Spanish Dolphinariums

orcamad

orcamad

Active Member
I am trying to find some information on the dolphins in the Spanish dolphinariums. Can any one help me? I am after selected information from these parks

Aqualand Costa Adeje
Aquapolis Vilaseca
Barcelona Zoo
Loro Parque
Madrid Zoo
Marineland Catalunya
Marineland Mallorca
Mundomar
Oceanographic
Selwo Marina

(have I missed any facilities with dolphins in?)

My questions
When did the park first open?
When did the dolphinarium first open?
When were the first calves were born?
Does anyone have any dolphin transfer dates e.g. when Cande arrived at the park etc
and does anyone have birth dates for the calves?

Any help would be most appreciated

Thank you
 
I can give you the info for the Barcelona Zoo:

- When did the park first open? 24th September 1892 (dyad of La Mercè, patron saint of Barcelona)

- When did the dolphinarium first open? 1969 and It was the first dolphinarium in Spain and I'm not sure, but possibly the first in Europe.

- When were the first calves were born? 10th November 1971, but died 4 days later :(

- Transfer dates: The first dolphins came from Miami (1971). I'm not sure but many other dolphins have been transfered between Barcelona Zoo and Lisbon Zoo.
 
@aim_foliksta:

No, it was not the first Dolphinarium in Europe. There was Duisburg, Germany, before (1965) and I'm sure that there were others earlier (Britain? France?, Netherlands?)
 
Thanks for the info zoomaniac!

According to the last book published by the Zoo, the Aquarama was built between 1964 and 1968, but in the same book there's a photo dated at the year 1965 of a dolphin arriving at the zoo coming from Seaquarium Miami, so, the zoo should have had another dolphinarium built at least at 1965 or before.... or between 1964 and 1968 was built the cirucular pool (the current Aquarama), and the annexed pool was built before (this pool disapeared at the 80's).

The zoo has another dolphinarium, but I don't know the dates of construction of this facility.
 
Yes, it's about Barcelona Zoo.

I can confirm that at 1965 the zoo already had a pool with dolphins (but I don't know the exact date of contruction of this pool and if it was only a pool or a "dolphinarium"). The complex called "Aquarama" (one of the two current dolphinariums) was built later and opened at 1968. At this year the zoo already recived many dolphins years before (I don't know the dates).

A friend gave me this info, taken from the zoo magazine of those years.
 
@aim_foliksta

Thanks for the information too.

I hope, some of the british or dutch zoochat-members are able to solve the "First European Dolphinarium"-problem.

Interesting is, that wikipedia says: "In 1966, the first dolphin was exported to Europe"
So there were at least 2 dolphinariums without any dolphin..:)?

By the way: When becomes a tank to a real dolphinarium? As far as I know, the FIRST dolphinarium/tank in Duisburg was not built on concrete.

That stuff seems to be a real challenge...:)
 
@orcamad, in a spanish zoo forum we are trying to make a list of all the dolphins that lived in the Barcelona Zoo. The information is in spanish, but you can translate the page with any online translator: Zoos del Mundo - Aquarama - Zoològic de Barcelona You will find for each individual: name, species, gender, date of arrival, origin, date of death and other facts.

And now, returning to the Aquarama construction dates... a forum member have found an article of a newspaper talking about the opening of the Aquarama complex. This article (in spanish) can be found here: Edición del martes, 29 julio 1969, pgina 23 - Hemeroteca - Lavanguardia.es . The date of "birth" of the dolphinarium is 1964-65, and the upgrade with a covered pavilion and three covered pools is 1969

According to this article, the Duirsburg dolphinarium used the Barcelona Aquarama plans/maps to be constructed (the zoo sent some technicians to Barcelona to "copy" the plans/maps). The Barcelona dolphinarium seems to be based on Miami Searama and Maryneland California (I have seen photos of this one and both are very similar)
 
I was disapointed with Oceangraphic in Valencia...just massive pools....but its all really boring? No underwater viewing, and the show was horrendous. Music like "Barbie Girl" or Cheesey Disco 90s songs blasted through the stadium, the whole thing was just a mess!

Mundomar was alot nicer, I liked the pool layout and the underwater viewing under a big ship was cool. They had rockery in the pools which I liked too.

Sorry this post is unrelated, just giving my 2 cents on Spanish Dolphinariums! :p
 
The first dolphins arrived at the Barcelona zoo in early 1965 from Miami Seaquarium. They were housed at the current sea lion exhibit, but I don't know how long they were kept there.

About Cande's transfer she came along with five other dolphins in 1995 from Cuba's National Aquarium.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top