Why does a whales fin bend in captivity

Share Flipboard Email. Jennifer Kennedy. Marine Science Expert. Jennifer Kennedy, M. Updated January 28, Featured Video. View Article Sources. Cite this Article Format. Kennedy, Jennifer. Killer Whale Dorsal Fin Collapse.

What Is the Delphinidae Family of Animals? The 20 Biggest Mammals, Ranked by Category. Your Privacy Rights. To change or withdraw your consent choices for ThoughtCo. Durban, J. Size and body condition of southern resident killer whales. Ford, J. Houghton, J. Dorsal fin cross section , photograph from research blog. Jett, J. Unpublished report, 22 pp.

Matkin, C. Marine Ecology Progress Series Ventre, J. Killer whales, theme parks and controversy: An exploration of the evidence. Markewell ed. Visser, I. Prolific body scars and collapsing dorsal fins on killer whales in New Zealand waters. Aquatic Mammals Nice touches to have the tea and coffee station to self serve.

We were amazed by the variety of behaviours displayed by the whales we saw and learned a lot. The staff were so friendly and professional. Excellent value. We will be going out again to see the blue whale, what an amazing thing to be able to do! Clinton Dalby. Simply superb. Outstanding service and just immaculate viewing of these beautiful Orcas. Will be back for sure. You will be warmly greeted by the crew and their sea-worthy puppy: Wonderful experience with three pods of orcas spotted in such a short time.

Was added to the group last minute because our tour with another group was cancelled. But guess that was a great blessing in disguise. Aleece Burgess. I had an amazing tour with whale watch Western Australia! They are super knowledgable and welcoming. You can tell that the animals are incredibly important to them and they do everything they can to not disturb their natural patterns. Sharon Nicholls. Thanks to Leanne and the team for looking after my mother, she had a great time on board, humpbacks, dolphins and sperm whales, I'll definitely send her back next year.

Thanks again Carl from Sea School International. David Kelly. Really fantastic trip, highly recommend this family run operation. They're incredibly knowledge and friendly.

Our first day out the conditions were quite bad so they let everyone on board come again free of charge. Definitely go! Catherine Phillips. A spectacular experience by a very professionally run company. The staff were very knowledgable and the commentary engaging, you could tell the lady commentating was enjoying her role, she was fab.

It looks like a family company and they are very good at what they do. The boat was very modern and spotless. My photography skills are lacking but one member of staff was taking photos of the action which we were invited to download off the website later that day so I have some great pics of what we saw too. Virginia Gaskell.

Magnificent crew and vessel, breathtaking encounter with 3 humpbacks and a pod of dolphins. Highly recommended. Sarah Elson. An absolute privilege to have this unique experience with this knowledgeable and caring crew! These guys know what their doing and they genuinely care about the safety and comfort of the whales. It was absolutely amazing. Looking forward to another trip. Joshua James. Did the Augusta trip and was not disapointed. They got us up close to sone hump backs. The crew had a genuine passion and were very professional.

The boat was amazing, best vessel I been on. Would defiantly re book next time we are around, want to see some orcas and blue whales next. Highly recommend. Ashnil Dixit. Went on the 2 hour whale watching cruise from Augusta and absolutely loved it. They lived up to their promise and got us super close to a number of humpback whales. The boat was super plush which was perfect when the kids needed to warm up or a bit of lie down.

Art L. A very well run family owned business. It was our first time watching whales and we caught it in June from Augusta. The crew were very knowledgable and cared well for their customers. Little acts such as bringing blankets out to the bow and even helping with the vomit bags showed they really cared. We spent some time in Flinders Bay looking for groups of whales, while getting commentary on whale and other marine animal behaviour.

The swells were quite large on the day we were out, so be prepared and take some sea sickness pills an hour or two beforehand - it will make a huge diff! Beth Little. An amazing day on the Bremer Bay Canyon Orca tour, such a friendly professional crew. In the wild, killer whales swim on average 3 to 4 mph and can sprin t at speeds up to 34 mph. At those speeds, water creates a considerable force against the fin, which could keep the fin strong and upright.

Captive whales don't have enough space to reach these speeds. Ultimately, the curved dorsal fin is still a mystery. Curved, or not, the orca's giant fin is a beacon to all, this apex predator is a force to reckon with.

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