PE dolphins ready for HK trip

Port Elizabeth - Bayworld's two dolphin stars, Domino and Dumisa are getting ready for a trip of a lifetime. The two Indian Ocean Bottlenose dolphins, who have delighted visitors to the Port Elizabeth Oceanarium on a daily basis, soon will be relocating to the Ocean Park Oceanarium in Hong Kong, as part of a breeding loan. "Although we will be extremely sad to see Dumisa and Domino go, we need to do what is best for the dolphins," says Sylvia van Zyl, director of Bayworld told News24 on Tuesday. According to van Zyl the move addresses the urgent need to separate the dolphins so that they do not breed, a major concern for the genetically compromised father-daughter pair. "Hong Kong's Ocean Park is one of the most respected global facilities for Indian Ocean Bottlenose dolphins and the fact that our dolphins will be able to participate in a breeding programme is a very positive solution to our current challenge. "This will ensure that Bayworld is able to feature dolphins again in the future," van Zyl said.

News24, 01 July 2009