The news lately has been filled with a lot of anti-SeaWorld sentiment. I’ve seen some well-articulated arguments in support of what we do. Most of those arguments will cite SeaWorld’s contribution to rescuing over 35,000 animals, or the tireless dedication of the animal care staff, or the animals’ well-being as a whole. The outpouring from our fans has been incredible, and I am so grateful for the support. But I would like to take a moment to focus on one animal. Because at the end of the day, the animals are all that matter.
On September 30, 2017, a beluga calf stranded on the beach in Cook Inlet, AK, near the town of Tyonek. Birds were pecking at his body, and only upon closer inspection did rescuers realize that he was still alive. Due to the lack of belugas in the vicinity at the time as well as the calf’s health problems, they inferred that his mother must have left him behind. The Alaska Sea Life Center brought him to their facility, but they lacked the knowledge necessary to rehabilitate him. They reached out to SeaWorld and other aquariums, and experts rushed to Alaska to provide round-the-clock care. Miraculously, the calf improved in health. He would go on to become the first successfully rescued and rehabilitated beluga whale calf. They named him Tyonek. Government scientists deemed him non-releasable and searched for a long-term facility that was best appropriate for his health and social development. SeaWorld San Antonio’s large, diverse pod of belugas as well as their decades of expertise in beluga whale husbandry made them the obvious choice.
On March 8, 2018, Tyonek made the 4,000-mile journey from Alaska to Texas to join his new, multi-generational pod consisting of both male and female adults as well as several juveniles, including Innik, a whale who is the same age as Ty. With his health improving, Ty’s life could now be enriched socially. Since he has arrived, we have seen this remarkable little guy grow in size and confidence day by day. Seeing him voluntarily participate in his own health care, play with toys, slide down Naluark’s pontoons with Innik, squirt water with Kenai, and roll around with Samson fills my heart with joy. If it wasn’t for the expertise and dedication of SeaWorld and our partners, Ty would have died a long time ago. If it wasn’t for SeaWorld’s pod of beluga whales, Ty would have had no opportunity to integrate into a family. This intelligent, playful, fighting spirit deserves the world, and I am so glad that we can give it to him. I love you, Ty.
