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Dolphin born at Mediterraneo park

Picture: Marineland Ltd.

Picture: Marineland Ltd.

A 12-year-old bottlenose dolphin called Onda has given birth to a calf at Laguna Mediterraneo, a first for the park in Bahar ic-Caghaq.

The calf is one metre long and weighs13kg.

Its mother was brought to Malta from Cuban waters in 2003 along with the father, Lucas.

Marineland Ltd, the company that runs the Mediterraneo Marine Park, said it had been following a species propagation programme. Veterinary surgeons, trainers, biologists, voluntary workers and the staff at the park had been closely followed the gestation of the young and inexperienced Onda.

Body temperature and behaviour were regularly monitored together with blood tests and ultrasounds check-ups to establish the precise moment of delivery. It all started with the waters breaking and subsequent caudal fin-first deliverance (normally the calves are born tail first).

"Though inexperienced, Onda, guided by a deep maternal instinct has behaved like a perfect mum!" Marineland said.

It may seem strange but the first thing dolphins must do, after giving birth, is to keep the calf underwater and not guide him immediately to the surface unlike what one could be tempted to assume. Keeping the calf underwater is akin to spanking a newborn baby. It allows the lungs to expand when the calf is taking its first breaths, the company said.

Mother and calf are now swimming in a pool of the lagoon especially prepared for the birth. They are being kept under 24-hours surveillance by the park's veterinary surgeon, biologists, trainers and volunteers (Maltese, Portuguese and Italian students of Biology, Veterinary Medicine and other Zoological Sciences).

The calf is feeding normally.

Whether in a monitored environment or in the open seas, dolphins giving birth for the first time are always at risk. In fact, the probability of success is less than 60% but increases day by day.

During the calf's first days of life the mother's energy waste is enormous. Suffice to consider that from 7-8 kg of fish per day she can go on to approximately 20 kg.

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joseph quintano

Aug 3rd 2010, 22:54

how ironic, we say that poor dolphin was born in slavery and then we forget that millions of humans are not even being given the opportunity to be born.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 4th 2010, 08:54

What's the difference between the life of a human being and that of any other animal? Just because you belong to one species does not mean that you have to pooh-pooh the rest of them. And I think your argument has a serious flaw - the two issues cannot be put together. Qed tizloq fin-niexef, jigifieri.

V.Briffa

Aug 3rd 2010, 16:23

Just give us a break please ...

Why we never here of protest from our big brothers who have aquariums filled with sharks and have a column of thousands daily, is there not such a place in London, Barcelona, Genoa etc etc ...

G. Mifsud

Aug 3rd 2010, 12:23

Nothing in the world is perfect, compromise is always the best way forward. It's a fact that dolphins are denied the freedom of the seas but in compensation they are being well looked after, much better than wild dolphins, which are butchered and caught up in fishing nets. Maybe fishermen should not fish either.

If it were not for responsible, professional operators like Mediterraneo who follow extremely strict procedures to minimise hardship to the dolphins, children will never see dolphins at close range except those who happen to be on a yacht far out at sea.

How many of the negative bloggers keep dogs on a leash, birds in cages, eat meat from butchered cows, pigs and fish, which in an ideal situation should all be allowed to live as nature intended.

Paul Vella

Aug 3rd 2010, 12:39

@ S Muscat

Much as I am against cruelty to animals I don't think that the calf is suffeing unduly. He is being monitored, he's with a doting mum and most of all he does not know any better. I am no expert in animal welfare but if the parents were not happy in their environment would they have mated?

Franco Farrugia

Aug 4th 2010, 08:59

@ Paul Vella - How do you know that 'mating' was carried out? Where you there? Can you ascertain us that this happened? Could it be that the female was impregnated artificially? The place swarms with paid 'vets' and 'experts' and 'biologists'.

Andrew Debono

Aug 4th 2010, 18:29

@ Franco.

That is the reason why they are called experts, they get paid for their knowledge like in any other profession. At least all the people realised that the park is a business unlike many 'non-profit organizations' that live on donations just to hang out a few posters and billboards, doing a protest here and there just to show they still exist, plus taking opportunity of national and EU fund for exagerated propaganda.

If you are questioning Paul Vella can you prove otherwise .You werent there either or you know something no one in this blog knows?

Franco Farrugia

Aug 2nd 2010, 19:33

Why? Did the animals come to tell you how happy they are?

Fabien Sant Fournier

Aug 2nd 2010, 22:12

what an impeccable bit of logic!

think again...

http://www.thescavenger.net/animals/dolphins-in-captivity-may-commit-suicide.html

Franco Farrugia

Aug 4th 2010, 08:57

Do you know for sure how the female got pregnant? Where you there? Can you attest to what happened? Could it be that the female was artificially impregnated with the sperm? Eh? Eh? You should know what you are on about before you write.
I bet that if one had to pay 1 eurocent for every comment made, there wouldn't be half the comments there are now!

