

People of today’s generation will probably be shocked to hear that the UK used to hold captive orcas. However our parents’ generation may remember visiting them, such as my aunt who recalls seeing Winnie at Windsor Safari Park. Over a 23 year span (1968 to 1991), the UK held eight captive orcas in five different facilities around England.

The first orca to arrive was a young male named Cuddles. He arrived at Flamingo Land in 1968 from Seattle Marine Aquarium. He lived there for three years, before being transferred to Dudley Zoo where he died in 1974. Within his time at Flamingo Land, Cuddles' sperm was used to artificially inseminate the UK's second captive orca Calypso, however it was unsuccessful. Calypso’s resided briefly at Cleethorpes Zoo. Within the same year, 1970, Calypso was transferred out of the UK to Marineland France where she died the same year.

In 1970, the UK acquired its third orca, a male named Ramu 3. Ramu lived at Windsor Safari Park between 1970 and 1976. He was then transferred to SeaWorld California where he was renamed Winston.

Hoi Wai was a young female orca that arrived in 1977. Over two years within the UK she lived between Windsor Safari Park and Clacton Pier. Hoi Wai was transferred to Ocean Park in Hong Kong where she was renamed Suzie Wong. Whilst at Windsor Safari Park, she had a tank mate called Winnie, also known as Frya. Winnie spent her entire time within the UK at Windsor Safari Park. She was loaned to SeaWorld and left in 1991. She was the last orca remaining in the UK. However, upon her death at SeaWorld 10 years later, the autopsy revealed she had many foreign objects in her stomach, which she ate whilst she was in the UK.

Our final UK orcas touched down at Clacton Pier in 1981. A trio of boys, including an unnamed male who died after two months in captivity. Neptune survived for two years at the pier, whilst Nemo outlasted them. Nemo lived at the pier until 1985, however due to his growing size, he was transferred to the Windsor Safari Park. A year alongside Winnie, Nemo died at the Safari Park.

---

Facilities

-Flamingo Land, North Yorkshire (1968 to 1971)

-Cleethorpes Zoo, North East Lincolnshire (1970)
-Windsor Safari Park, Berkshire (1970 to 1991)

-Dudley Zoo, West Midlands (1971 to 1974)

-Clacton Pier Dolphinarium, Essex (1978 to 1985)

The Orcas

-Cuddles - 1968 to 1971 Flamingo Land, 1971 to 1974 Dudley Zoo

-Calypso – 1969 Flamingo Land, 1970 Cleethorpes Zoo

-Winston - 1970 to 1976 Windsor Safari Park (Ramu)

-Hoi Wai - 1977 Windsor Safari Park, 1978 to 1979 Clacton Pier, 1979 Windsor Safari Park

-Winnie - 1977 to 1991 Windsor Safari Park (Frya)

-Unnamed – 1981 Clacton Pier

-Neptune – 1981 to 1983 Clacton Pier

-Nemo – 1981 to 1985 Clacton Pier, 1985 to 1986 Windsor Safari Park