Baby dolphin successfully bred at Aqua World in east Japan for 2nd year in row
MITO -- The Aqua World Ibaraki Prefecture Oarai Aquarium announced June 12 that a baby bottlenose dolphin was born in April, marking the second year in a row the species has been successfully bred at the facility.
The aquarium in the Ibaraki Prefecture town of Oarai keeps 10 bottlenose dolphins, and the female calf was born April 29 to Rei and Nick, the only male of the 10. She has now grown to a length of about 130 centimeters. The mother kept the calf close right after she gave birth, but the baby has been swimming alone more -- a sign of healthy growth.
Last year, the aquarium saw its first birth of a bottlenose dolphin since the facility's update in 2002. To continue successful delivery and nursing, they placed Rei with the mother and baby dolphins in the same tank. The staff said dolphins learn how to care for a baby by being near the mother dolphin. She appears to be raising her newborn well, helping it swim and nursing since she gave birth.
The aquarium will continue monitoring the mother and baby dolphins to decide when to debut the baby and announce its name to the public.
(Japanese original by Kazuki Ite, Mito Bureau)
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