Meet Mr. Porpoise - Ceta-Base

to have a complete understanding of the position of
the various animals in the social order.
We have found that new arrivals in the tank, if
smaller, were chased and frequently bitten by the
older residents. As mentioned previously, in October,
1938, two young animals were introduced and were
never completely tolerated by the adult female. At
that time the adult female and young offspring were
the only residents in the tanks. In January, 1939, two
adult male porpoises were introduced into the tank
after the adult female had lost her young one. From
the beginning there was no question that the larger
of these two males was the dominant one.
Courtship activity began immediately, and although
the smaller male was definitely subordinated
to the larger, it in no way lessened his activity during
the courtship period. Less than two weeks after the
two males were introduced, a smaller male, seven
and one-half feet in length, was captured. The two
large ones immediately persecuted him and during
the first few days he was bitten several times. Because
of his agility, however, he was able to avoid the two
larger males.
Within a few weeks, he was more or less accepted
by the other porpoises, and was milling around the
feeding attendant's platform during feeding time.
poises at Marine
Studios are curious about activity
on the top deck and
frequently raise their heads
above water. While in this
position they can be attracted
by a waving hand or other
moving object, and the visitor
can induce the porpoises to
leap out of the water for a
photograph. They also gather
in this manner before each
feeding
Photo by Wm. F. Gerecke
This TRIO, an adult and a young bottle-nosed dol- When they were placed in the circular oceanaphin
and one spotted dolphin, were captured at rium, the spotted persisted in following the other
about the same time and were kept together in two for several days in spite of protests on the
the receiving tank for a short training period.
part of the adult bottle-nosed
Photo by Mrs. C. V. Whitney