Multiple agencies and marine animal rescue partners came together to give the whale a second chance.
Media Contacts:
SeaWorld Orlando
[email protected]
407-363-2280
NOAA Fisheries
[email protected]
727-551-5707
U.S. Coast Guard
[email protected]
305-607-6347
Download High-Res B-Roll and Photos Here: https://www.webcargo.net/d/12303574/s7aCGCGAul/
Orlando, Fla. (August 10, 2017) - A female short-finned pilot whale has a second chance at life after an extensive and complex return to the sea. The 725 lb. whale beached herself in Dixie County, FL on July 1. Discovered by beach goers, rescue teams from the University of Florida and Clearwater Marine Aquarium assisted the whale and transported her to SeaWorld Orlando for continued medical intervention and rehabilitation.
Upon arrival, the pilot whale began to receive 24 hour care from SeaWorld’s dedicated veterinary and animal care teams. Everyone had the goal to release her back to the wild and through ongoing care and laser-focused attention, along with regular input and evaluation from NOAA and the partners in the Southeast Region Marine Mammal Stranding Network, the release became a reality.
The pilot whale responded well to her treatment and began to show signs of improvement almost immediately. Upon arrival, she was able to successfully swim on her own and within one day, she began to eat fish.
Together with NOAA, the SeaWorld team made arrangements to return the pilot whale to the sea. Plans were made to release her 140 miles off the West Coast of Florida in an area of known pilot whale habitat. Pilot whales live in deep water and are social animals that travel together in pods. The release spot will give her a good chance to join other pilot whales.
To ensure the pilot whale was returned safely and carefully, the U.S. Coast Guard assisted with the complex transport. The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Joshua Appleby, along with a team of five members of SeaWorld’s rescue team, worked together on the multifaceted mission. On Tuesday morning, August 8, the pilot whale, nicknamed “Gale” by the crew of the Joshua Appleby, was successfully returned to the Gulf of Mexico.
“We all watched her strongly swim away,” shared Dr. Lara Croft, veterinarian, SeaWorld Orlando, who escorted the pilot whale through every step of her rescue journey. “This story has been a true collaboration and we worked together with many dedicated partners. We are proud to be a part of this rescue, rehabilitation and successful release. This truly is why we all do what we do.”
Prior to her release, the pilot whale was tagged with a satellite-linked transmitter by researchers with the Chicago Zoological Society’s Sarasota Dolphin Research Program. The tag will allow researchers and rescuers to follow her movements and dive patterns for the next several months.
Pilot whales, are members of the dolphin family, and are second only to killer whales in size. Short-finned pilot whales are found worldwide in warmer temperate and tropical waters. Pilot whales are extremely social, and are well known for mass stranding in groups of a few animals to several hundred at a time.
NOAA encourages people to report sightings of dead, injured, or entangled dolphins and whales to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission at 1-888-404-FWCC (3922).
###
About SeaWorld Orlando
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment™ is a leading theme park and entertainment company providing experiences that matter and inspiring guests to protect animals and the wild wonders of our world. The company is one of the world’s foremost zoological organizations and a global leader in animal welfare, behavioral training, husbandry and veterinary care. The company collectively cares for what it believes is one of the largest zoological collections in the world and has helped lead advances in the care of animals. The company also rescues and rehabilitates marine and terrestrial animals that are ill, injured, orphaned or abandoned, with the goal of returning them to the wild. The SeaWorld® rescue team has helped more than 30,000 animals in need over the last 50 years.
The company owns or licenses a portfolio of recognized brands including SeaWorld, Busch Gardens® and Sea Rescue®. Over its more than 50-year history, the company has built a diversified portfolio of 12 destination and regional theme parks that are grouped in key markets across the United States, many of which showcase its one-of-a-kind zoological collection. The company’s theme parks feature a diverse array of rides, shows and other attractions with broad demographic appeal which deliver memorable experiences and a strong value proposition for its guests.
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment is a wholly owned subsidiary of SeaWorld Entertainment, Inc., a publicly traded company. Visit http://www.seaworldentertainment.comfor more information.
About National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA):
NOAA’s mission is to understand and predict changes in the Earth's environment, from the depths of the ocean to the surface of the sun, and to conserve and manage our coastal and marine resources. Visit http://www.noaa.gov/ for more information.
The Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program
The Chicago Zoological Society's Sarasota Dolphin Research Program provides tags and tracking services for follow-up monitoring of small cetaceans throughout the U.S., released following rescue and/or rehabilitation, through the support of NOAA's John H. Prescott Marine Mammal Rescue Assistance Grant Program.