Came along this video from Valencia Aquarium :
Does anybody know if Valencia Aquarium - Venuzuela still keeps River dolphins ?
Does anybody know if Valencia Aquarium - Venuzuela still keeps River dolphins ?
River Dolphins in captivity!
- Thread starter Dallaspachyderm
- Start date
They unfortunately don't anymore. The situation in Venezuela is truly dire and zoo animals have been victims of abandonment, lack of resources or straight-out poaching. I found this article from 2016 saying that all of the 6 individuals have died. A truly saddening situation.
e-planning
.
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Really tragic news but I have to say I am not really suprised given the situation in Venezuela.
These photos are supposed to be from November this year (2020) taken at Zoologico de Guistochoca in Peru. So is it possible that they still got one Amazon river dolphin and that Baby was not the last one in captivity? 
2 photos of the individual and one of the enclosure.
2 photos of the individual and one of the enclosure.
Attachments
These photos are supposed to be from November this year (2020) taken at Zoologico de Guistochoca in Peru. So is it possible that they still got one Amazon river dolphin and that Baby was not the last one in captivity?
2 photos of the individual and one of the enclosure.
So the enclosure is just a small pond with a net around it?
If it hasn't been talked about yet here is a pdf on amazon river dolphin captivity by ICUN that discusses holders, tank sizes, and diets
https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/SSC-OP-003_pp35-41.pdf
https://portals.iucn.org/library/sites/library/files/documents/SSC-OP-003_pp35-41.pdf
I read somewhere that they tend to kill each other if multiple are put together, although this of course depends on personality.
Perhaps a little more knowledge of the political and social situation in Venezuela would have saved you from digging up an old thread and shouting about it…?
Orca obsessed
Well-Known Member
Oops sorry didn’t realize about the Venezuela situation
I should’ve thought more before ranting sorryOops sorry didn’t realize about the Venezuela situation
No worries, we all live and learn. I agree it’s a shame what happened to the individuals at Valencia. I had followed them for quite some time before 2016, even celebrating multiple births. Two of their animals were even shipped to South-Korea at some point, where they were put in holding while an exhibit was under construction. If I remember correct, the exhibit never got finished and the animals returned to Venzuela…
Local_Shark
Well-Known Member
This is an absolute lifesaver of a study. I cited it multiple times in the paper I wrote on river dolphin captivity in college. It's got some really fantastic info for anyone who's interested. This paper from 2013 has some really fascinating stuff too, including about multiple other rare cetacean species: https://www.int-res.com/articles/esr2013/19/n019p223.pdf
Local_Shark
Well-Known Member
Very sad to hear, poor fellow.Seems like the last one passed away
"Huayrurín, the last captive Amazon River dolphin, died ~ June 25, 2025 at Zoologico Quistococha in Peru (19 years old). His cause of death was cardiac arrest."
More info (Facebook): Ceta Base
Tragic news - ultimately the end of an era for this species in captivity.Seems like the last one passed away
"Huayrurín, the last captive Amazon River dolphin, died ~ June 25, 2025 at Zoologico Quistococha in Peru (19 years old). His cause of death was cardiac arrest."
More info (Facebook): Ceta Base