Orca Encounter (Amazing Orcas) Nov 2, 2023 - SWT

Hey everyone, and now with some members showing off their style, speed, power, and problem solving. These behaviors keep the whales active and engaged. Sea World Killer Whales have inspired generations to care for our natural world. We're excited to share all of their stories with you today. Killer whales are the ocean's top predator. They use cooperation and communication. Not just size and strength to take their place at the top of the oceans' movement. At the bottom are small animals, like krill. At the top, the apex predator. The Killer Whale. Killer whales are as big as a bus, bigger than an Olympic swimmer. High flying, we're going to see all of... We spend days, weeks, months, years building relationships with our whales. This creates trust and that allows us to do some amazing things. For example, when you visit the doctor, you present your arm to draw blood or step on the scale to see how much you weigh. It's much the same with our whales. Throughout today's experience, you'll see the whales come together in unison. These synchronized behaviors strengthen social bonds. This is just another reason why they are known as the ocean's top predator. Their scientific name is Horsinus Orca and their common name is Killer Whale. The females, Takara, Sakari, and Kamea, and joining us out front are our two males, Tuar and Tayukit. Takara is our oldest whale at 32 years old. And her daughter, Kamea, is our youngest whale at just 9 years old. Takara is also the main shark of our whale pod, which means she's the leader. These whales trust us and they take an active role in their own health and well-being. They're going to use the pod's behaviors for all of you today. Now, one of the first behaviors we teach our whales is called a flukuzen, in which the whales will present their tail flukes to their trainers, just as Tuar is doing for us now. Now, not only in this position can we get a really good look at his entire body, but we also have access to the easy-to-see shallow veins on the white underside of his tail flukes. Our veterinarians can collect blood samples from these veins at least once a month, and our whales are conditioned to remain calm throughout the entire procedure. Now, throughout today's presentation, you'll see the trainers giving the whales back massages, pectoral flipper massages, or even a tail rub, just as Danny is giving to Tuar. Killer whales have pre-sensitive skin, and this is a great way for us to build our relationship with them. Now, collecting blood is just one of the ways that we can ensure our animals are healthy. Another important diagnostic tool is how much each animal weighs. We weigh our whales once a week, but as you get a good look at this, it's made up of several large pounds, several hundred pounds. So, in order to record accurately, we'll ask him to lift his tail up and out of the water. And that's how we know. As of Tuesday morning, Cayuga here is weighing in at over 9,000 pounds. It's important to weigh all of our whales. Kamea are growing appropriately, and our older whales are maintaining a healthy weight. These husbandry behaviors help us to ensure that these animals are healthy and pregnant. And the care isn't just physical. Mental stimulation and play are vital, and we surprise and engage with our whales at every opportunity. Play is how killer whales teach their young to hunt, and for the adults, play is important too. It seems that they just enjoy having fun. Making time for play is an important part of life for killer whales, and for us. Now, observational learning and mimicry play a critical role in a killer whale's life. From the moment they are born, they learn necessary life skills by watching and playing Fall the Leader with their mothers and other members of the pod. Here at Sea World Games, we love to play Fall the Leader with us by mimicking our movements. So, I'm going to need the help from all of you guys. So, everyone, go ahead and lift your left hand big in the air, and give Cayuga a nice wave below. And let's see that happen. Look at that! He is paying close attention to all of you. Killer whales have excellent eyesight both above and below the water, and they're also very curious. We often see our whales fly-hopping or jumping completely to get a better view of their surroundings. Nice job, Tumar! Now, let's talk about how killer whales communicate. Killer whales communicate in a variety of ways, and the use of vocalizations is just one of them. So, I'll need your guys' help again. Everyone, take your two pointer fingers and conduct them like you're in an orchestra. Isn't it beautiful? You see, it's a sound wave that it does through air. And so, when a killer whale bleats, it's beautiful. As you can see, killer whales can communicate by leaping out of the water and making a huge splash. SeaWorld's research and observation of the whales in our care has helped to shed light on many mysteries of these amazing animals. For example, we know that the gestation period of a pregnant killer whale is 17 months. That's information that's impossible to obtain out in the wild. However, some information can be gained through field observation. And that's why SeaWorld works with its partners, such as the Norwegian Orca Survey, to further our knowledge. Killer whales are remarkable, powerful animals. And perhaps the best expression of that power is when they hunt. Killer whales stand apart. They have no natural predators, and just about any other ocean animal can be their dinner. Depending on where they live and their chosen prey, they've developed some epic hunting techniques. Off the coast of South America, killer whales will beach themselves, riding in on waves just long enough to catch prey. They'll also create waves that knock animals over. Most importantly, they cooperate, communicate, and coordinate as a team. Here's footage of killer whales corralling a school of harriers. Killer whales are incredible athletes. They can eat over 100 pounds of food a day. Depending on where they live and the time of year, their prey can vary. Unfortunately, safety for fishing and pollution is a serious threat to several populations of killer whales. Killer whales are impressive animals. It's pretty obvious why they're the top predator in the ocean. That means killer whales are... Killer whales depend on a plentiful home source and a clean environment. They're completely dominant, yet completely dependent. When it comes down to it, killer whales are not the most powerful animals in the ocean. Through your actions, we hold the future of killer whales and the oceans in our hands. But still vulnerable. The challenges that we face can seem insurmountable. Don't give up. Be inspired. We can make a difference. The ocean needs our help, and that seems overwhelming. But together, we can make it happen. There's so much to learn. So much to protect. So much to explore. The killer whale story is still being written. And there are simple things we all can do to make a difference. Politics is one. One choice. One positive act. One ripple that can grow and grow and change the world. Together, we've got this. Take a journey. Explore the great unknown. Wander at creation. Everywhere we go. Miracles surround us. Wherever we may roam. That unites us. To call this earth our home. We've got the highest, highest tips. So much mystery. We are all inspired. By this one big world. And we share our love. That flows through each of us. And as our heart beats, no one can see our problems. To the deepest, deepest. So much mystery.