Aquarium Dolphin

[Anchor Lead]

A baby dolphin, born in an aquarium in Ulsan, is greeting the public for the first time. The dolphin is eating well, and it appears healthy and playful. However, there are concerns about how well the dolphin will live and thrive in the aquarium.

[Pkg]

A baby dolphin swims with its mother and sucks her breast. Its name is Goh Jang-soo. While wandering around the aquarium, it shows interest in the reporting team and plays ball with a keeper. Its 100 teeth have almost grown, as seven months have passed since its birth.

[Soundbite] Kim Seul-ki(Museum Whale Keeper) : "It needs to take a lot of milk from the mother. But the mother's milk is limited. So it is hungry and has started eating feed."

The mother delivered two other babies previously. However, both of them died several days after their births. This is why the third baby is receiving special treatment.

[Soundbite] Kim Seul-ki(Museum Whale Keeper) : "Real-time monitoring is conducted once a month. At night, we are checking a surveillance camera to see if there is nothing wrong with it."

However, it is too early to get comfortable. One study shows that fewer than half of dolphins born in aquariums around the world survive until the one year mark.

[Soundbite] Cho Yak-gol(Co-head of Hot Pink Dolphins) : "The death rate is high, as the environment of an aquarium is stressful for dolphins."

Expectations and worries are mixed over the chances that the baby dolphin will be able to overcome unfavorable conditions and survive in the aquarium.