Two amazon river dolphins to Korea

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jwer

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15+ year member
Someone on the dutch forums found this odd bit of news on Ceta-Base, the captive cetacean database.

Oct 24 2010 Inia Transport Artemis Acq. Valencia → Korea
Oct 24 2010 Inia Transport Zeus Acq. Valencia → Korea

Two captive born amazonian river dolphins have been shipped to Korea, of all places. Does anyone know anything about this transport, like where they ended up?

Next to "baby" in Duisburg, these are now the only Amazonian river dolphins in captivity outside South America...
 
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just found this on CetaBase:

Sunday, October 24, 2010
Oct 23rd, 2010 - Acuario de Valencia Enters in Exchangeh Agreement with Aquaworld Daejeon (Korea)


Valencia, 18 Oct. AVN .- Visitors to the aquarium in Valencia, Carabobo, Venezuela, and Aquaworld Daejeon, Republic of Korea, can enjoy a diversity of marine species following the signing of an agreement between both institutions to exchange for five years, two freshwater dolphins, known as dolphins, a mandarin fish and other species from China.

The exchange of cooperation was signed recently between the municipalities of Valencia and Daejeon, under the approval of People's Power Ministry for the Environment (Minamb), the governing body for aquariums and zoos in the country.

The director of Minamb-Carabobo, Cesar Ivan Alvarado, noted that that agreement is part of the linkages of national and international aquarium to exchange experiences and support to diversify its attractions.

The official pointed out that such exchanges occur under purely for recreational, educational and informative, so that species in temporary swap will be displayed in tanks involved in such specific terms.

He explained that besides the exchange of dolphins Zeus and Artemis by the Asian species, the agreement establishes a major South Korean investment to run in the Aquarium in Valencia, to modernize under the international standards, which provide added value Carabobo this park.

During the signing of the agreement, the mayor of Valencia, Edgar Parra, said the estimated investment in this exchange of diversity and technology is in the order of $ 500,000 for infrastructure improvements Toninario, which now has the capacity to 350, and future plans for the construction of a new pool for the dolphins, with a capacity of 800 people.

He said that working on the project to build the first zoo in Valencia, which would be located on the premises of the former National Racetrack, moving the animals found in zoos in Maracaibo (Zulia state) and Barquisimeto (Lara state) under unsuitable conditions.

That the exchange could take place in the coming months, reported at that time the mayor of Valencia, who emphasized that the aquarium in Valencia will continue to present the acclaimed show of the dolphins, and four other specimens of this species remain in the park Carabobo.

He also noted that the species may be repatriated in exchange if either party terminates the agreement, and that Venezuela does not lose its sovereignty over these species, their offspring and their genes.

SOURCE: Agencia Venezolana de Noticias

does anyone know anything about "AquaWorld Daejeon"?

(btw, apparantly cetabase threw the spanish text through the google translator... you get the idea though)

Found more Spanish news on this by accident here:
http://avisa.org.ve/noticias-de-int...oninas-a-corea-una-problematica-de-gran-peso/

It also holds a list on animals that where or are kept at Valencia. It contains a lecture given by an expert from Venezuela who isn't too happy about the transfer. Apparantly Artemis was the only male that could replace their breeding male "Zeus" in the future, because he's completely unrelated.

Since i find this species amazing, I find this information very interesting :)
 
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This is a shock, especially considering Duisburgs long time contact with Valencia. About a decade ago, Valencia was ready to send river dolphins to Dallas World Aquarium. This transfer although never happened.
 
Saro said:
This is a shock, especially considering Duisburgs long time contact with Valencia. About a decade ago, Valencia was ready to send river dolphins to Dallas World Aquarium. This transfer although never happened.
Click to expand...

As to the Dallas World Aquarium, I have been there recently and met the owner; a maverick, entrepreneur and a major wildlife enthusiast; I would be surprised if he had forgotten about this possibility.

Not sure about Duisburg; isn't the chief hindrance the German antis, or is it within the zoo itself?
 
I am not sure about Duisburg, too... The only thing I´d heard in the past was, that it isn´t possible to export any river dolphins from south america and that the amazing "Rio Negro" will be home for some mantees, if "Baby" will die...

Shocking that there´s a chance for Korea to get two of the river dolphins... Don´t know, if this will be good for the animals...
 
Asia has shown that it can have some of the very best exhibits as well as some of the worst. While in terms of marine mammals this mainly applies to Japan, it may well apply to Korea too, those countries are comparable in many ways.

