Loro Parque Loro Parque Tenerife

Xingu river rays bred for the first time at Loro Parque ( FB ) :) :

https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10155458605843333

Today we would like to present to you our Xingu River rays, ‘Potamotrygon Leopoldi’. These ones are the first babies of this species born at Loro Parque and they currently are in a quarantine tank where they receive all the necessary care until they are grown up. While they are here they eat worms, little crustaceans and various types of fish.

Being still newborns, we let them choose the food they like, but after the first couple of weeks, we prepare a varied diet that enables us to provide them with a balanced nutrition. The breeding success contributes to our knowledge about this species as well as other aquatic animals in general. Knowledge that helps us to get a better understanding of nature and, by doing do, contribute to the conservation of biodiversity.
 
Killer whale Morgan, the deaf orca rescued from the Dutch Wadden Sea, rehabilitated at Harderwijk and now living at Loro Parque, has given birth to her first calf Saturday morning September 22nd, 2018. So far mother and calf seem to be in good health and Morgan is showing herself to be a good mother, apparently.
Loro Parque welcomes a newborn calf of the orca Morgan

I guess it's good news, but I'm not entirely sure how to feel about this, to be honest...
 
According to an update by Loro Parque today there are some concerns regarding Morgan's milk production. They are monitoring and will intervene if they believe it is necessary.
Loro Parque
 
Honestly it is the whole killer whale/cetacean captivity can of worms that is on my mind with this. From what I've read a lot of people are not happy with the birth at Loro Parque (or in fact Morgan being there). But while I have mixed feelings about cetacean/killer whale captivity and am at the moment not sure anymore what my opinion on that should be, I am definitely not going to add to the choir of criticism and hatred towards these institutions. Do I have some critical questions, sure. But I'm not going to viciously attack people and places. I give Loro Parque the benefit of the doubt for now.

Most cetaceans, even the "common" bottlenose dolphins to some extent, probably will always remain very challenging species to suitably keep, care for and breed - and that definitely goes for killer whales.

Many facilities have already ended the breeding of killer whales and that won't make things easier I guess.

That said, it does seem to me that at Loro Parque they know what they're doing and are able to do things reasonably okay when it comes to killer whales. I'm sure they'll try everything they can.
 
I visited the park at the weekend, Morgan and baby are together and seem very bonded, they swum together the whole time I saw them apart from when the baby was briefly in the back pool with a trainer. I’d assume to be fed but I didn’t see exactly. Trainer was on her knees at the side of the pool and baby was directly in front so it makes sense.

Their penguin exhibit was also pretty amazing.

Anything else people want to know I may be able to help with.
 
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