1st in Phl: Dolphin gives birth in park

SUBIC BAY FREEPORT, Philippines – A bottlenose dolphin at the Ocean Adventure here gave birth last July 6, the first dolphin born in captivity in the country.

The mother of the calf, which is less than one meter long and weighs about 12 kilos, is 11 years old.

Carlo Magno, director for marine mammal operation of Ocean Adventure, said a routine ultrasound revealed the pregnancy last February.

A special birthing pen and nursing lagoon were built, and cameras and an observation deck were installed to monitor the mother dolphin, named Vi.

World-renowned marine mammal veterinarian Robert Braun arrived in the country 10 days before Vi gave birth.

Braun, in consultation with other international marine mammal experts and with the assistance of Ocean Adventure veterinarians and trainers, helped deliver the calf.

“Vi has been a great mom. She’s done everything right. She pushed the baby to the surface for his first breath, helped him avoid the walls and increased his lung capacity by taking him for progressively longer and deeper swims underwater,” Magno said.

Baby dolphins are very vulnerable, Ocean Adventure resident veterinarian Leo Suarez said.

“Every scratch on their delicate skin is a potentially a lethal source of infection until their immune system develops several days after birth. They must swim continually to stay afloat with a soft tail that takes hours to become rigid enough for efficient swimming,” he said.

The calf will be at risk for the first 30 days of its life, Suarez said.

At least eight sea lions have been born at Ocean Adventure.