Tilikum, a captive orca famous for being involved in the deaths of three people, died on January 6, 2017, from a bacterial lung infection after months of declining health
. He had been suffering in captivity for 33 years, during which his health deteriorated significantly, including battling bacterial pneumonia
. Tilikum was captured near Iceland in 1983 and spent most of his life in captivity, first at Sealand of the Pacific in Canada and later at SeaWorld Orlando. His captivity was marked by stress and aggression, likely exacerbated by the unnatural conditions and confinement, which contributed to his behavior and tragic incidents
. Despite his notoriety, SeaWorld provided around-the-clock care for Tilikum in his final days
. His death marked the end of an era for SeaWorld, which announced in 2016 it would stop breeding orcas in captivity and faced increased scrutiny over its treatment of marine mammals following the 2013 documentary Blackfish , which highlighted Tilikum's story and the broader issues of orca captivity
