Loro Parque Welcomes Killer Whale Calf
October 15, 2010
Two baby Killer Whales in just two days! Loro Parque, located in Spain's Canary Islands, welcomed its first orca calf yesteday. Veterinarians, biologists and other experts, watched anxiously over the four hours of labor. Moments after the birth, the onlookers were relieved to see the healthy newborn calf instinctively rise to the surface and take its first breath. The baby weighs 150 kilograms (330 lbs) and measures 2 meters (6.5 feet) long. The conservation status of Killer Whales is poorly understood and scientists are working hard to determine if one or more types of different Killer Whales may be distinct endangered species.
Special thanks to ZooBorns reader Juan Villalba for alerting us to this birth.