The birth of a second dolphin at a local marine park has evoked mixed feelings from the public over the mammals’ captivity.
The dolphin’s birth is the second in three weeks at the Mediterraneo Marine Park, bringing the total number of dolphins housed in its pools to seven.
Swimming beside its mother, who was caught in the wild, the calf was exhibited to the press for the first time yesterday after making it through its first month, a crucial period during which it was monitored round the clock.
Yet, despite enthusiasm shown by the park’s staff at a news conference, online readers once again debated the dolphins’ captivity at the park.
“Are we supposed to be rejoicing? Once upon a time they roamed freely, now they are merely reduced to (performing) tricks, whether they like it or not,” said one reader.
“The only difference between these two newborns and children born in prison is that the former’s parents have committed no crime,” said another.
On the opposite side of the fence, others congratulated the park on its success in impregnating the two female dolphins and expressed their eagerness to see them in person.
Someone also pointed out that dolphins were probably safer in captivity than in the wild, where they are routinely fished as a delicacy in some countries.
Marine park manager Paulo Pedroli sidestepped any criticism during the press conference, insisting that a debate between professionals was more appropriate.
When asked for a reaction to criticism that the first birth was comparable to a slave giving birth in a plantation, he said: “This is an answer which should come from debate involving different entities and institutions.”
He repeated this line when asked how someone could justify the fact that a dolphin which was naturally born in the wild now lives in a pool.
The first birth, he said, had generated interest from both adults and children. He also explained that the park was in the process of enhancing its educational role at the cost of entertainment, with the number of performances expected to fall in the coming months.
“The public will have the opportunity to ask us anything they like, including about the dolphins’ origins, calves’ births and their care,” he said.
The park also announced yesterday it was launching a competition for children to name its two male calves, with the winners being declared the calves’ godparents.
The competition, which starts tomorrow and runs until the end of next month, also allows children to enter the park for free and any accompanying adults at a reduced price.