The Animal Embassy experiences a remarkable baby boom, with births recorded in more than 10 species in the last three months.
Loro Parque welcomes a new female bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), after a successful natural birth. The newborn remains closely bonded with her mother, Luna, under the attentive care of the Animal Embassy’s expert team of keepers and veterinarians, who have been ensuring her well-being from the very first moment.
This latest arrival adds to more than ten other successful births of various species in the last three months, marking a particularly prolific period in terms of reproduction.
“We are witnessing life flourishing at our Animal Embassy, which fills us with joy and highlights the outstanding work of our dedicated professionals,” says Wolfgang Kiessling, President of the Loro Parque Group.
“Breeding in zoos is a vital tool for the conservation of threatened species. While the bottlenose dolphin is not globally endangered, the scientific insights gained from their care – including reproductive biology, welfare, veterinary care, and maternal behaviour – is crucial and will play a decisive role in efforts to save other dolphin species already critically endangered,” explains Javier Almunia, Director of the Loro Parque Foundation.
The dolphinarium team has made its large medical pool, the second largest at the facility, available to the mother and her calf, where they engage in natural behaviours, swimming and nursing in perfect coordination.
Although the bottlenose dolphin is currently listed as a species of “least concern” in nature, it faces multiple threats from human activity, such as accidental bycatch in fishing operations or declining prey availability due to overfishing. For example, more than 300,000 cetaceans die each year after becoming entangled in harmful fishing gear, such as gillnets.
‘Reproduction in zoos also benefits animal welfare as it allows mammals to experience essential natural behaviours such as gestation, birth, lactation and maternal care. In addition, the presence of young enriches the group, as their playfulness and curiosity stimulate positive interactions and help strengthen the social structure’, Almunia concludes.
