Klaipeda – Dolphinarium

The Dolphinarium in Klaipeda was opened in 1994; it is the only dolpinarium in the Eastern Baltic. Along with the Sea museum and the aquarium it makes up a unique complex for acquainting people with marine life and Sea business. The dolphinarum is a complex technical installation. The modern technologies of water preparation, filtration and regeneration ensure that the living conditions are the three pools are maintained suitable for the animals. The largest of the three pools is the arena pool (1300 m3, 5.5 m deep) where shows are held. The dolphins take their rest in a 340-m3 pool, which is 4 m deep, while for cases of sickness or delivery there is a quarantine pool. The salinity of water in the pools is 1.8%, and the temperature is maintained at 18-20Ā°C. To keep the water clear it is filtered at night; bacteria are also exterminated then. Living in Klaipeda dolphinarium are Black Sea, or bottle-nosed, dolphins (Tursiops truncatus). Each of the dolphins gets about 10 kg of sprat, mackerel, herring and cod every day. Dolphins are very sensitive animals, they need special care. The health of the dolphins is taken care of by the veterinary service, which not only treats the animals, but also applies numerous preventive measures and controls the quality of water in the pools. In 1998 two female dolphins gave birth to babies for the first ever time at Klaipeda dolphinarium. It was a time of joy and test for all the employees of the dolphinarium. Together with the dolphins, the dolphinarium also houses a couple of Californian sea lions (Zalopus californianus), which were brought to Klaipeda from Duisburg Zoo, Germany.

The dolphins and the Californian sea lions perform in the shows. Trainers of sea mammals train them. It is a rare profession, which requires thorough knowledge of animal physiology and psychology, and at last but not least, love. The basic aim of staging performances with dolphins and Californian sea lions is to educate the public, to acquaint the visitors and especially the young people in a most attractive way with these animals which are one of the most interesting sea animals, with peculiarities of their life and behavior, to foster love to the animals and sense of responsibility towards the living nature and the necessity to preserve it. Every summer, merry water festivals are held in the dolphinarium on weekend evenings in which a group of synchronized swimming, dancers and acrobats perform. These are really exotic shows. Dora sent this lovely card to me.