After trying for 11 years, bottlenose dolphin gives birth in China

A European bottlenose dolphin named Naya swims with her new-born healthy calf at the Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort on July 10. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

Naya is a participant in the European Endangered Species Programme (EEP) animal exchange. Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort, the only Chinese member of both the EEP and the European Association of Zoos and Aquariums (EAZA), established a partnership with Spain two years ago as part of a dolphin exchange program. This initiative involved the transfer of nine bottlenose dolphins to China for specialized conservation efforts.

"This marks the inaugural successful EEP birth since the program's inception in China. No doubt the caliber of the dolphin facility at Hainan Ocean Paradise Resort, coupled with exceptional and professional care, has been pivotal in achieving this milestone," said EEP dolphin coordinator Robert Richard Gojceta.

"We are delighted to observe Naya's exemplary mothering skills, offering promising prospects for the future of the dolphin colony," he noted.