TRAIN A WHALE IN CONNECTICUT'S GREAT AQUARIUM
Swim with dolphins? Okay, but Mystic Aquarium, a division of Sea Research Foundation and one of the nation's leading aquariums, can top it: Mystic offers encounter programs that enable people to interact with whales. These programs aren't cheap – they cost more or less $100 per person, plus admission to the aquarium – but they are so unique and popular that travelers come from all over to participate in them.
We asked Kelly O'Neil, marine biologist and senior trainer of beluga whales at the Mystic, Connecticut, aquarium some questions about the Train-a-Whale program.
Do visitors get right in the water with beluga whales?
Not in the Train-a-Whale sessions, but you can in our Beluga Encounter program. By the way, for that program you must be at least five feet tall.
How big are the whales?
The three in the Train-a-Whale program are Juno, who's 12 feet long and weighs 1,400 pounds; Kela, who weighs 1,300 pounds; and Naku, a longer female who weighs 1,600 pounds. [See above.]
Are beluga whales the source of caviar?
No, you don't get fish eggs from a mammal. Beluga caviar comes from sturgeon. Sturgeon, like these whales, are white, and “beluga” just means “white one” in Russian.
Why does Mystic Aquarium train whales?
To keep them healthy. We teach them to do things like lie outstretched so we can examine their skin and even their ovaries. The whales learn to present their flukes so blood can be taken. We even train them to allow a scope down their throat. This is all part of preventative healthcare, and it's these behaviors that we work on with participants in the program.
What's the secret to training a whale?
Each whale has a different personality and learning curve, so a new trainer has to spend a week or so getting to know the whale. That's critical, because if a trainer teaches too quickly for a whale to grasp the lessons, that whale will be frustrated, but if the trainer works too slowly for a fast-learning whale, the whale will be bored. We train the whales by using positive reinforcement, rewarding them with fish and tongue rubs.
Tongue rubs?
Yes, tongue rubs. They love that.
What surprises visitors most about this experience?
First, they're impressed with how long the whale stays with them. After all, this is a very large pool, so the whale could just swim away. They're also surprised at how soft the beluga whale's skin is. A few have said it feels like a hard-boiled egg.
Dogs often train their owners instead of vice versa. Do whales try to train their trainers?
Sure. For example, when a training session, which usually lasts 15 or 20 minutes, is over, you tilt your hand over the fish bucket to let the whale know the session is over. However, 99% of the time, whales stick around for tongue rubs, and they'll even perform funny behaviors to keep us there.
To see if you've evolved enough to train a whale – and not vice versa – book a spot in the Train-a-Whale program at Mystic Aquarium, about 100 miles from Boston and 135 miles from New York City.
Mystic has hotels at all price points, but if you have enough spare change to stay at the Inn at Mystic, you can enjoy views from one of the few places that's actually on the water. If giving a whale a massage makes you want one, stay at the Spa at Norwich Inn, north of Mystic and one of the best destination spas in the Northeast. There's a public golf course next door to the Norwich Inn; alternatively, drive seven miles past Norwich to Foxwoods Resort Casino, which offers golf as well as gambling, dining, and entertainment. Foxwoods also supports the Mashantucket Museum and Research Center, one of the few museums devoted to an East Coast Native American tribe.
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