Orca Encounter Doesn't Go to Plan (Full-ish Show)

Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to Orca Encounter. For those of you sitting in the first 10 rows, you are sitting in the wet zone. Please be aware that the splashing salt water can damage camera and video equipment. Thank you. Orca Encounter has one interconnected ocean, a vast blue expanse, critical to life on earth. And there's no better animal to represent the story of the ocean with all its splendor and uncertainty than a killer whale, or as it's scientifically known, the Orcinus Orca. The Orca lives in every corner of the ocean, from the Arctic, to the Atlantic, the Southern, to the Indian, to the mighty Pacific, and beyond. So this whale story is the ocean story, and it is one we can all share. Welcome to SeaWorld's Orca Encounter. My name is Candace, and I'm so honored to introduce you to this intriguing and majestic animal. Like seeing a killer whale up close and getting to learn about them and their natural behaviors, we hope this Orca Encounter will help you better understand these magnificent creatures and all that they represent. While they are found in every ocean, orcas living off the coast of Iceland are quite different than those near Costa Rica. In fact, there are at least 10 types, or ecotypes, of killer whales. An ecotype describes the differences between killer whale size, physical form, prey, social structure, and habitat. As you can see, the differences are subtle, but noticeable when compared side by side. Orcas are adapted perfectly to their environments, and even the whale's black and white coloration has a purpose. It camouflages the outline of their bodies in the water, making it easier for them to surprise and catch their prey. When viewed from above, black of the whale blends in with the dark depths of the ocean. When viewed from below, the orca's white bellies match the brighter surface of the water, blending with the light above, giving them the perfect camouflage. The flippers on either side of the body are called pectoral flippers, which are mainly used for steering and stopping. Pectoral flippers have five boning digits inside them, just like the human hand. The lobes on either side of the tail are called tail flutes. The tail flutes are the killer whale's engines, propelling them close to speeds of up to 30 miles per hour, just as fast as our speedboats. And they can swim the fastest and use the most energy when they're propelling their nearly 10,000 pound body out of the water. Killer whales are highly social animals with a well-defined social structure. An orca pod is always led by a female. Though just half the size of her male counterpart, she is in charge. It's all about attitude, not size. Because they live and work as a group, orcas need to communicate with sounds and body language. Orcas use clicks for echolocation or navigation, whistles to socialize in the pod, and calls for group coordination and hunting. Vocal development studies here at SeaWorld show that early on, calves learn vocalization from their mothers. But as they grow, they learn from others close to them as well. This is a bottlenose dolphin call that Shuka learned and even taught other killer whales here at SeaWorld. In fact, orcas are the largest members of the dolphin family. Whales here and in the wild use vocalization to communicate all the time. Like all animals, killer whales use body language as part of their communication. They use peck slaps to show dominance or to get noticed. For example, a mother would use a peck slap to get her calf's attention.