STORY: Behind-the-scenes "adventure" with French killer whale trainer | Sunny's Spotlight @World Oceans Day
SHOOTING TIME: Recent footage
DATELINE: June 8, 2024
LENGTH: 00:03:10
LOCATION: GUANGZHOU, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of killer whales
STANDUP 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
STANDUP 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
SOUNDBITE 3 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 4 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
SOUNDBITE 5 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 6 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 7 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 8 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
SOUNDBITE 9 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 10 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
SOUNDBITE 11 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
SOUNDBITE 12 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
SOUNDBITE 13 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer

STORYLINE:

STANDUP 1 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Hello. Welcome to Sunny's Spotlight. Today we'll embark on a thrilling adventure at Chimelong Spaceship, a new, large, indoor aquatic theme park at the Zhuhai Chimelong International Ocean Resort in south China's Guangdong Province."

Setting aside the thrill of park rides and attractions, I arrived at the bustling work area well before the gates opened to the public, eager to meet my guest.

STANDUP 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Julien Forestier, assistant general manager of the new theme park, has dedicated himself since 2012 to the killer whales project at Chimelong.
Forestier has led a team caring for 14 resident killer whales. He has overseen the successful births of five calves at Chimelong.
Today, I'm joining Forestier for an exclusive behind-the-scenes look at his day working alongside these magnificent creatures."

SOUNDBITE 1 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"Her name is Nukka."

SOUNDBITE 2 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Nukka. Hi, Nukka. What's her favorite food?"

SOUNDBITE 3 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"Her favorite food is herring. This is a herring.
Here in Chimelong, there are six different types of fish. And they eat differently, you know, each diet and each amount of food is specifically designed for each (killer) whale."

SOUNDBITE 4 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"So, food is your language."

SOUNDBITE 5 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"No, food is not the language. Food is just part of it..."

This marked the start of a routine - the daily breakfast and physical examination of the killer whales. 

SOUNDBITE 6 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"And then we have a very efficient husbandry program. We can do ultrasounds on them so that it enables us to make sure that they stay healthy all the time. 
It's not just about food. The way we work with those guys is based on positive relationships. We gotta be respectful to them also."

He led me to the glass wall. There, I experienced an extraordinary connection with Yilong, a five-year-old "boy" born at Chimelong.

SOUNDBITE 7 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"Hello, little boy."

SOUNDBITE 8 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Oh, I can hear the sound."

SOUNDBITE 9 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"You can hear him, yes?"

SOUNDBITE 10 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Yeah, he is trying to communicate."

SOUNDBITE 11 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"He is saying 'hello.'"

SOUNDBITE 12 (English): SUNNY ZHOU, Xinhua correspondent
"Hello."

SOUNDBITE 13 (English): JULIEN FORESTIER, Assistant general manager of Chimelong Spaceship, Killer whale trainer
"Here in Chimelong with the killer whales, we are able to do a lot of research on the animals. 
And everything that we find out, all the data that we're able to collect on these animals, all the information, all the data that we collect here is something that down the road can be used to help the wild population of killer whales that are threatened at some parts of the world.
To introduce killer whales to the general public, I think that's very significant.
For the people coming to our park and getting more familiar with and love the animals, that also creates more awareness for how to protect them in the ocean."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Guangzhou, China.
(XHTV)