Shamu was the name of a female orca captured in October 1965 from a southern resident pod in Puget Sound, Washington. She was about 3 or 4 years old at the time and was taken after her mother was killed by whalers. Shamu was sold to SeaWorld San Diego and became the park's first performing killer whale, starring in shows from 1965 until her death in 1971

. During her captivity, Shamu was subjected to harsh treatment, including food deprivation to force her to learn tricks. She performed in SeaWorld's orca shows, which became popular but were later criticized for cruelty. Shamu died at about 9 years old in 1971 from a uterine infection and blood poisoning, conditions that likely would not have occurred in the wild where orcas can live up to 80 years

. After her death, the name "Shamu" was trademarked by SeaWorld and used for various other performing orcas over the decades. However, following public backlash from incidents such as the death of trainer Dawn Brancheau in 2010 and the documentary Blackfish , SeaWorld ended its orca breeding program and theatrical shows by 2016, shifting to more educational presentations and phasing out the "Shamu" name

. In summary, the original Shamu died in 1971 due to health complications from captivity, and the name lived on as a brand for SeaWorld's orca shows until those shows were discontinued in recent years amid growing criticism of orca captivity. SeaWorld still keeps orcas in captivity but no longer uses the Shamu theatrical shows