Sakari, meaning “sweet,” is the newest addition to our killer whale family. Born to Takara on January 7, this little girl is growing and learning by leaps and bounds every day.
Recently Sakari has begun to explore her heightened sense of curiosity. Though she is still nursing, her mom has been sharing fish and Sakari has been playing with them quite frequently. Takara will shake a large salmon and share the pieces with Sakari, but Sakari will also take her own smaller fish when placed in the water in front of her. We are not yet certain if she actually ingests them, but the entertainment they provide her definitely lasts a while! We have documented the progression of weening to solid food with previous killer whale calves, and we are happy to say that Sakari is right on track.
Sakari pictured with her mother Takara
Sakari has also begun interacting with trainers, often soliciting tactile reinforcement. She will sit with us for brief sessions and let us rub her back, flippers, fin and flukes, repeatedly circling back for more. Sakari seems intrigued by the things given to her mom as well. She will play in the stream of a hose or watch intently as Takara receives a rubdown with a soft brush.
Just the other day, I watched Takara play with a plastic flower planter then set the toy in front of Sakari for her to investigate. Providing her with objects to manipulate stimulates her thinking and presents her with a puzzle to solve. Takara will not necessarily “spoon feed” Sakari on how to interact with different objects in her environment but will allow her to figure out what to do with the objects or create her own ways to play.
Our curious little calf is also discovering new things she can do. While a trainer was splashing water in front of her, Sakari mouthed at the water and gave her own little squirt in return. She will mimic her mother in waving her tail or jumping out of the water. One of my favorite memories so far is of Sakari trying to jump as high as she could out of the water. Takara sat back and watched as her calf sunk deep into the pool, paused a moment, then swam as fast as she could towards the surface then up into the air!
Sakari jumping out of the water
Observing such interactions gives us insight into how killer whales develop and teach their young. At times, Takara will physically manipulate Sakari to place her where she wants her. In other circumstances, Takara will show her a behavior and wait for her to mimic it. By watching the fish sharing, we see how Takara is actually determining the schedule on which Sakari will transfer from milk to fish. It also contributes to our pool of information that helps us in analyzing the development of calves in the future.
I am fascinated every day by the things Sakari learns and tries. Watching this discovery process along with the gentle nurturing and guidance of Takara has quickly become the highlight of my days. I am amused by Sakari’s playfulness and inquisitiveness, but I am utterly amazed by her mother’s protection, instruction and care.
