Page 28 - aruba-today-20190424

A28 SCIENCE
Wednesday 24 april 2019
SeaWorld publishes decades of orca data to help wild whales

By GENE JOHNSON
Associated Press
SEATTLE (AP) — The endan-
gered killer whales of the
Pacific Northwest live very
different lives from orcas in
captivity.
They swim up to 100 miles
(161 kilometers) a day in
pursuit of salmon, instead
of being fed a steady diet
of baitfish and multivita-
mins. Their playful splash-
ing awes and entertains
kayakers and passengers
on Washington state ferries
instead of paying theme
park customers.
But the captive whales
are nevertheless providing
a boon to researchers ur-
gently trying to save wild
whales in the Northwest.
SeaWorld, which displays
orcas at its parks in Califor-
nia, Texas and Florida, has
recently published data
from thousands of rou-
tine blood tests of its killer
whales over two decades,
revealing the most com- In this photo taken in March, 2016, and provided by SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, SeaWorld employees Michelle Bridwell,
prehensive picture yet of left, senior trainer, holds the fluke of a captive orca whale as Dr. Hendrik Nollens, vice president of Animal Health and Welfare, takes
what a healthy whale looks a blood sample from the underside of the whale’s tail at SeaWorld in San Diego, Calif.
like. The information could Associated Press
guide how and whether At least 13 were killed and marvel at the majesty and southern resident orcas, age and season, Robeck
scientists intervene to help 45 kept to awe and enter- power of the whales.” pledging $10 million to the said. The study suggests
sick or stranded whales in tain paying crowds around It took decades for the so- National Fish and Wildlife that orcas lose some im-
the wild. “For us, collecting the world, according to the called southern resident Foundation’s Killer Whale mune function as they age.
blood from free-ranging Center for Whale Research killer whales, which spend Research and Conserva- While there will be some
killer whales is exceedingly on Washington’s San Juan several months every sum- tion Program. difference between the
difficult, so it’s something Island. Only one of those mer and fall in the marine “Our stance is to do re- values for captive and
we would rarely ever do,” orcas survives: Lolita, at the waters between Washing- search with our animals to wild whales due to differ-
said Deborah Fauquier, Miami Seaquarium. ton state and Canada, to try to help this population ences in climate, diet and
a veterinary medical offi- Washington state eventu- recover from the hunts. By now, and that’s what we’re other factors, the research
cer at the National Marine ally sued SeaWorld to stop the mid-1990s, their popu- doing,” said Todd Robeck, provides a template for
Fisheries Service. “Having the hunts. Today, 17 of lation reached 98. SeaWorld’s vice president understanding the whales,
partners that are in the SeaWorld’s 20 whales were Half a century later, the or- of conservation research. Robeck said. Further, the
managed-care commu- born in captivity, includ- cas are struggling against “That’s why I got into what I values may be compared
nity that can provide us ing some descended from different threats: pollution, do — to try to help animals to data from blow samples
with blood values from orcas captured near Ice- vessel noise and, most se- in the wild.” Robeck is one or fecal samples to provide
those animals is very useful. land; the company hasn’t riously, starvation from a of the lead authors on the even greater insight, he
It’s giving us a very robust collected a wild orca in dearth of Chinook salm- review of SeaWorld’s data, said. Among the ongoing
baseline data set that we more than 40 years. Under on, their preferred prey. which included results of research projects at Sea-
haven’t had previously for public pressure, it ended its There are just 75 left, and more than 2,800 blood tests World is studying the extent
these whales.” captive breeding program researchers say they’re on on 32 whales from 1993 to to which toxins that build
The round-up of killer whales and is replacing trained the verge of extinction. 2013. Data from sick and up in the whales due to
for theme-park display in orca shows with what it Gov. Jay Inslee has pro- pregnant whales were ex- pollution are transferred to
the 1960s and ‘70s was describes as “more educa- posed $1.1 billion in spend- cluded to obtain a stan- calves from their mothers.
devastating for the Pacific tional experiences where ing to help the whales, with dard range for blood val- “It’s something that could
Northwest’s resident orcas: guests can still enjoy and much of the money going ues, including cholesterol, only be done with our ani-
toward protecting and platelet count, triglycerides mals,” Robeck said. “It’s
restoring salmon habitat. and many other metrics. an example of how we are
The National Marine Fisher- The whales were trained dedicated to participat-
ies Service, also known as to present the underside ing in the wellbeing of killer
NOAA Fisheries, is planning of their tails for the blood whales in the Pacific North-
to propose expanded hab- draws, which were taken west and around the world,
itat protections this year for once or twice a month. and how research with our
the whales’ foraging areas The results show that most animals is vital in answer-
off the Washington, Ore- of the values don’t differ ing some of these questions
gon and California coasts. much between male and about how to address the
SeaWorld has also boost- female whales, but they needs of the animals in the
ed its efforts to help the do differ considerably with wild.”q