Joanne Vella

Aug 4th 2010, 12:20

No offence but if that stament were true and pregnacy depended on happiness then the human race would have dies out long ago

Alan Knight OBE

Aug 2nd 2010, 17:42

This is a sad day for Malta ! This baby Dolphin should be born to be wild not born into a life of captivity. Once again Malta wants to establish itself as a centre for animal cruelty not content with shooting thousands of migratory birds you now want to establish yourself as a centre for dolphin breeding.
Alan Knight
International Animal Rescue

Andrew Debono

Aug 2nd 2010, 16:49

Ok A Vella you gave us a link to the trailer of the cove. I am against animal cruelty that has been shown in that film but what does your link got to do with the marine park?. I dont think they slaughter them and get a fresh stock.

But as i mentioned in my previous comments this is an eye opener of what happens in the seas and not a lot of people know about.

Fabien Sant Fournier

Aug 2nd 2010, 22:07

Debono, if you had watched the cove you would know where places like Medterraneo source their animals from, and the millions of Euros involved in this industry!

A.Vella

Aug 3rd 2010, 01:41

The film is not based only on the killings of the dolphins infact they are caught for the aquariums such as this and the rest which are not chosen are slaughtered

dolphins in captivity is animal cruelty and it seems you don not condemn it

Andrew Debono

Aug 2nd 2010, 16:29

I agree with S Micallef. The negative comments are for a handfull of dolphins kept in the marine park that as the article says they are being taken care of by professional people. How many dolphins are dying in the seas. I beleive the number are much bigger and of greater concern than animals being taken care of.

Ultimately domestic animals came originally from the wild an these animal are still captive in their own way. No a lot of people mention this unless it is an animal cruelty case.

As for the what it is being said in a negative way towars the marine park I beleive that the owners of the park have all the permits and inspections done by the competent authorities to keeps these animals or else this park would have been closed down long time ago. So if all is done by the book there is nothing for you anti-captivity people to say. You are entitle to your opinion but let others have their own opinion too.

Andrew Debono

Aug 2nd 2010, 16:38

As for those that are saying they do not agree that the marine park is making profit using animals and that the poor baby is going to be in captivity all its life, remember that there are a lot of animal breeders that breed animals for profit and it seems that there is no problem with that.

@ Alison Bezzina...... nice way to promote your website.... bad idea in my opinion. Some of the info is correct but you are only filtering out the complete information and facts of dolphins.

@ Gena Wilcox FREEDOM is a state of mind, no one is free. Especially animals that are affected by the environment they live in, by the their status in the food chain and by human interfierence.



Franco Farrugia

Aug 2nd 2010, 19:32

@ Andrew Debono - Sir, your argument is correct but know that yes, there are those amongst us, myself in the forefront, who utterly and unreservedly condemn animal breeders of all sorts!

Fabien Sant Fournier

Aug 2nd 2010, 22:04

Andrew Debono; contrary to what you believe, no there are actually some of us in Malta who are against the idea of having pets, and dont even get me started on breeders!
Being taken care of does not mean that captivity is ok. Living in tanks stops these animals from doing what it is that makes them dolphins!

your comment about freedom...Im sure the dolphins would prefer to take their chances out there in the wild, than live a long pathetic existence in a tiny tank!

martin saliba

Aug 2nd 2010, 18:07

Where dose the bible say that it it ok to hold animals captive ?

Andrew Debono

Aug 4th 2010, 18:42

@ Martin Saliba

As far as I know in the bible when baby Jesus was born there was a donkey and a cow staying near him. Maybe not directly said in the bible but there were people riding donkeys and horses that mean that yes human beings already started keeping wild animals captive.

As far as I know that thanks to the two animals standing by gesus when he was a baby that kept him warm.

N.Cassar

Aug 2nd 2010, 17:05

well said! animals are NOT toys for human amusement.

Franco Farrugia

Aug 2nd 2010, 14:39

'Well-being'? Earning money out of its presence, you mean, surely. How presumptuous of us, to just dismiss their possible plight when they are captive! What do YOU know about the health and the well-being of the mammal in question? Would YOU like to be made a prisoner, however 'golden' the cage may be?

martin saliba

Aug 2nd 2010, 13:01

Wouldn't you still have sex in captivity ?? But you wouldnt want to have a child that would be a prisoner all its life. Or are you being sarcastic ?

Adrian Allain

Aug 2nd 2010, 13:38

Martin.
I would much rather see these beautiful creatures in the wild as they should be, but they are not, and that will not change.
The fact that they have each other for company and seem to be well cared for, is a better life than the thousands of wild birds, which each year are put into solitary confinement in Malta with barely room to turn around in their tiny cages. They won't breed.

clinton magro

Aug 2nd 2010, 13:36

at least she is being taken care of and all possible medications are being given... i think its better than out there especially near the gulf ?? or maybe trapped in a fishermen's net ? or swallowing some plastic we dump irresponsibly ? is soltu storja nsoma ma tista taghmel xejn ax xorta imaqdruk

Marouska Bartolo

Aug 2nd 2010, 17:22

@Cinton Magro

2wrongs don't make a right!!!!

Joseph Micallef

Aug 2nd 2010, 18:54

@magro would you like to be a prisoner so that you can get 24/7 attention?

Isabella Peresso Fiorentino

Aug 3rd 2010, 21:39

Mr Aguis, the dolphins' place is in the ocean and not in the pool.

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