Whales: An Animal Rescue Story

Today we’re visiting a very special whale named Skoot at the Whale Sanctuary Project in Canada. Learn all about whales, what makes them unique, how Skoot was rescued, and what you can do at home to help protect whales. 

Transcript

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Hey explorers! Welcome to Animal Rescue Adventures, the show where we meet amazing animals and become heroes for them too. I'm Steph and today we're going on a rescue mission. Today we're visiting a very special animal named Scoot at the Whale Sanctuary Project in Canada. Can you guess what kind of animal she is? Scoot is a whale. Let's learn a few cool things about whales. The blue whale can be over a hundred feet long. That's longer than three school buses. Whales have hair, are warm-blooded, and must come to the surface to breathe air through their blowholes. A thick layer of fat called a blubber protects whales from cold water. Killer whales are actually orcas, which is the largest member of the dolphin family, and they live in social groups called pods. Whales make noises like moans, howls, and clicks that can reach up to 180 decibels. That's louder than a jet engine. Many whales were hunted in the past and are still threatened by boat traffic and ocean pollution. Some whales can live for over 200 years old. Let's learn more about Scoots type of whale, which is a beluga whale. Beluga calves, or baby belugas, are born dark gray or brown and slowly turn white as they get older, a process that takes up to eight years. They are one of the few whale species that can swim in reverse. Beluga lack a fin on their back, which helps them swim under thick sea ice. Even though they have teeth, beluga swallow their food whole. Beluga whales are slow swimmers, they take their time. But Scoot didn't always have a swimmingly fun life. Scoot started in a place far from the open ocean at a tank in Marineland, a theme park that had whales in captivity. Meaning he was born at the theme park, but some of the other whales that were there were captured in the open ocean and then moved to Marineland to live in a tank with him. Scoot was hurt by older whales in his tank. In the ocean, she could have swum away, but in a small space she couldn't escape. Her mother tried to protect her, but it wasn't enough, so the rescue team at the whale sanctuary stepped in to help. They took her to the whale rescue sanctuary project in Canada. So then what happened? After a few months she was healing and eating more food, but she missed her mother. So the rescue team wanted to help. They went back to Marineland and rescued her mother. Now the two of them live in a beautiful sanctuary in Canada where they're taken care of, fed, and not forced to perform from humans, and they have their own tank. Trivia time true or false. Whales have hair. True True or false. Some whales can live up to two hundred years old. True. Beluga whales are born dark and turn what as they grow older? They turn white. How do beluga whales swallow their food? They swallow it whole, they don't chew it. True or false. Beluga whales are fast swimmers. False, they're slow swimmers. Alright, explorers, here's your mission today. You can help whales like Scoop by using reusable lunch boxes, water bottles, and bags to keep plastic out of the oceans where it can harm whales. Avoid releasing balloons which can end up in the ocean and be mistaken for food. Take part in local park or beach cleanups to stop trash from reaching the ocean. Turn off your lights, walk or bike instead of riding a car, saving energy to help fight climate change, which impacts ocean temperatures and whale food sources. Encourage your family to buy sustainable seafood that does not threaten whales, with, for example, dangerous fishing gear. Participate or fundraise for organizations that protect whales from threats like hunting and captivity. Every small action makes a big difference. Our adventure ends today with our new friend Scoot. Let's promise to do our part to protect animals and our planet. Because here at Animal Rescue Adventures, every animal matters and every explorer helps. And for the parents listening, remember to sign up for our Animal Rescue Adventures Club app, www.supportanimal rescue adventures.com. That support Animal Rescue Adventures.com. See you later.