Pacific White-Sided Dolphins in North America (Lagenorhynchus obliquidens)
- Thread starter MidwestFan
- Start date
Not many details, but a disappointment for a population that needs successful calves:
A Pacific White-sided Dolphin was born at SWT on 6/2/2022 and died on 6/3/2022. Calf reported to have been male. Suspected that it was born to Ohana. If so, would have been Ohana's first calf, and hopefully she will continue to breed. No mention if AI or natural breeding, but if natural, would assume Bolt is sire as Ipo is full sibling to Ohana. Obviously first time calves have high mortality rate. I hope we will hear of more lag births in 2023.
A Pacific White-sided Dolphin was born at SWT on 6/2/2022 and died on 6/3/2022. Calf reported to have been male. Suspected that it was born to Ohana. If so, would have been Ohana's first calf, and hopefully she will continue to breed. No mention if AI or natural breeding, but if natural, would assume Bolt is sire as Ipo is full sibling to Ohana. Obviously first time calves have high mortality rate. I hope we will hear of more lag births in 2023.
iirc the PWSD at Miami Seaquarium are kept in the same tank as their orca Lolita - all three animals are off public view.
Li'i (M) typically lived with Lolita. Loke (F) would often move to the Pompano Pools (off exhibit) for birth and bonding of calf. In any pictures I saw towards the end of the Lolita shows, it only looked like Li'i was living with Lolita.
As for Munchkin, that would be great if she would have a calf soon. She is currently at Shedd, and they only have one male currently, Makoa, who is about 7 years old. Hopefully he will start breeding with unrelated females there soon, which is really only Munchkin besides Kri and Katrl who are getting up their in age.
An incident did happen last year between Li’i and Lolita which led to them being separated for a while. Not sure if they have been put back together again.
Aardwolf
Well-Known Member
Toki, or Tokitae, is the name by which the orca Lolita is also known
2023 Population Update:
SWT (2.4)
Piquet F [wild born]
Avalon F [Jump x Catalina]
Hailey F [Jump x Betty]
Ohana F [Li’i x Loke]
Bolt M [Arrow x Catalina]
Ipo M [Li’I x Loke]
Miami (2.1)
Loke F [wild born]
Li’I M [wild born]
Olelo/Elelo M (b 06/30/2018) [Li’i x Loke]
Shedd (1.4)
Kri F [wild born]
Katrl F [wild born]
Munchkin F (b 10/21/2000) [Jump x Laverne]
Makoa M (b 06/01/2015) [Li’I x Piquet]
Harmony F (b 08/30/2020) [Sagu x Katrl]
Total Population (14)
(5.9)
SWT (2.4)
Piquet F [wild born]
Avalon F [Jump x Catalina]
Hailey F [Jump x Betty]
Ohana F [Li’i x Loke]
Bolt M [Arrow x Catalina]
Ipo M [Li’I x Loke]
Miami (2.1)
Loke F [wild born]
Li’I M [wild born]
Olelo/Elelo M (b 06/30/2018) [Li’i x Loke]
Shedd (1.4)
Kri F [wild born]
Katrl F [wild born]
Munchkin F (b 10/21/2000) [Jump x Laverne]
Makoa M (b 06/01/2015) [Li’I x Piquet]
Harmony F (b 08/30/2020) [Sagu x Katrl]
Total Population (14)
(5.9)
With the recent announcement of Miami Seaquarium to move their killer whale to a sea pen of death, they plan to move 2 lags with her to die.
A very disappointing announcement all around, but definitely not helpful for the sustainability of the lag population in US facilities. I have not seen which 2 they plan to move with her or where third lag may go. I am guessing Loke and Li’i is who will be moved.
A very disappointing announcement all around, but definitely not helpful for the sustainability of the lag population in US facilities. I have not seen which 2 they plan to move with her or where third lag may go. I am guessing Loke and Li’i is who will be moved.
Could you link a source? I can't find anything about this on Facebook, the aquarium's website, or in news articles, even if it is there.
See text of story, it states:
“It involves creating a sequestered area, with netting, in the ocean off the coast of Washington and moving Lolita there along with two dolphins that currently live with the orca in captivity. Hired trainers would then be tasked with teaching the whale how to fend for herself.”
