Indeed, its just the four at San Diego, unless more strand and are deemed non-releasable in the future. However, I would actually say quite the opposite of them dying out, they're more than likely going to see a population increase in the next decade, if the current four stay in good health. Seeing as Seaworld seems to still be staying strong with their killer whale phase out, the pilot whales will likely be their replacements. Less bad PR since they all descend from rescue animals, still large and distinctive looking, they can still do waterwork with them, they can be moved directly into the orca facilities with virtually no modifications needed aside from a temperature bump up, and they generally generate much less ire from the activists The older male, Argo, is definitely sexually mature at this point at 17 years old, and the females are just entering the earliest years of sexual maturity at 8 and 9 years old. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a calf at San Diego within the next 2-4 years. Also in terms of seeing them, very easy. They are housed in the Whale and Dolphin Stadium at the park. The Pilots are usually used in at least one show a day, if not all of them, which is the best time to see them. There is also the potential to see them during non show times as there is public viewing of the back of the stadium, however they often aren't in the pool closest to the public viewing, and moreover, tend to spend lots of time either logging just below the surface, or swimming under water. They're not quite as surface active (or active in general, lol) as bottlenose Dolphins or Orca.
Really interesting and good to know. I know there was a history of wild caught Pilot Whales in the US and thought that these would be the same; as rescues it seems like they do have a future in the US.
I would agree with Hyak_II. I would not be surprised if we saw the first successful captive breeding in this species at San Diego given the young age of all of the animals. Bubbles lived into her 50s I believe, so they could be around for a long time. I also think that as we continue to see changes in ocean temperatures and issues with the overall environment, it is likely that pilots will continue to see strandings and need rescue. The challenge is that they often strand in areas not easily accessible by rescue equipment, and decompensate rather quickly before rescuers are able to save them. Those that are old enough to be released and deemed healthy will go back, but as we have seen with recent rescues, several have been too young for release.
Bit of a random and unusual question but does anyone know the history of the second pilot whale that was at SW San Diego in 2018? I know Argo has been there since 2012 and was found stranded in Japan in 2004ish, but when I visited in 2018 I photographed two animals the second of which I can find no source of online. I am curious where that animal came from and I suppose also what happened to it (I would assume it's died). ~Thylo
That would be Shadow/Niner. She was a US Navy animal I believe that lived for years with Bubbles. She did die, somewhat unexpected.
Thank you! A quick search online says she was captured off California in '82. I was updating my cetacean lifelist and double checking taxonomy when I saw a 2019 study suggesting the existence of 2 or 3 subspecies of Short-Finned Pilot Whale. Exact ranges are not defined and subspecific names do not seem to be assigned but this would make Argo a member of the West Pacific/Indian Ocean subpopulation, Shadow/Niner a member of the East Pacific subpopulation, and the three new animals at the park members of the Atlantic subpopulation. I like to keep track of things like this in case something ever comes of it. ~Thylo
Hello everyone! I noticed some information was missing from the original post so I figured I’d help out. Argo was born of the coast of Japan sometime in 2003. On January 10, 2004 he was found stranded on the coast of Moriya by the Japanese Coast Guard. They tried multiple times to get him back into the water but he kept stranding himself. Because of this they made the decision to send him to Kamogawa SeaWorld where he lived by himself for the next eight years. In 2012, Kamogawa made the decision to send him to SeaWorld San Diego so he could live with other Short-Finned Pilot Whales named Bubbles, Shadow, and Sully. After Shadow died in 2018, SeaWorld made the design to send the whales from Orlando to live with Argo in San Diego. Currently Argo is 11 1/2 feet long and 1,200 pounds. Ace and Ava were born off the coast of Florida in 2011 and Piper was born in 2012. On September 1, 2012 they were found stranded on Avalon Beach in Florida with 22 other pilot whales. 17 of the whales died on the beach leaving five to be sent to Florida Atlantic University's Harbor Branch Institute. One of the males died leaving four whales behind. On September 5, the whales were sent to SeaWorld Orlando. A little while later one of the females passed away leaving Ace, Ava, and Piper. The National Marine Fisheries Service declared that the whales were unreleasable. In 2019, they were sent to SeaWorld San Diego to join Argo.
Ace sadly recently passed away. He was only about eleven years old. His death leaves Seaworld with 1.2 Short Finned Pilot Whales.
Short-Finned Pilot Whale Argo, a rescued male whale from Japan, died 7/2/22 at SeaWorld San Diego SeaWorld San Diego SeaWorld California remains the only place in North America to see these whales on exhibit, and likely no chance of any breeding given Argo was the last male on exhibit.
