Cetaceans in Mixed Species Exhibits

[BigNate]

While watching a video of the Georgia aquarium, I realized that there were 3 harbor seals sharing the habitat with the beluga whales. This is the only case I can remember off the top of my head of a centacean species being mixed with another species, but I'm sure that can't be right. Are there any I'm missing?

 

[Jambo]

While watching a video of the Georgia aquarium, I realized that there were 3 harbor seals sharing the habitat with the beluga whales. This is the only case I can remember off the top of my head of a centacean species being mixed with another species, but I'm sure that can't be right. Are there any I'm missing?

I’m sure that The Miami Seaquarium keep their Killer whale, Lolita with some dolphins.

 

[Brum]

One of the seal sanctuaries in the UK held a porpoise (temporarily) in their rehab pool with grey seals, and possibly a stray hooded seal (not 100% on that last bit) before releasing it a couple of days later. I think it may have been Skegness?

 

[Brum]

And historically London tried to keep several porpoises in their seal pool. None lasted very long as most were blinded (some strange sailor's superstition) before they arrived and perished quite quickly. Needless to say, the seals weren't impressed either and apparently kicked up a bit of a fuss. I'm pretty sure @Tim May can provide more details, or if not then check one of the History Of London Zoo treads.

 

[Hipporex]

Six flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo kept a killer whale, Shouka, with some common bottlenose dolphins. Also SeaWorld San Diego keeps a short-finned pilot whale with a common bottlenose dolphin.

 

[TheMightyOrca]

Keeping different cetacean species together is fairly common, especially when a place gets a rescue animal that is otherwise rare/nonexistent in captivity. Though I don't know of many examples of cetas being kept with non-cetas.

 

[Merintia]

Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium used to keep some Pantropical Spotted Dolphins on the Whale Shark tank:

 

[Maguari]

I’m sure that The Miami Seaquarium keep their Killer whale, Lolita with some dolphins.

Yes, Pacific White-sided Dolphins.

Did Sea World San Diego also have seals mixed with their Beluga or am I misremembering?

 

[Hipporex]

@Maguari SeaWorld San Diego keeps there belugas and some of there seals in "Wild Arctic." However, they're kept in two separate tanks, one right next to the other

 

[Maguari]

@Maguari SeaWorld San Diego keeps there belugas and some of there seals in "Wild Arctic." However, they're kept in two separate tanks, one right next to the other

Thanks. Had a feeling they were mixed when I was there, but that was 20 years ago now (terrifyingly).

 

[Hipporex]

It is possible it was like that when you where there. I'm just speaking from what I've seen in person in recent years

 

[jayjds2]

Did Sea World San Diego also have seals mixed with their Beluga or am I misremembering?

The species depends on when you visited, but in recent years they’ve kept a ringed seal in with the belugas (I saw it this summer).

SeaWorld Orlando has, on occasion, mixed harp seal with their belugas, but it’s very infrequent and I was lucky to see it several years ago. The harp seal is normally kept behind the scenes.

Georgia Aquarium keeps harbor seals with their belugas.

 

[Maguari]

The species depends on when you visited, but in recent years they’ve kept a ringed seal in with the belugas (I saw it this summer).

It was 1998 I was in San Diego and it was Common (Harbour) Seals that were in there, nothing fancy!

 

[Maguari]

Awful photo, but I can confirm seal-beluga cohabitation at San Diego SeaWorld in 1998!

 

[Tim May]

And historically London tried to keep several porpoises in their seal pool. None lasted very long as most were blinded (some strange sailor's superstition) before they arrived and perished quite quickly. Needless to say, the seals weren't impressed either and apparently kicked up a bit of a fuss. I'm pretty sure @Tim May can provide more details, or if not then check one of the History Of London Zoo treads.

London Zoo had several porpoises during the 1860s; the first being acquired on 4th December 1862. Sadly none lived long, partly because they were generally in very poor health on arrival.

Anybody wanting to know more about the zoo's attempts to keep porpoises should read the chapter "My Adventures and Journeys with Porpoises" in the third volume of Frank Buckland's "Curiosities of Natural History".

Indeed, according to Buckland, it was the custom of fisherman in some parts of England to "put the poor beast's eyes out" which he refers to as an "un-English action".

The zoo's first porpoise was placed in the seal's pond and Buckland describes how the seals objected to sharing their pond with the intruder. The zoo's second porpoise was put in the sturgeon's pond and Buckland again describes how the sturgeon reacted to the porpoise and comments that the porpoise's presence made the sturgeon look as "fierce as a fish can look".

Keeping different cetacean species together is fairly common, .....

On my first half-a-dozen visits to Duisburg Zoo there was a mixed exhibit of beluga and Commerson's dolphin.

 

[ZooBinh]

Are there mixed exhibits of cetaceans and something other than marine mammals?

 

[Great Argus]

Six flags Discovery Kingdom in Vallejo kept a killer whale, Shouka, with some common bottlenose dolphins. Also SeaWorld San Diego keeps a short-finned pilot whale with a common bottlenose dolphin.

I always thought Shouka was kept separately. I could be wrong though.

Far as I was aware the two pilot whales at San Diego were kept in the same stadium but in a separate pool. Again, could be wrong but that was my understanding.

 

[Hipporex]

@Great Argus Shouka was kept with Merlin the dolphin. Example... (not my picture)

Also, I was at SeaWorld San Diego on October 7th and they only keep one pilot whale, a male named Argo, and he was with a dolphin (named Sandy), however he was kept separate from the rest of the pod.

Fun Fact: When I was at SeaWorld, where Shouka currently lives, they said that she had taught the rest of the orcas there dolphin calls. If I had to guess, she probably learned these calls from Merlin.

 

[Great Argus]

Also, I was at SeaWorld San Diego on October 7th and they only keep one pilot whale, a male named Argo, and he was with a dolphin (I don't remember his/her name), however he was kept separate from the rest of the pod.

Fun Fact: When I was at SeaWorld, where Shouka currently lives, they said that she had taught the rest of the orcas there dolphin calls. If I had to guess, she probably learned these calls from Merlin.

Only one now? They had two last December. If they only have one that would make sense.

I don't remember that, but they may have said that. I was never aware Six Flags kept Shouka with a dolphin, but obviously they did!

 

[Hipporex]

There was definitely only one pilot whale when I was there. However, they appear to have kept more in the past (I've found pictures of four animals in San Diego).

It appears the other three died though in the last couple years:

Shadow in September 2018 (https://seaworld.com/san-diego/blog/seaworld-remembers-shadow-the-pilot-whale/)
Bubbles in 2016 (SeaWorld’s beloved pilot whale dies)
Sully in 2012 (Op-Ed: Pilot whale 'Sully' dies at SeaWorld San Diego (Includes interview))
This leaves only Argo who arrived from Japan in 2012

Also here is a picture of Argo and Sandy: