WAIMANALO, Oahu, Hawaii -- The world's only known living hybrid of a false killer whale and an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin known as a "wholphin" has given birth to a female calf.
The hybrid mother, Kekaimalu, gave birth about a 100 days ago.
Her baby female calf, yet to be named, is one-fourth false killer whale and three-fourths dolphin.
HONOLULU — The only whale-dolphin mix in captivity has given birth to a playful female calf, officials at Sea Life Park Hawaii said Thursday.
The calf was born on Dec. 23 to Kekaimalu, a mix of a false killer whale and an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin. Park officials said they waited to announce the birth until now because of recent changes in ownership and operations at the park.
Killer whales are in fact the largest of the dolphin "species." Meaning they are a type of dolphin. As Char noted they are in the same genus, as is the false killer whales which are slightly smaller and different then "true" killer whales.
Actually what I meant was they're in the same "family"... that being Delphinidae. It's been awhile since I was in school... please forgive.
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 | 05:32 PM
there goes a narwhal... look out for that pirhana
Raoul
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 | 05:45 PM
This Wholphin is not known to me, or any from The Land of My Birth. The older ones still speak, however, of days gone by, when fish were mated with mules to pull the barges. They were called BassAsses
Raoul
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 | 05:50 PM
The BassAss had a mean streak, I am sad to say. When angered, they would spit a muddy, foogy mist out of the water at you. Suffice it to say, not for long were they welcome, these BassAss MudFoggers. Rrrraoul
Sharruma
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 | 05:50 PM
Could have been worse Raoul
It might have been Grizzleys mating with Donkeys
and producing BearAsses
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 | 06:16 PM
The Hasbro Toy company, way back in 1962, made a toy called "Odd Ogg", that was advertised as "Half Turtle and Half Frog." He was low to the ground, and battery powered. If you rolled balls at him, he came in your direction. I had one, you better believe I did. Couldn't stop singing the jingle: "Odd Ogg Odd Ogg half turtle and half frog". Still can't. Damn those Hassenfeld Brothers
Hairy, I thought Odd Ogg was something you just came up with as a joke till I looked it up. It does look pretty cool. I found one on eBay selling at $77 with two days to go.
Hairy Houdini
Posted: Fri Apr 15, 2005 | 07:00 PM
Odd Ogg's TV commercial had all the forest creatures gathered about a tree stump, to see the new hybrid animule, singing that damn song. It keeps me awake at night. Fish scare me, too. BassAsses, the most
I was trying to find the jingle and can't. Now I'm curious!
I still sing the theme song for the "army ants" commercial. (Not sure if they were here in the US or not, little ant figures dressed like army guys - you can see them here.
I always thought these hybrid animals were infertile- this is certainly true for mules and i think also for 'ligers' (or 'tions')
perhaps an actual hoax for once?
on an unrelated note, there is a creationist 'textbook' for kids out there somewhere, which demonstrates the impossibility of evolution with pictures of the 'whalecow'- the front end of a cow with a huge whale tail. the impracticality of such an animal demonstrates that the process of animals evolving from being sea-bound to land-roaming is impossible. i think twas written by a chap called Dr Gish.
I don't think all hybrids are necessarily sterile. The liger can breed, I believe.
Tawny
in home
Posted: Thu Apr 21, 2005 | 03:06 PM
I'm having a hard time believing this story. I'm pretty certain that hybrid animal are sterile, At least that's what every article I've read so has said.
Jason
in Denver, CO.
Posted: Mon May 23, 2005 | 07:38 PM
I was on Oahu in the summer of '95, and the Wolphin in question IS real. I saw her myself. She's the lead attraction. I also have relatives that live on Oahu, and this story is true. It *IS* known that *SOME* hybrids are infertile but she isn't.
It does look pretty cool. I found one on eBay selling at $77 with two days to go.