Adventure World had three babies, two bottlenose dolphins and one Pacific white-sided dolphin, born on May 24 and June 15, 2010. all three are growing well and live with their parents.
■Baby dolphins are growing up fast ■
●Bottlenose dolphins (born on May 24 and June 15, 2010)
The baby born in May has gradually started to eat fish after three months of age. They are very curious, and sometimes imitate their mothers by jumping, and when they do it well, they even stretch out toward the trainer to show off. Banded dolphins nurse from their mothers for 18 months to 2 years after birth, but they also begin to take an interest in food around 3 to 4 months of age.

　However, a baby born in June is not interested in feeding even after 4 months, and swims alone even when its mother is feeding. If this situation continues, when the mother's milk output begins to decrease, they will lose weight due to lack of nutrition. Therefore, at the end of October, we decided to keep these two pairs of parents and babies in the same pool. Same size

■Breeding Research on Banded Dolphins■
Currently, banded dolphins in the wild are an animal with little threat of extinction, but their numbers may decrease if environmental destruction continues. On the other hand, only a few of the dolphins bred and kept in zoos and aquariums across Japan are born in captivity. This is due to the fact that population nursing of cetaceans is very difficult and that breeding is daringly restricted. However, systematic breeding is necessary to maintain the captive population.
　In October 2010, the Park, in collaboration with Kobe University, began research on a "method for preserving bottlenose dolphin semen". The purpose of this research is to establish a suitable preservation method for bottlenose dolphin semen and to consider artificial insemination in the future. We have been training banded dolphins to be able to perform semen collection without anesthesia. As a result, we are able to collect semen regularly with minimal stress. If a preservation method can be established for bottlenose dolphins, there is a possibility that it can be applied to other cetaceans.
　We will continue to be active in order to contribute to the breeding of cetaceans and the "conservation of species" in any way we can.

（Yuko Maenosono)