"Historic" deal reached to free the killer whale Lolita after more than 50 years in captivity - CBS News
It unfortunately does feel like Elelo is overlooked compared to the other PWSDs in the info about Lolita.
Last I remember the species had a DERP (Display, Education, Research Purposes) designation with AZA, wouldn’t it make more sense to move the trio to Shedd/SWT?
Shedd could be a good option for Elelo given that Harmony is around his age.
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
0.1 Loke and 1.0 Elelo were transferred from the Miami Seaquarium to the Shedd Aquarium on August 3
Jonathan Petersson
Well-Known Member
Great work on the thread! However I noticed you are missing some information so here is a updated list with all the information filled in.
Miami Seaquarium - Miami, Florida, USA (1.0) 1
1.0 Li'i (Wild x Wild) 1983-00-00 in California
Shedd Aquarium - Chicago, Illinois, USA (2.5) 7
0.1 Loke (Wild x Wild) 1983-00-00 in California
0.1 Kri (Wild x Wild) 1985-00-00 in California
0.1 Katrl (Wild x Wild) 1987-00-00 in California
0.1 Munchkin (Jump-Jump x Lavern) 2000-10-21 at SeaWorld San Antonio
1.0 Makoa (Li'i x Piquet) 2015-06-01 at Shedd Aquarium
1.0 Elelo (Li’i x Loke) 2018-06-30 at Miami Seaquarium
0.1 Harmony (Sagu x Katrl) 2020-08-31 at Shedd Aquarium
SeaWorld San Antonio - San Antonio, Texas, USA (2.4) 6
0.1 Piquet (Wild x Wild) 1988-00-00 in California
0.1 Avalon (Jump-Jump x Catalina) 1999-07-18 at SeaWorld San Antonio
0.1 Hailey (Jump-Jump x Betty) 1999-08-28 at SeaWorld San Antonio
0.1 Ohana (Li’i x Loke) 2006-08-15 at Miami Seaquarium
1.0 Bolt (Arrow x Catalina) 2009-09-13 at SeaWorld San Antonio
1.0 Ipo (Li’i x Loke) 2015-07-18 at Miami Seaquarium
Total: (5.9) 14
BlobfishBoy
Well-Known Member
Now that Loke and Eleo have moved to Shedd, is the plan to keep only Li'i with Toki for their sanctuary plan (if it comes to fruition) or will they send Loke or Eleo along with them? Ignoring the issues of the seapen, is it really a good idea to separate Lii from members of her own species and make Toki her only companion?
Li'i (M) should not be separated from other lags.
However, Toki does need companionship as well.
With the lack of transparency in this whole fiasco, who knows what will actually happen. Original statements included sending both Li'i and Loke with Toki to the seapen. I kind of doubt Loke will be included now. The best case scenario is for Li'i and Toki to be moved out of Miami but NOT to a seapen.
Since no permits have even been applied for to move any of the animals to a seapen, which doesn't even exist at this point, and no permits filed to build it, I have my doubts. Toki is not well, and this will be a nice PR move for Miami to say "we were trying" when Toki does succumb to her health issues.
One thing that has always fascinated me about Tokitae...
That although she probably has the worst husbandry of any captive orca in America ... she has still lived a good while longer than quite a few of SeaWorld's animals.
Is this because in more social groupings like SeaWorld rates of disease or conflict are more common? Is it that the comparatively sterile environment of Miami's has allowed to merely keep Tokitae in suspension of life for so long? It has always fascinated - and confused me.
Though equally I do find it somewhat entertaining how campaigners will often point to sea-pens as being the alternative to cetacean captivity, although the only existing one to my knowledge, at current, in Iceland for belugas, isn't even fully functional.
I will not contest that Toki's conditions at Miami are pitiful. SeaWorld also has imperfections. But then, there are no reports of the husbandry benefits of sea-pens at all ... since up to this moment there has been nothing to report on.
Last I heard they were being kept inside … if I recall correctly they failed to acclimate to the water conditions? I am happy to be corrected on this