BUCHAREST, April 6 (Reuters) – On the dolphinarium within the Black Sea port metropolis of Constanta, Romanian and Ukrainian trainers are letting dolphins information them regardless of language limitations.
Final 12 months, the dolphinarium took in 4 dolphins and three sea lions alongside their trainers and medical doctors fleeing the shelling within the japanese Ukrainian metropolis of Kharkiv.
“Now we’ve got extra colleagues … Ukrainian colleagues and Ukrainian dolphin colleagues,” Romanian coach Mona Mandrescu mentioned on the fringe of the pool after a mid-morning efficiency for tons of of delighted college kids.
“We get alongside collectively very properly, we converse the identical ‘language’. It is the most effective factor that would occur to our dolphins.”
Romania is one out of some fourteen European Union states which have dolphinariums and captive sea animals.
The Constanta dolphinarium, a part of a wider pure science museum and analysis complicated, has been house to feminine dolphins Ni Ni and Chen Chen since 2010.
[1/4] Ukrainian dolphin coach Sonia Chezghanova interacts with two dolphins on the Constanta Dolphinarium, the place 4 dolphins and three sea lions from a destroyed aquarium in Ukraine discovered refuge, in Constanta, Romania, April 4, 2023. REUTERS/Olimpiu Gheorghiu
In Kharkiv, the native dolphinarium sought to maneuver their dolphins and sea lions as quickly because the shelling began final February.
The dolphins – Kiki, Maya, Marusia and Veterok – and sea lions – Alex, Mary and Zosya – have been instantly moved to Odessa, the place they waited for 2 months for Romanian and Ukrainian officers to finish the carousel of paperwork wanted to convey them into the EU.
The animals arrived in Constanta in early Might and have been quarantined for a month earlier than being launched to the 2 resident dolphins.
“It was a brand new expertise for us and our animals as a result of we’re totally different, they’ve two very previous and really lovely women, we’ve got very younger animals, at first it was a disconnect,” Ukrainian crew chief Elena Komogorova mentioned.
“However proper now … we’re excellent pals – identical with our crew.”
The animals began performing collectively in late June, swimming with trainers, leaping via hoops and balancing balls. The ocean lions mingle with the viewers.
“We would like them to stick with us for so long as doable,” the dolphinarium’s supervisor Iulian Calin mentioned. “They’re exhausting working folks and dolphins and we wish them to be with us as a result of we make a gorgeous household.”
Reporting by Anca Cernat; Writing by Luiza Ilie; Enhancing by Sonali Paul
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