SeaWorld killer whale Sumar died Tuesday and the death has shocked a number of the park's fans.
It appears this particular orca had a following on Facebook and with his passing, some are posting photos and even planning a memorial in his honor.
"When I saw him on Saturday, he looked perfectly healthy. News of his passing shocked me," wrote Travis Ord who also posted images of the whale. " I miss him."
"I still can't believe it," posted Brianna Pinto. "It's been almost 8 hours since Sumar left this planet, and I still can't believe he's gone. It was so soon, for such a spirited creature."
The 5000-pound whale began acting sick on Tuesday, according to park officials. Trainers noticed Sumar was acting sluggish so they took blood samples and kept a close eye on him.
Trainers moved Sumar to the D- Pool or medical pool just after 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.
"We were told they were having technical difficulties," said park visitor Kristen Torkelson. "They had a whole area of the park barricaded."
Trainers gave Sumar antibiotics to stabilize his condition while they tried to figure out what was wrong but the whale was pronounced dead at 1:45 p.m.
Park officials said the whale had no history of medical problems.
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According to conservation ecologist Rebecca Lewison with the biology department at San Diego State University, killer whales can live up to 50 years; up to 25 years in captivity. Sumar was just 12.
"Killer whales like lots of other whales are susceptible to many different types of infections, viral, bacterial," Lewison said.
"For whatever reason, the animals are susceptible to rapid decline," she said. "At that point there is very little you can do.'
Results on a necropsy could take several weeks.
The park canceled all killer whale shows for the rest of the day to give trainers and staff time to mourn. "The entire SeaWorld team is deeply saddened by the loss," said a SeaWorld spokesperson. Shows will resume on Wednesday.
