SeaWorld Orlando Welcomes Dolphin, Helps Pelican

As always, SeaWorld Orlando shows how much nature and its inhabitants are important for the park by caring for a newborn dolphin and a stranded brown pelican. Take a look:
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SeaWorld Orlando Welcomes Baby Dolphin

ORLANDO, FL (July 6, 2012) -- A dolphin calf was born Saturday morning (June 30, 2012) at 8:47 a.m. at SeaWorld Orlando. The young calf’s sex is unknown at this time, but it has been seen nursing and bonding with its mom, Starkey, both a good indication that the calf is doing well. This is Starkey’s sixth birth. Park guests can see the pair at SeaWorld’s Dolphin Nursery where pregnant dolphins, new mothers, their calves and experienced moms live together.

SeaWorld Orlando Now Caring for Rescued Brown Pelican

(July 3, 2012)  - This afternoon, SeaWorld Orlando’s aviculture team received a brown pelican that was rescued by the US Navy Oil Recovery Team and Virginia Beach SPCA Wildlife Program at Sewells Point Jetty in Norfolk, Va. on June 22. The brown pelican traveled from Virginia to Orlando on Delta Airlines and arrived at the Orlando International Airport.

The approximately 7 pound, mature brown pelican has a severely injured wing and is unable to be returned to the wild. Following treatment at the Sacred Friends Wildlife Rehabilitation in Norfolk, Va., SeaWorld Orlando is now providing the bird with a long-term home inside the park’s Pelican Preserve.

Upon arrival at SeaWorld Orlando, the pelican was placed in a quarantine area and will be closely monitored to make sure it is healthy before joining other rescued brown pelicans in the park. SeaWorld’s animal rescue team is on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week to rescue, care for and return to the wild manatees, whales, sea turtles, birds and dolphins. Since the park’s rescue programs began, more than 20,000 animals have been rescued. So far in 2012, SeaWorld has rescued 184 birds.

Karen Roberts (left), volunteer for Virginia Beach SPCA Wildlife Program, along with Kermit Tapia (right) and Jim Bragg (center) from the US Navy Oil Recovery Team rescued the brown pelican at Sewells Point Jetty, in Norfolk Va. 

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A big thank you to SeaWorld for all that the park does for the animals!

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