Seaworld Shamu- FAQ (KILLER WHALES)

1. How fast can killer whales swim?

A killer whale can reach speeds of 28 miles per hour. They usually swim much more slowly at about 6 to 8 miles per hour. Human Olympic swimmers can only swim at top speeds of 4.5 miles per hour.


2. What do killer whales eat?
Some killer whales, like those at SeaWorld, eat mostly fish. Other killer whales eat other marine mammals (whales, seals, and sea lions), sharks and rays, octopus and squids, seabirds such as penguins, and some even eat leatherback sea turtles.


3. How small is a baby killer whale?
Size estimates of calves born at SeaWorld suggest that newborn calves are about 2.6 m (8.5 ft.) long and weigh 120 to 160 kg (265-353 lb.).


4. How big does a killer whale get?
The killer whale is the largest member of the dolphin family Delphinidae. As with most other toothed whales, male killer whales grow larger than females. An average-size male grows to about 5.8 to 6.7 m (19-22 ft.) long. Two fully grown adult male killer whales at SeaWorld weigh 4,082 kg (9,000 lb.) and 5,380 kg (11,860 lb.). An average-size female killer whale is 4.9 to 5.8 m (16-19 ft.). SeaWorld’s adult females whales between the ages of 16 and 41 years old range in weight from 2,313 kg (5,100 lb.) to 3,719 kg (8,200 lb.).


5. Why is Shamu black and white?
The coloration of killer whales may enhance their ability to hunt. Killer whales are counter-shaded; they are dark on their dorsal surface and white on their ventral surface. The dark side blends in with the murky ocean depths when viewed from above. The light ventral side blends in with the lighter surface of the sea when seen from below. The result is that prey have a difficult time seeing a contrast between the counter-shaded killer whale and the environment.
In addition, killer whales have disruptive coloration, a camouflage in which the color pattern of an animal contradicts the animal's body shape. In the flickering, filtered sunlight of the sea, other animals may not recognize a killer whale as a potential threat.


6. Why does a killer whale have a hole on top of its head?
Killer whales and other whales have a blowhole on top of the head. This is basically like having your nose on top of your head. This helps the whale because they can’t breathe underwater, but when they come up for a breath of air, the top of their head comes out of the water first so they can take a breath right away.


7. How many killer whales are there worldwide?
Killer whales are found in oceans throughout world. The worldwide population of killer whales is unknown. NOAA Fisheries Service has stock assessments available for some populations of killer whales at http://www.nmfs.noaa.gov/prot_res/PR2/Stock_Assessment_Program/individual_sars.html.


8. Why do some killer whales' dorsal fins flop over?
Scientists are not sure why the dorsal fins of some killer whales flop over and the dorsal fins of other do not.The dorsal fins of killer whales are supported only by connective tissue and not bone. In a study of killer whales in New Zealand waters, 23% of the wild males had dorsal fins that bent over. Newborn killer whales all have floppy dorsal fins that stiffen a few days after birth.

Scientists have a couple of theories as to why the dorsal fins of some killer whales flop over. One theory is that the surrounding water helps support the dorsal fin. A killer whale that spends more time at the surface, with its fin protruding out of the water, has a greater tendency for its fin to bend. Additionally, collagen becomes more flexible when warmed, such as if it is exposed to sunlight. Another theory supports a genetic tendency for a dorsal fin to bend. These two factors may work in combination or there may be other factors involved. The dorsal fin of an adult male killer whale can grow to six feet tall, which may be why their fins have a greater tendency to bend. Neither the shape nor the droop of a whale's dorsal fin are indicators of a killer whale's health or well-being.


9. Which one is Shamu?
Shamu is a stage name that we use for any of the adult (male or female) killer whales in our shows.

10. What is the origin of the name "Shamu"?
Many stories exist about the origin of Shamu's name. One revolves around the first collected killer whale that was named Namu after a British Columbian town. When SeaWorld welcomed its first killer whale, it was named Shamu, for "She-Namu".


