August 15 -- mammals!

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When we bought our tickets, the first possible time we could see a sea-mammal show was after lunchtime.

Here we are, in the arena where they do the shows.  It's cool how the water appears to blend with the lake.  I hope none of the critters ever try to reach that open water............................

That's the Planetarium, just left of the rocks inside the arena.

This image has a clear view of the "giant steps" I talked about, on the day I visited the Planetarium.

Waiting for the show.  I like the silhouettes of the man and the boy.

There are many, many sailboats on the lake, on a sunny mid-August Saturday.  You can just make out the breakwater, below the black line through the middle of the pic, and it's hard to tell, but there are a lot of sails out beyond it, as well as the closer ones.

They have white-sided Pacific dolphins, and they have belugas.

I love the belugas, but they can't put on the sort of show the dolphins put on.  They are not as agile or athletic.  Something they do well is spray water out of their mouths.

They are also good at making a wide variety of sounds.

It seemed that they liked having their tongues patted. 

One of them got high enough out of the water to make this mighty splash.

The two themes of the show were conservation (and every individual's role in keeping the oceans cleaner and healthier), and positive training.  The Aquarium apparently has a bunch of dogs who go into the community as ambassadors for positive training and for the Aquarium.  They showed us a video of a Labrador retriever mix who was too active and energetic for most families, who had been adopted and returned to the shelter multiple times.  He was adopted by the Aquarium, and is much happier now that he is very well trained, and has a job to do.

Part of the video showed him meeting a beluga.  "Whoa!  [backing up]  What is THAT???"

They brought him out, on the pavement between us spectators and the water, and showed off some of his tricks.  I was surprised that they were giving him treats after EVERY behavior.  This is usual for training dogs, but not so usual once a behavior is learned......  Maybe that's what they have to do with marine mammals? 

After the dog, they brought out the big guns.  Well, the smaller-than-a-beluga, but extremely talented gun.

When we went to Sea World, 21 years ago, we saw every show.  The sea-lion show was the best.  These guys can do everything.

Clever, talented, and STRONG!

I believe all of this training has two purposes.  The main one is to teach behaviors which make it easier (or possible, even) to take good care of the animals.  Opening their mouths wide, so people can check inside.  Presenting veins for blood draws.  Etc.

And the second purpose is for fun and entertainment.  To give the critters something to do that is different from swimming in circles in a small tank (and let's face it, for someone who ought to be living in the open ocean, any tank is small.....).

Well, ok, *three* purposes.  And, of course, because the marks like to see the shows, and will pay to do so, helping support the Aquarium.



Belugas are good at holding their tails in the air and waving.  :-)

Gray ones are youngsters.  They are born dark, and turn white as they mature.

Clearer image of the one at right, but so close to the edge of the shot.  Sigh.

After the show was over, they raised the curtain between the water and the windows, but they continued to train.

We could walk down and stand right next to the railing.  Much closer than up where we'd been sitting.


If this behavior was part of the show, I missed it.  That's the best pic I got of a beluga.....

Having the mouth examined.....

Time for a well-earned fish (see the man reaching into the basin).

Then they were done training, and wanted us to vacate the arena, so they could get ready for the next show.



We walked up the aisle through the seating, to get out of this arena area.  See the guy, still training (another beluga, I think), just to the left of the rocks kind of in the middle of the arena?

And at the far right of the overall image of the arena, we can see people outside, on the walkway toward the Planetarium.

They have otters at the Aquarium.  We saw them getting trained, too, but in their usual tank, and with a crowd between us and the glass.  The trainers had targets (flat shapes in different colors), and the otters were rewarded for touching one colored shape rather than the others that were available.  No pics, alas.

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