Sully the Rescued Pilot Whale Thrives at SeaWorld San Diego

Rescued, near death, on the island of Curacao in the Caribbean a year ago, Sully has been given a second chance at life at our San Diego park -- a chance he's taking full advantage of. Consuming more 50 pounds of squid and herring each day, he's gained more than 120 pounds since his arriving at the park. Sully has also grown to more than 11 feet in length. He loves his interactions with the several dolphins he is currently living with as well as working with his trainers.

To complement the socialization process he's experiencing with his dolphin pool mates, his trainers engage him in several training and enrichment sessions every day. Whether training simple husbandry behaviors or playing with his enrichment toys, Sully's trainers continue to be overjoyed with how well he is progressing. And if you ask Sully what he loves the most, he'll tell you it's a "brush down" -- something he gladly gets from the trainers several times a day.

Category:

Education

Tags:

• SeaWorld
• Rescue & Rehabilitation
• Pilot Whale
• San Diego
• Pacific Ocean
• Animal
• Whales

[cits96]

@coley4evr

Oh, and you work with these animals every day, right?

It doesn't take so much to Understand that it can't be good for them to be separated(my "main" issue with orca captivity) or live in such boring tanks ALL THEIR LIFE.

Yes, It Is great that they have taken care of Sully, that's not the point, but he should atleast get a natural and stimulating tank, he deserves that, and don't claim SW Don't have the money, they do, but it's the rich owners that gets it, not the animals..

[ThePastorJJJ]

Got to love SeaWorld, they do great work!

[coley4evr]

@cits96 You should stick to rambling about issues yopu have experience and knoweldge on. Watching a few youtube videos on Seaworld's "abuse" does not make you qualified to speak on the care of their animals. My comment was directed towards the care of Sully; based on his condition he looks excellent.

[cits96]

@coley4evr

Top notch treatment?

Drilling holes in their teeth without anestesia (spelling?)

Barren concrete tanks without anything that resembles the ocean. (you know what? It's not impossible to build a tank with rocks currents sand kelp or coral reefs, look at Keiko's tank at oregon coast aquarium)

Being separated from their mothers and familys, something that would never happen in the wild. But SeaWorld claims it's not "harming them in any way"

, say that to Taku, he's dead now.

[shamurocks1395]

@atinkerfairy I believe he is deaf.

[HiddenHeartsCry]

o-o welp. we'll see if he can get any cuter.

[coley4evr]

1:23 look how happy he is! How can people say Seaworld is a devil organization that abuses their animals? ALL their animals are given top notch treatment... Stupid PETA propaganda.

[olgavanvredendaal]

ILL love this boy, ill took care fore him on curacao! much kissis fore him, greatings to stephanie and Bill

[MsComeonnow]

good for seaw world and Sully!! All those people who bash Sea World and say animals should be in the wild take a hike. This whale would be dead.

[mamasully1407]

Sully was taking care by SCCN and DA. I'm part of SCCN; we did tried to release him in the wild twice. The first time all by himself because he was rolling himself in the nets of the facility, so after that we started to brush him and he loves it as you can see. The second time we spotted a whole group of pilot whales.

He didn't go with them when they dive down. The reason is probably because his hearing is not that good, so he can't communicate.

More info you will find on the website SCCN