Up close and personal
Visitors can now get a closer look at beluga whales during the Sea World Up-Close Tour.
I can’t think of beluga whales without reminiscing the catchy Raffi tune “Baby Beluga.”
After listening to the song relentlessly as a child, I came to the Beluga Whales Up-Close Tour at SeaWorld Orlando with a somewhat-skewed perspective. Mainly, I thought of a little white whale on the go that would sing a song for me.
I did see a white whale, but it was far from little.
The park’s gray whale, however, did sing for us.
Brittany Rohrig, an instructor in SeaWorld Orlando’s Animal Programs Department, told me that I might see different behaviors and some vocalizations, but nothing was guaranteed.
“You never know what you’re going to get,” Rohrig said.
The experience takes place in the Wild Arctic building, and all personal items are locked up at the start to prevent anything from falling into the pool.
Before heading to the pool, we learned about food prep at the Wild Arctic kitchen.
Rohrig said that SeaWorld goes beyond USDA ratings to meet the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) ratings. For example, she said, thawed fish must be used within 24 hours.
Then it was time to meet the belugas — Naluark, a male, and Whisper, a female.
Whisper was born at SeaWorld San Antonio in 1999 and arrived at SeaWorld Orlando in November 2010. Naluark is on loan to SeaWorld from Shedd Aquarium.
In a pool behind the belugas’ habitat, two trainers prepared for the interaction. Guests were divided by the groups with which they booked the tour and took turns meeting either Naluark or Whisper.
Note: Guests only get the chance to interact with one whale per encounter.
While I waited my turn, I was entertained by a rescued harp seal named Wiley that happened to be in the middle of a training session during the tour. This doesn’t always happen, so my group was lucky.
Shea Eaves, an animal care specialist at SeaWorld Orlando, called us over to meet the very vocal Whisper. She sang to us throughout most of the interaction.
Eaves explained that they train the belugas using hand targets to get desired actions. She pointed out different parts of Whisper’s anatomy and allowed us to touch the whale, rewarding Whisper with treats each time for her cooperation.
Eaves explained that the belugas are taught to participate in their health care. For example, both cooperate for eye drops and show their mouths for examination. They’re also learning how to get on the scale to be weighed.
As we bid adieu, Whisper wasn’t quite ready to say goodbye. She lingered by the pool as we exited.
The Beluga Whales Up-Close Tour accommodates up to 12 people and runs daily. The experience is only for ages 6 and up. The price starts at $40 but varies depending on the season and day of the week (Note: Park admission must be purchased separately). For more information or to book a reservation, call 407-545-5550 or visit SeaWorld Orlando’s website.