11. Why are they called killer whales?
A healthy adult killer whale is an apex (top) predator in the ocean; it can prey on anything that lives in the sea, but has no predators of its own. Some killer whales are even known to prey on other species of whales. At one time, people called them "whale killers," which was eventually modified into killer whales.


12. Who would win in a fight - a killer whale or great white shark?
An encounter between a great white shark (Carcharodon carcharias) and killer whales (Orcinus orca) was recently documented off of Southeast Farallon Island near San Francisco, California. Two killer whales were in the area feeding on a California sea lion. Perhaps the smell of fresh sea lion blood drew the shark to the area, but when one of the killer whales sighted the great white, it immediately charged the shark. The killer whale pulled the 3-4 m (10-13 ft.) shark to the surface in its mouth and both killer whales consumed portions of the great white including its enormous liver. This is certainly no indication of what may happen every time killer whales face great whites, but it does demonstrate the variety in a killer whale’s diet.


13. How much does a killer whale eat?
Each adult killer whale at SeaWorld receives 140 to 240 pounds of food per day. We feed our killer whales a balanced, high-quality diet, including several different species of fish. Among the types most often fed are herring, capelin, salmon, mackerel, and occasionally others. Fish is always kept refrigerator and well-iced to help maintain the highest husbandry standards.
New batches of fish are tested via calorimeter to determine exact levels of calories, fat, ash, protein, and moisture. This information aids our veterinary staff and animal trainers in developing an appropriate diet for each animal. Other important information includes the animals' weights, which are obtained weekly via a voluntary "scale" behavior (the whales are trained to slide-up onto a weight scale and remain motionless while their exact weight is read), behavioral clues (how are the animal's eating habits and overall energy level?), demographics (age, reproductive status of the animal), and any special nutritional requirements that a particular animal may have.

Each animal is fed at random amounts at random intervals throughout the day. To provide a high level of mental and physical stimulation, it is important to vary feeding times and amounts for mental stimulation.

From http://www.seaworld.org/ask-shamu/faq.htm#sw-animals

History of SeaWorld

SEAWORLD - ANIMALS (GENERAL)

1. Where do you get your animals?

We acquire our animals in many ways. SeaWorld has an amazing breeding program, for example, and we have had more than 24,000 animals born throughout our parks including more than 20 successful killer whale births and more than 100 bottlenose dolphin births. We have the best facilities in the world for breeding many types of animals, including killer whales and other dolphins. With proper government permits, we may collect animals from the wild or rescue sick, orphaned, or injured animals. SeaWorld has the finest facilities on the planet for the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of stranded animals, so many of the creatures that you see at our parks have been rescued. Our main goal is to release these animals. However, some of them are so badly injured that they would not survive in the wild. We have some endangered manatees and sea turtles that cannot be released due to severe injuries and others such as white pelicans and sand hill cranes that have had their wings damaged in the wild and can no longer fly. Finally, we may obtain animals from other zoological parks or private breeders.


2. How much does it cost to feed your animals?

The price of fish fluctuates too widely to give you a consistent figure. We feed our adult bottlenose dolphins between 25 to 35 pounds of fish every day (fish such as mackerel, smelt, capelin, and herring). You can go to your local supermarket and investigate how much 25 to 35 pounds of these types of fish would cost in your area to get an idea of the daily cost to feed just one dolphin.

Manatees are probably the most expensive animals in our parks to feed. Our largest one eats 180 pounds of romaine lettuce every day, plus apples, carrots, and sweet potatoes. Again, you can look these prices up at your local supermarket.


3. How long has SeaWorld been around?

SeaWorld San Diego, the first SeaWorld, opened on March 21, 1964.

4. Does SeaWorld offer any volunteer programs?

SeaWorld does not have internship/work study/volunteer programs to work with our animals or biologists. The only exception to this is at our Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute, which you can read about at http://www.hswri.org/getInvolved/volunteers.cfm.
If you would like to work for our park, please check out our online job site at http://www.becjobs.com/. If you see a position you feel qualified for, then we hope you apply for it. You may also want to check for internship or job opportunities at other zoological parks around the United States by going to http://www.aza.org/.


