Blue Horizons Question...

[Nellas Elensar]

Hi...I've been wondering about something for the past few months. Last summer, Sea World Orlando lost its final false killer whale, who died due to illness. I am wondering what they are doing to fill in that gap in the show. Are the dolphins performing more? Is there a brand new segment where the false killer whale segment should have been? Have they shortened the show?

 

[angelmom27]

I guess we saw the show before that happened. The last time I saw the blue horizons show was May of 2012. I wont be back til Saturday.

 

[LisaTN]

We were there two weeks ago... Excuse my ignorance but I'm not sure what a 'false' killer whale is... But the blue horizons show was all dolphins and birds... No whales...

 

[Nellas Elensar]

We were there two weeks ago... Excuse my ignorance but I'm not sure what a 'false' killer whale is... But the blue horizons show was all dolphins and birds... No whales...

Hi, Lisa...

False killer whales are mostly black with sickle-shaped flippers (whereas the Shamu family have rounded pectoral flippers). They look like this (all from 2011):

 

[Nellas Elensar]

I guess we saw the show before that happened. The last time I saw the blue horizons show was May of 2012. I wont be back til Saturday.

I also saw it in May 2012. I saw some memorial videos on YouTube. Some powerful stuff if you are a fan of the animals.

 

[bull2saintleo]

The show has not changed. I was there last weekend and the part where the false killer whales is still part of the show where the bungee guys in black do tricks as they used to.

I did see a few pilot whales swimming around in the back pools, so maybe in the future they will replace the false killer whales.

 

[angelmom27]

I also saw it in May 2012. I saw some memorial videos on YouTube. Some powerful stuff if you are a fan of the animals.

I will have to check it out. I love orca whales and dolphins. Dreaming of the day I get to go to DC and swim with dolphins.

What is the real name of a false killer whale? I thought they were pilot whales. I had never heard the term false either. I know orca is the name of a killer whale.

 

[Nellas Elensar]

I will have to check it out. I love orca whales and dolphins. Dreaming of the day I get to go to DC and swim with dolphins.

What is the real name of a false killer whale? I thought they were pilot whales. I had never heard the term false either. I know orca is the name of a killer whale.

Pseudorca is the alternate name for the false killer whale. It's part of their scientific name. In this name, "pseudo" means "false" and you know that an orca is another name for a killer whale. Yes, pilot whales look similar to pseudorcas, but they are from a different whale family. I have heard rumors before today that the pilot whales that bull2saintleo mentioned above would become part of the show some day. That will be interesting; I have never seen a pilot whale perform.

 

[angelmom27]

Pseudorca is the alternate name for the false killer whale. It's part of their scientific name. In this name, "pseudo" means "false" and you know that an orca is another name for a killer whale. Yes, pilot whales look similar to pseudorcas, but they are from a different whale family. I have heard rumors before today that the pilot whales that bull2saintleo mentioned above would become part of the show some day. That will be interesting; I have never seen a pilot whale perform.

Thanks for the info.

 

[dolphinrescuegirl]

There are now pilot whales. One is from the mass stranding of 2011 and the rest are from this past years mass stranding. They are working with them now doing daily training sessions. Basic husbandry procedures (medical) have to be trained first since they are new to captivity. Then they will work with them on show behaviors. They were just about to put the one from 2011 in the show when all the new whales showed up. It will be awhile before they are fully trained for the show.

 

[Nellas Elensar]

Cool. I am hoping to return to Sea World Orlando later this spring, so maybe they will introduce the one from 2011 into the show. I know that this will probably not happen, since the whales have not had enough time to be fully trained, but I'm hoping they'll at least start introducing the whales into the show environment.

 

[Nellas Elensar]

Thanks for the info.

Hey, no problem.

 

[bull2saintleo]

Pseudorca is the alternate name for the false killer whale. It's part of their scientific name. In this name, "pseudo" means "false" and you know that an orca is another name for a killer whale. Yes, pilot whales look similar to pseudorcas, but they are from a different whale family. I have heard rumors before today that the pilot whales that bull2saintleo mentioned above would become part of the show some day. That will be interesting; I have never seen a pilot whale perform.

Do some searches on Youtube for San Diego's Blue Horizons show. They've had pilot whales for many years.

 

[Nellas Elensar]

Thanks!!! I'll do that when I get some time over the weekend.