The last killer whale born in captivity, 3-month-old Kyara, has died at SeaWorld's San Antonio park.
The Orlando-based company says the whale, the last born into its former orca-breeding program, died Monday. A news release says veterinarians were treating the calf for an infection last weekend, but Kyara's health continued to decline.
A veterinary team will conduct a postmortem examination to determine the cause of death. That could take weeks.
SeaWorld announced the end of its breeding program in March 2016 following years of pressure and animal rights protests.
Kyara was born to 26-year-old Takara last April but was conceived before the program's end was announced. Orca gestation can last up to 18 months.
SeaWorld has 22 orcas left in the US. The youngest, Amaya, was born in December 2014. The news release mentions "No other members of the SeaWorld San Antonio orca pod are showing any signs of illness, but they continued to be monitored..."