ORLANDO, Fla. — SeaWorld Orlando visitors frequently see the theme park’s dolphins in midair, showing off their athletic skills. But that presentation is only a sliver of the dolphins’ everyday routine. In honor of National Dolphin Day, which was April 14, we spent time with the animals and Michael Hunt, SeaWorld’s curator for dolphins.
SeaWorld’s dolphins live in pools at the theater for “Dolphin Adventures,” in its Key West area and in the nursery near the park’s entrance. The company also has dolphins at its Discovery Cove day resort and at Aquatica, its water park, which features Commerson’s dolphins.
“We condition them to be an active participant in their own health care. While you may see the show and see flips and spins and jumps, that’s not the most important training that we do,” Hunt said. “Teaching them to participate in the veterinary care is probably where we burn most of our calories.”
