A short-finned pilot whale named Ace has died at SeaWorld San Diego, a necropsy will be carried out to help determine the cause of death.
He was one of 22 whales which mass stranded near Fort Pierce, Florida in 2012 – only three survived, Ace and two females named Ava and Piper. As they were all dependent calves at the time of stranding, following their rehabilitation period at SeaWorld Orlando, U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service officials deemed them non-releasable, and all three were later transferred to SeaWorld San Diego in 2019.
Mass strandings of pilot whales are not uncommon in Florida. In 2011, 23 pilot whales were stranded in Key Largo, and in 2013 nearly two dozen pilot whales were stranded in the Everglades.
Photo Credit: SeaWorld
