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Whatever
Happened...
Question: What ever happened to a baby melon-headed whale that was rescued off the Big Island almost two years ago and brought to Sea Life Park for rehabilitation? Rescued whale doing
well at Sea Life ParkAnswer: She's doing great. Since being brought to the park, the whale has nearly tripled in size, eats solid food and socializes well with three dolphins that share the same pool, said Park curator G. "Paka" Nishimura. Park staffers have named her Keauhou, after the place where she was found.
The U.S Coast Guard flew the young whale to the park in April 1998, after she was found floundering in the ocean. The calf was apparently lost and severely dehydrated and starving, park officials said. At the time, she measured 6 feet and weighed less than 100 pounds, but soon started gaining weight after being fed a high-calorie formula.
The whale is now 7-1/2 feet long and weighs a whopping 300 pounds, Nishimura said, adding that she eats between 12 and 15 pounds of fish a day. She's also part of the park's marine mammal education program.
Melon-headed whales are frequently sighted off the coast of Hawaii, but scientists don't know much about them. Now that the park has one in captivity, officials would like to take the opportunity to learn more about the species.
The park will be involved with the University of Hawaii's Marine Mammal Research Program in studying the whale's acoustic behavior -- how she hears and the sounds she makes.
Melon-headed whales get their name from a bulge in their foreheads. The name comes not from the fruit, but from the French word for a bowler, or derby hat.
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