5. Do you have internships at SeaWorld?
SeaWorld Orlando Zoological Operations offers internships in the Education Department. Interns teach SeaWorld Adventure Camp. For further information on this program, view the internship materials within the Career Resources section.
SeaWorld San Antonio and SeaWorld San Diego do not currently offer any internships.


6. What are the requirements for the vet internship/vet residency program?

The veterinarian internship at SeaWorld Orlando is limited to those already in their clinical years at a veterinarian school. Interested students need to contact Dr. Ted Mashima at the Virginia Maryland Regional College of Veterinarian Medicine for more information.
In California, UC Davis offers a rotating 3-year Veterinary Residency Program that takes place at UC Davis, the San Diego Zoo, the San Diego Wild Animal Park, the Sacramento Zoo and SeaWorld. For more information visit http://www.vmth.ucdavis.edu/vmth/residency/otherres/zoomed.html.


7. What is the history of SeaWorld?

In the early 1960s, four UCLA fraternity brothers, led by Milton Shedd, wanted to build an ocean-themed restaurant with an underwater view. Southern California natives, these young grew up loving the sea, and wanted to create a place that could allow others to experience the wonders of the ocean firsthand. From the beginning, they pledged their venture would be dedicated to education, entertainment, research and conservation. What began as an entrepreneurial idea for the founding foursome evolved into a unique and innovative venture they called SeaWorld. That dream was realized with the opening of SeaWorld California on San Diego's beautiful Mission Bay.
Here are some highlights of SeaWorld over the past four decades:
1963 To honor marine science leaders Dr. Carl and Laura Hubbs, the non-profit Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute was created by scientists and the founders of SeaWorld to "return to the sea some measure of the benefit derived from it." You can learn more about the Hubbs-SeaWorld Research Institute by visiting their website at http://www.hswri.org/.
1964 SeaWorld San Diego opens to the public.
1973 SeaWorld opens a new park on December 15, 1973 in a small Florida town called Orlando. SeaWorld Orlando, along with its sister park in San Diego, launch the Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation program.
1976 SeaWorld Orlando rescues its first Florida manatee.
1980 SeaWorld San Diego becomes the first zoological park to breed emperor penguins outside of the Antarctic.
1985 The first killer whale to be born and thrive in the care of humans takes its first breath at SeaWorld Orlando on September 26, 1985 at 6:21 PM EST. Eight years later this whale goes on to give birth herself.
1988 SeaWorld San Antonio opens in Texas. This park becomes the largest marine life park in the world.
1989 Following a rare cold snap in Florida, SeaWorld Orlando rescues and rehabilitates 95 green sea turtles trapped in the Indian River Lagoon. After months of expert care, more than 50% are successfully retuned to their natural habitat.
1992 SeaWorld San Diego is the first park to conduct a flight feather transplant on an endangered brown pelican.
1993 Through the IUCN Conservation Breeding Specialist Group, SeaWorld funds a population and habitat viability analysis in the Yangtze River, the baiji river dolphin's native habitat in China. With only about 200 left, captive breeding may be the only way to save this rare species.
1994 Gilly, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin calf found weak and dehydrated, is rescued by SeaWorld San Antonio and the Texas Marine Mammal Stranding Network.
1995 During this year alone SeaWorld rehabilitates more than 50 beached or injured sea turtles, many of which suffer sustained injuries and cannot be released. Some of these individuals now make their permanent home at SeaWorld.
1996 To help add to much-needed baseline data on sharks, SeaWorld participates in nurse shark research in the Dry Tortugas, a critical habitat for shark pups.
1997 To support the United Nations-declared "Year of the Reef," SeaWorld, the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, and the U.S. Departments of State and Commerce support a coral reef initiative, including research, education and conservation programs.
1998 After 14 months at SeaWorld San Diego, J.J. the gray whale is successfully released into her native California waters.
1999 A decade after the devastating Valdez oil spill in Prince William Sound, SeaWorld San Diego, along with the California Department of Fish and Game and the University of California, Davis, breaks ground on the SeaWorld Oiled Wildlife Care Center.
2000 SeaWorld and South African environmental groups struggle to save the third largest colony penguin colony in the world after a large iron-ore carrier sank off the west coast of Cape Town, South Africa on Friday, June 23. The event caused a major oil spill with severe repercussions on the wildlife in the area. Bird experts worked around the clock to de-oil and rehabilitate nearly 50% of the African Penguin species in hopes the penguins will survive.
2001 The world's first killer whale conceived through artificial insemination was born on September 1, 2001 at 8:50 PM. The mother, a 25-year-old killer whale, gave birth to a healthy calf at Shamu Stadium, under the watchful eyes of the park's veterinarians, animal care and animal training teams.
2003 SeaWorld Orlando celebrates its 30th year!
2004 The 500th sea turtle to be rehabilitated and released by the animal experts at SeaWorld Orlando waded safely into the waters off the coast of Cocoa Beach. This 100-pound loggerhead received six months of specialized care and rehabilitation at SeaWorld before being released. SeaWorld handles the majority of its sea turtle rescues during the summer months because of increased boating and recreational activities in areas frequented by turtles.
What began off of Mission Bay in 1964 with an initial investment of $1.5 million, 45 employees, several sea lions and one salt water aquarium has grown into the world's finest marine life parks. 400,000 guests visited the park in 1964, and now millions of people are touched by marine animals at the SeaWorld adventure parks every year. The heightened sensitivity to marine conservation issues is due in large part to the experiences people have in parks like SeaWorld.

