Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Cookie_Jar::offsetExists($key) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Cookie/Jar.php on line 63

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Cookie_Jar::offsetGet($key) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Cookie/Jar.php on line 73

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Cookie_Jar::offsetSet($key, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Cookie/Jar.php on line 89

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Cookie_Jar::offsetUnset($key) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Cookie/Jar.php on line 102

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Cookie_Jar::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Cookie/Jar.php on line 111

Deprecated: http_build_query(): Passing null to parameter #2 ($numeric_prefix) of type string is deprecated in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Transport/cURL.php on line 345

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Utility_CaseInsensitiveDictionary::offsetExists($key) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetExists(mixed $offset): bool, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Utility/CaseInsensitiveDictionary.php on line 40

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Utility_CaseInsensitiveDictionary::offsetGet($key) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetGet(mixed $offset): mixed, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Utility/CaseInsensitiveDictionary.php on line 51

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Utility_CaseInsensitiveDictionary::offsetSet($key, $value) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetSet(mixed $offset, mixed $value): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Utility/CaseInsensitiveDictionary.php on line 68

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Utility_CaseInsensitiveDictionary::offsetUnset($key) should either be compatible with ArrayAccess::offsetUnset(mixed $offset): void, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Utility/CaseInsensitiveDictionary.php on line 82

Deprecated: Return type of Requests_Utility_CaseInsensitiveDictionary::getIterator() should either be compatible with IteratorAggregate::getIterator(): Traversable, or the #[\ReturnTypeWillChange] attribute should be used to temporarily suppress the notice in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Utility/CaseInsensitiveDictionary.php on line 91

Deprecated: http_build_query(): Passing null to parameter #2 ($numeric_prefix) of type string is deprecated in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-includes/Requests/Transport/cURL.php on line 345

Deprecated: Constant FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING is deprecated in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/src/conditionals/third-party/elementor-edit-conditional.php on line 22

Deprecated: Constant FILTER_SANITIZE_STRING is deprecated in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/src/conditionals/third-party/elementor-edit-conditional.php on line 28
Characteristics of the Wholphin
Deprecated: strtolower(): Passing null to parameter #1 ($string) of type string is deprecated in /home1/wildfac1/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wordpress-seo/src/generators/schema-generator.php on line 186
Mammals, Original Wild Facts

Wild Fact #882 – The Main Attraction – Wholphin

I know we spent all of last week in the water but I couldn’t resist taking another trip back to the ocean. Besides I wanted to illustrate that hybrid animals don’t just live on land.  Today we have the cross between a bottlenose dolphin and false killer whale.  Naturally, they decided to name it the Wholphin.

This is a rare hybrid species but they have been reported to occur in the wild. Currently there are only two Wholphin’s held in captivity. Both of them can be found at the Sea Life Park in Hawaii. Unlike the other hybrids discussed the creation of the wholphin was more of an accident.  It just so happened that a female bottlenose was sharing a tank with a male false killer whale. As you can imagine the trainers were surprised to see the hybrid.  They were even more surprised when the wholphin produced her own offspring proving that she was fertile.  Unfortunately, it took three tries before she was able to produce a calf that was healthy enough to survive the harsh world.  In fact, it was so healthy that only a few months after birth it was the size of a one year old dolphin.

The appearance fo the wholphin can vary depending on the parents but generally it appears to take the middle ground.  For example, one of the captive wholphins has 66 teeth which is between both parents. Her dad, the false killer whale, has 44 teeth while her mom, the bottlenose dolphin, has 88 teeth. I guess wholphins just walk the line and don’t want to upset anyone by taking a stance.

If you are ever in Hawaii, and I hope to be someday soon, then make sure you check out the Sea Life Center for the two Wholphin’s.

3 Comments

  1. Wundabar! Although a wholpin sounds more of a word in a bowling alley,Nathan,we should find a spectacular name for this hybrid of my two favorite animals – whale & the dolphin? Now does it smile as much as the dolphin?

    1. You are right that they need a better and more exciting name, Agapelife!

      I am having a tough time coming up with a name that will do any justice for both of these magnificent animals. I am not sure if they smile as much as the dolphin but I sure hope they inherit that trait since it is one of my favourite.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.