However, Korean zoos and aquariums are fairly unknown, the galleries on Zoochat are virtually empty too. This even applies to the capital zoo, Grand Park Zoo in Seoul. So we'll just have to wait and see I guess.
 
Baldur said:
Asia has shown that it can have some of the very best exhibits as well as some of the worst. While in terms of marine mammals this mainly applies to Japan, it may well apply to Korea too, those countries are comparable in many ways.

However, Korean zoos and aquariums are fairly unknown, the galleries on Zoochat are virtually empty too. This even applies to the capital zoo, Grand Park Zoo in Seoul. So we'll just have to wait and see I guess.
Click to expand...

The Korean aquarium to which the River Dolphins have been promised does not even exist yet--it is either under construction or in an even earlier stage of development.
 
Baldur said:
As to the Dallas World Aquarium, I have been there recently and met the owner; a maverick, entrepreneur and a major wildlife enthusiast; I would be surprised if he had forgotten about this possibility.

Not sure about Duisburg; isn't the chief hindrance the German antis, or is it within the zoo itself?
Click to expand...

I believe that Duisburgs problem might have been the money. I don't think they could have paid the 500000$ or so, that the Koreans were willing to give. As for Dallas and Daryl Richardson, one of his problems was indeed the strong anti captivity movement which might have prevented the transfer in the end result. He managed to import Manatis from Venezuela instead and I personally think that they are better suited for his enclosure anyway.
 
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@Saro: About Duisburg, I have the same opinion. It was all in all the money that Korea and not Duisburg will get the Amazon River Dolphin. An absolute wrong decision for the animals, because Duisburg has a huge amount of experience with that specie, but Korea starts at zero.
 
Considering Artemis is genetically such an important animal to Valencia, they shouldn't have let him go at all...

Rediculous what money can do.

Am i right to understand that the animals are either in some holding facility in Korea, or still at Valencia awaiting transport?
 
sofar unconfirmed rumours; The animals are back in Venezuela, or soon going back to Venezuela because the south american trainers where unhappy with the conditions the animals where kept in.

If anyone can find some more info about this all, let me know :)
 
Thanks for the info jwer.

But I still wonder: When conditions in Korea (what a surprise...) are not as good as they should be, why not sending the amazon river dolphins to Duisburg now instead of transporting them back to Venezuela?
 
Probably because Duisburg isn't willing to dish up $ 500.000?

But now that they are stranded halfway around the globe, i hope they let them move to Duisburg. Even though i'm not sure if they would mix with the old resident male...
 
According to Ceta-base, the animals are already back in Venezuela. If this is true, then perhaps they could (would) leave again, but i doubt it would be anytime soon.
 
Yes, Zeus and Artemis are back in Venezuela because the staff from
"Valencia Aquarium" did not like the place in Korea. I really can't believe that they hadn't seen the place before sending the animals. The biggest problem is that Zeus and Ulises (his father) fight a lot. I hope the Duisburg Zoo will contact them, but I do not think that will ever happen.
 
I cannot believe the Duisburg Zoo never had contact with them. Firstly though, it seems Valencia seems to want quite a lot of money for them, something i bet Duisburg isn't prepared to pay for them. Second though, i doubt that introducing two young males into the life of a very elderly male would be beneficial to either three of them. There doesn't seem to be a lot of seperating space if the mix doesn't work out.

Being said though, i wouldn't be surprised if Duisburg tried to get these animals as soon as their elderly male dies.

One more thing though, I would also not be surprised if the Manatee EEP is desperate for a few more holders and would love to have Duisburg involved into it. Since the position of river dolphins in captivity looks impossible, i bet Duisburg will also seriously consider stepping into the manatee EEP.

One way to find out, and that is for the elderly male to die in Duisburg, and I wouldn't mind if that would take quite a bit more time :)
 
Unfortunately, I have to be completely agree with you, jwer. I say "unfortunately" because that means that another species has to die out in the European zoo population.

Imagine Duisburg and maybe Randers (DK), Leipzig (D), Chester (GB), Emmen (NL) or CERZA (F) would create new exhibits (in their existing rainforest habitats for example) and would send out a expedition to catch a few River Dolphins.
Yes, I know, times have changed, but........
 
Unfortunately, Ulises the oldest male river dolphin died yesterday; apparently he had central cyanosis that may be associated with respiratory problems. Such a shame! RIP Ulises.

Link (in spanish): El Universal

It is still unknown what will happen to Zeus, the only male in Venezuela. The director of the Aquarium doesn't want to send him, but they must wait for the mayor's decision. He has the final say on the transfer.
 
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