Born in captivity and spawner in captivity. For the first time, a dolphin born at the Marineland water park in Antibes gave birth to a baby. The announcement was made by the park on its social networks. The baby, a female weighing about 15 kg for 85 cm, was born on May 8, is doing well and is fed by breast milk, the park said. "The animal does not suck strictly speaking, because there are no teats, it is positioned on the side, in the right place on the breast slit, and then the mother expels the milk", details Damien Montay, director zoological of the park.
During parturition, the mother, Nala, aged 10, was helped, as happens in this species, by a more experienced female, in this case her own mother, Malou, also notes the park. The gestation itself lasts a year. With this newborn, Marineland Park, which is the main dolphinarium in France, now has 11 dolphins.
NGOs challenge breeding in dolphinariums
This birth comes while the reproduction of dolphins in captivity is contested by several NGOs. In January 2018, the water parks had obtained from the Council of State the cancellation for procedural defect of a ministerial order prohibiting the reproduction of dolphins and orcas in captivity.
On May 3, 2017, Ségolène Royal, then Minister of the Environment, had signed this decree prohibiting the reproduction of these two species in France and also providing for the increase in the size of the pools and the prohibition of chlorine in the treatment of l water, in particular with the aim of "eliminating animal suffering".
Marineland, during this interval, had to take contraceptive measures to prevent the reproduction of his animals.
The park has been closed since March 14, due to the health crisis, and is awaiting authorization from government authorities to reopen.
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