Exposure to COVID-19 is an inherent risk in any public location where people are present; we cannot guarantee you will not be exposed during your visit. Review Important Safety Guidelines

Close Alert
Buy Now
Reservations
  • Pre-Paid
    Parking
    Pre-Paid Parking
    Prepaid Parking

    We strongly encourage you to purchase pre-paid parking before your visit to help maintain physical distancing.

  • All Day
    Dining
    All Day Dining
    All-Season Dining Plan at SeaWorld Orlando

    Eat and drink all day as often as once every hour for one low price.

  • Quick
    Queue
    Quick Queue
    Quick Queue Unlimited

    Enjoy Front-of-the-Line access to our most popular rides.

  • Park Hours Park Hours SeaWorld San Antonio

    View park hours and show times to plan your day at the park

  • Park Map Park Map Park Map

    Find your way to rides, theaters, restaurants, shops and interactive exhibits with the park map

  • Reserve Your Day Reserve Your Day Pass Member Appreciation 2019

    Have an existing ticket, Annual Pass or Fun Card. Make your reservation today!

  • Animal Habitats
  • Aquatica
  • Accessibility
  • FAQ
  • Directions
  • Shops
  • Rides Rides Rides

    Experience thrilling coasters and extraordinary rides for the whole family

  • Shows Shows Shows

    Enjoy fabulous, family-friendly, live entertainment at SeaWorld

  • Animal Experiences Animal Experiences Animal Experiences

    Get an up-close look at some of the amazing animals in our care

  • Upgrades
  • Restaurants
  • Dining Experiences
  • Bay of Play
  • Camps & Education
Events
  • Account Log in Account Log in Sign in

    Log in to access special offers or to update your account.

  • Buy a Pass Buy a Pass Buy a Pass

    Get the best value all year when you become an Annual Pass Member.

  • Reserve Your Day Reserve Your Day Pass Member Appreciation 2019

    Have an existing ticket, Annual Pass or Fun Card. Make your reservation today!

  • Monthly Rewards
  • Animal Presentation
SeaWorld

ticket link
Cart
Search
Back to Blog Home

Tyonek Learns a New Dialect

September 24, 2018

Share

Tyonek

Tyonek, the baby beluga rescued from Cook Inlet last year, is not just getting acquainted with a new pod while settling into his new home. He’s learning new communication skills, including a new dialect, too, which is crucial to helping him integrate with the belugas around him.

 

Using a hydrophone recording device – a microphone designed for underwater use – researchers are recording Tyonek’s vocalizations at SeaWorld San Antonio – a project that falls under their larger whale conservation and research efforts. This study was started by NOAA’s Alaska Fisheries Science Center soon after Tyonek was rescued off the coast of Alaska. These recordings will allow scientists to monitor and observe Tyonek’s progress on vocal behavior from his rescue through his new life at SeaWorld.

 

This bioacoustic research will shed new light on the vocal development process and behavioral context of the various calls Tyonek and other belugas make. Learning communication skills is especially important for young belugas like Tyonek – whose need for social learning was a priority from the moment rel="noopener noreferrer" he was rescued. Belugas are extremely social animals, and the young depend on their pods to learn critical socialization and survival skills, including the vocal repertoire of its population. Without his pod, Tyonek would not learn these indispensable skills and would be unable survive on his rel="noopener noreferrer" own – which is ultimately why NOAA Fisheries deemed this baby beluga non-releasable.

 

Social learning is universally important for young belugas, and research shows that socially-acquired vocal communication rel="noopener noreferrer" exists across other cetacean species, such as killer whales and bottlenose dolphins. One study conducted at SeaWorld San Diego examined how learned dialects denote different relationships among killer whales. Findings suggest younger whales develop unique calls from those they spend more time with, demonstrating an acute ability to adapt to new individuals and environments.

 

From belugas to killer whales and beyond, SeaWorld is proud to play a leading role in the research and conservation of marine species across our planet. Visitors to the parks can not only see animals such as Tyonek – but they can rest easy knowing their ticket purchases are helping to fund these critical studies now and in the years to come.

SeaWorld San Antonio Christmas Celebration

T'was the Holiday Season

December 10, 2020

Join us as we deck the halls for SeaWorld’s Christmas Celebration, the largest holiday light display and celebration in Texas! This wintery, watery wonderland features extraordinary Christmas shows, festive foods, Santa Claus, and more!

SeaWorld San Antonio

Take Your Next Virtual Conference to New Depths

April 20, 2020

Take your co-workers on a virtual visit to SeaWorld San Antonio with our new "real amazing" virtual conferencing backgrounds available for download!

SeaWorld San Antonio

SeaWorld Spring Break 2020

February 20, 2020

Take your adventure to the next level and make your Spring Break truly unforgettable at SeaWorld San Antonio! From exciting rides and coasters to shows and animal experiences, SeaWorld San Antonio is full of fun, thrills, and experiences that are perfect for the whole family!

  • SeaWorld San Antonio
  • SeaWorld San Antonio Blog
  • Tyonek Learns a New Dialect
SeaWorld Location Selector
Visit SeaWorld
  • Buy Tickets
  • Hotel Packages
  • Annual Passes
  • Upgrade Your Visit
  • Camps and Education
  • Military Tickets
  • Group Events
  • Visit SeaWorld
Things to Do
  • Rides and Roller Coasters
  • Sesame Street Bay of Play
  • Shows
  • Animal Experiences
  • Seasonal Events
  • Tours
  • Restaurants
  • Dining Experiences
  • Shopping
  • Things to Do
About the Park
  • Park Hours and Show Times
  • Park Map
  • Directions to SeaWorld
  • Attractions
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Contact Us
  • About the Park
Discover SeaWorld
  • Media Room
  • Lost and Found
  • Park Accessibility
  • SeaWorld San Antonio Blog
  • Discover SeaWorld
SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment
  • Company Info
  • Conservation
  • Jobs
  • Travel Agents
  • Corporate Partners
  • SeaWorld Parks and Entertainment

Our Commitment

Our Comitment

SeaWorld Accreditation

Conservation Fund

Conservation Fund

Contact Us

  • phone 210-520-4732
  • email Email Us

Let's be friends!

  • Facebook
  • Twitter
  • Instagram
  • YouTube
  • Subscribe to Email

Get news you can use!


© 2021 SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment, Inc. All Rights Reserved. 10500 SeaWorld Drive, San Antonio, TX 78251

  • Privacy Policy
  • Notice of Collection
  • Do Not Sell My Info
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Adventure Island Logo
  • Aquatica
  • Busch Gardens Logo
  • Discovery Cove Logo
  • SeaWorld Logo
  • Sesame Place Logo
  • Water Country USA Logo

Share

Are you sure you want to delete this item?