Return to Transcripts main page

CNN Live Today

How Do You Get Two and a Half Ton Killer Whale From France to Ohio?

Aired May 28, 2002 - 11:39   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
KRIS OSBORN, CNN ANCHOR; We show you a live picture of Shouka. How do you get a two and a half ton killer whale from France to Ohio? Look at that. On a 747, of course. Shouka, as she's called, a 9- year-old orca is getting her bearings today at Six Flags outside of Cleveland. This whale, swimming around there, looking happy in the water, took a plane ride from her home in France in a holding tank accompanied by her handlers. She is on loan for a breeding program at the park.

So we aroused your curiosity. Jessica Perenteau, Shouka's trainer, and Drew Delgross is with the Six Flags park. They both join us now from Aurora, Ohio this morning.

Jessica, let's begin with you. You understand, are the trainer. First of all, tell us about this flight, how did that wonderful creature get all the way here from France?

JESSICA PERENTEAU, SHOUKA'S TRAINER: Actually, it was a very detailed process. Shouka was transported by a 747 jumbo jet, and a lot of dedicated staff members, a lot of long hours and a lot of TLC. The transport totalled pool from pool took about 14 hours.

OSBORN: I bet it's a pretty involved process. Is there water that goes on the plane as well? I assume there must be, right?

PERENTEAU: Yes, there is. She is actually put in a cradle, which is a box specially made for her, containing water so that her skin stays nice and moist, and that goes right on the plane, as well as on the truck right here to the park.

OSBORN: She seems to know both you and the animal trainer there, Drew.

PERENTEAU: Yes. Drew and I both had the opportunity to go to France about three weeks prior to her transport, and that was so we could begin building a relationship with her. That is very most important thing that we do here as animal trainers, is building relationship with these animals. And that gave us good building block, so that she would have familiar face or two when she got here to Ohio.

OSBORN: How about that? We are seeing Shouka wave, and eat fish and do all kinds of interesting things. Tell us about what she will do there when she gets to Six Flags.

PERENTEAU: What she will do? Actually, our guests can come and see Shouka and help with us this acclimation process. She is learning everyday on becoming a little more comfortable and familiar with her pools, with seeing new faces and all these new friends. She is here as part of a breeding loan. We are working right now in the process of getting another killer whale here, and hopefully very soon, we are going to have some calf development in Ohio.

OSBORN: So hey, Drew, I see you have quite a repour there with Shouka. Tell me how you develop this kind of mutual understanding. She seems to wave and you wave and that sort of thing.

DREW DELGROSS, ANIMAL TRAINER: Well, like Jessica said, we went three weeks beforehand and went out there and worked with her with the French team. So we got used to her and the signalment. Now I have been training for 16 years, so it's kind of all the same method, you just pause the behavior modification and teaching these animals these magnificent behaviors.

OSBORN: A lot of reinforcement, I assume she will perform educational services as well?

DELGROSS: Exactly, educational presentations. And we teach through entertaining, having a good time out here, showing the people all that's wonderful about these animals.

OSBORN: Wow. So how is she doing? She looks to be in good health and just in great spirits.

DELGROSS: She is excellent. She eats a hundred pounds of fish a day, which equals about 18 tons a year.

OSBORN: A lot of people are going to wonder, if she in the same family as that famous Keiko, that killer whale out in the northwest.

DELGROSS: Her family is icelandic, so there technically could be some relations with the Keiko line, but I don't know for a fact.

OSBORN: Interesting. Do you think she will pack in quite a crowd? I mean, she seems to command interest, you know.

DELGROSS: Exactly. There is only five parks in the United States that have killer whales. The next closest killer whale in America is a thousand miles away.

OSBORN: What is her long-term plan? I assume she will be very well taken care of.

DELGROSS: Excellent care, top-notch veterinary services, restaurant-quality fish, animal trainers everyday working with her. She is here on a breeding loan, so we hope in the next two to three years have little baby killer whales swimming around here.

OSBORN: Excellent. Well, she seems to have no trouble devouring those fish. We thank you both Drew Delgross and Jessica Perenteau with Shouka, the nine-year-old female orca, who has put on quite a show for us this morning. We appreciate it.

PERENTEAU: Thank you very much.

Say bye-bye.

OSBORN: That wonderful whale will be packing them in, I'm sure.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com