In addition to the SeaWorld Adventure Parks, St. Louis-based Busch Entertainment Corporation operates Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida and Williamsburg, Virginia; Adventure Island in Tampa Bay; Water Country USA in Williamsburg; Sesame Place near Philadelphia and Discovery Cove in Orlando. The nine parks entertain more than 21 million guests a year and employ more than 15,000 people. For more than 40 years, SeaWorld and Busch Gardens have shared their commitment to conservation with millions of guests, who leave not only with greater appreciation of the natural world, but with adventures of a lifetime. Leaders in conservation and education, SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove care for the largest animal collection in the world and offer an education website especially for students and teachers at http://www.swbg-animals.org/. General park information is on the web at http://www.4adventure.com/.


8. What do you do before a hurricane hits your park?

We prepare our park for a hurricane in many ways. The first task is to make sure all types of potential flying objects are removed and stored away (flags, garbage cans, potted plants, etc.). We secure all buildings and park exhibits, and we take in animals like birds that are in outdoor aviaries. Our animal habitats are designed to withstand hurricane force winds, and we had not lost a single animal despite being hit by three major hurricanes within a six week period in 2004.


9. How does SeaWorld help conserve wildlife and their habitats?

The non-profit SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund (SWBGCF) works on behalf of wildlife and habitats worldwide. The goal of the SWBGCF is to encourage sustainable solutions by supporting critical conservation initiatives worldwide. The SWBGCF has sponsored a number of projects on aquatic and terrestrial animals, animal rescue and rehabilitation, habitat protection, and conservation education.
•
The SWBGCF conducts grant awards each year. Since 2003, the SeaWorld & Busch Gardens Conservation Fund has granted $1.3 million to more than 100 projects in 25 countries on six continents. Selected projects must be science-based, solution-driven, and community-oriented - attributes needed to achieve effective and long-term conservation success. Groups working on animal conservation projects are invited to apply for a SWBGCF grant. Projects are carefully selected by a diverse mix of wildlife experts, scientists, business leaders, and educators.
•
The SWBGCF accepts donations to support conservation projects in the U.S. and around the world. 100% of donations go directly to selected projects. In addition, cash or check donations can be made at any SeaWorld or Busch Gardens park at the Guest Services counter or in select merchandise outlets. Stores throughout the parks also now feature a special line of cause-related merchandise, of which 15% of the purchase price is donated to the SWBG Fund. For guests wanting more of an experience, they can sign up for a "Saving a Species" behind-the-scenes tour, of which a portion of the tour price benefits the Fund.

From http://www.seaworld.org/
http://www.seaworld.org/ask-shamu/faq.htm#sw-animals

Seaworld Shamu Show in Orlando - Part 1