Wholphins?

**sammy101** · 04-15-2005, 09:13 PM

I've never even heard of them before!!

Part Whale, Part Dolphin, Baby Wholphin Born In Captivity

HONOLULU -- Officials at Hawaii's Sea Life Park said the world's only known captive whale-dolphin hybrid has given birth to a playful female calf.

The hybrid mother, Kekaimalu, gave birth about 100 days ago.

Officials said the calf was born Dec. 23 to a hybrid of a false killer whale and an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. The calf, yet to be named, is one-fourth false killer whale and three-fourths dolphin.

Park officials said they kept the birth a secret until now because of recent changes in ownership and operations at the park.

The only two wholphins in the world are kept in seclusion at Sea Life Park's mammal nursery to allow the baby to thrive.

"We were very excited to know that she was pregnant and very excited to have her successfully take over the calf when she was born," Seal Life Park General Manager Renato Lenzi said.

Kekaimalu, which means peaceful sea, is eating about 80 pounds of frozen herring and capelin a day to keep up with the demands of nursing her baby.

This is Kekaimalu's third baby. One died from failure to thrive in 1990. The other died of an infection after living for nine years.

Hopes are high for this baby because at 19 years old, Kekaimalu is a mature and experienced mother.

"This is a fantastic opportunity for us and for the research community in order to gain more information about the two species and the product of their breeding," Lenzi said.

The calf is jumbo-sized compared to purebred dolphins, and is already the size of a 1-year-old bottlenose. There have been reports of wholphins in the wild.

Kekaimalu's baby will be available for viewing by the public at the park sometime before the summer.

The wholphin birth is significant because it shows compatibility between the two species is much greater than was previously thought.

Distributed by Internet Broadcasting Systems, Inc. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed

http://www.click2houston.com/news/4382236/detail.html

**luckies4me** · 04-15-2005, 09:19 PM

**Vette** · 04-15-2005, 09:24 PM

Never heard of them either

**Suki Wingy** · 04-15-2005, 09:42 PM

I've heard of them, that;s cool! I knew somewhere they were doing it artificially. My fav hybrid is a Liger and then probably a Zorse, though.

**jennifert9** · 04-15-2005, 09:44 PM

I heard a teaser for this on the Today Show but I had to leave for work before I saw the story... What does it look like? ) I don't know if you posted a pic, I'm on my VERY old computer and can't look)

What is a "false killer whale?" They say that 2 times in the story but I don't know what that means?

**Suki Wingy** · 04-15-2005, 09:49 PM

a false killer whale is a type of porpus, with a small head and it is dull black. I think it is about the same size as a bottlenose dolphin.

**sammy101** · 04-15-2005, 09:50 PM

a false killer whale is a whale oftenly mistaken for a killer whale.Thats why their name is "false killer whale"

-edit-Suki beat me too it

**gkristian** · 04-15-2005, 10:30 PM

i've never heard of them. i don't know whether cross-breeding of wild animals is a good thing or not.

**chrissycat21** · 04-16-2005, 07:54 AM

I was going to watch something on it on the news last night, but I forgot.

**LKPike** · 04-16-2005, 08:35 AM

lol this was on the news last nast. When I heard it I thought it had to be a joke, I didn't even KNOW a whale could mate with a dolphin... or would even want to try???

**RICHARD** · 04-16-2005, 12:27 PM

That's what drinking does to a mammal.....

A late night out, drunk, and you wake up the next day, on the seabed with someone who was passing themselves off as a
Killer whale....

Typical woman.....always falling for the bad boys.....