Four white-beaked dolphin calves have been born in a period of 10 days at an ocean theme park in China's Zhuhai.

Between June 7 and June 17, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom saw the birth of four new calves.

Zhang Delu, the park's deputy general manager, said: "After a gestation period of approximately 12 months, the white-beaked dolphins finally gave birth to four calves within a short span of 10 days from June 7 to 16 this year.

"Currently, they are nursing, swimming, and interacting with their mothers in a normal manner. The dolphin babies are in good health. Caregivers monitor their nursing status 24 hours a day. If we are lucky, we might even witness their nursing behaviour underwater, which is quite unique.

"Within approximately two to three hours after birth, the calves start to feed and come to the surface to breathe air. The challenge in dolphin reproduction lies in the fact that newborns must take their first breath of air. If the mother lacks experience or if the conditions are not optimal, the calves might suffocate in water.

"Therefore, the key to a successful dolphin birth is for the baby to take its first breath of fresh air. The experience of the mother and the measures taken by our caregivers play a significant role in this process."

STORY: Four white-beaked dolphin calves born in 10 days at ocean theme park in China's Zhuhai
DATELINE: July 4, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:14
LOCATION: ZHUHAI, China
CATEGORY: ENVIRONMENT

SHOTLIST:
1. various of newborn white-beaked dolphin calves
2. SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHANG DELU, Deputy general manager of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom

STORYLINE:

From June 7 to 16 this year, four white-beaked dolphin calves have been successfully bred at Chimelong Ocean Kingdom in Zhuhai, south China's Guangdong Province.
   
Following the successful consecutive breeding of three white-beaked dolphin calves in 2019, Chimelong Ocean Kingdom once again achieved the successful breeding of four within 10 days in June this year.
   
SOUNDBITE (Chinese): ZHANG DELU, Deputy general manager of Chimelong Ocean Kingdom
"After a gestation period of approximately 12 months, the white-beaked dolphins finally gave birth to four calves within a short span of 10 days from June 7 to 16 this year. Currently, they are nursing, swimming, and interacting with their mothers in a normal manner. The dolphin babies are in good health. Caregivers monitor their nursing status 24 hours a day. If we are lucky, we might even witness their nursing behavior underwater, which is quite unique.
   
Within approximately two to three hours after birth, the calves start to feed and come to the surface to breathe air. The challenge in dolphin reproduction lies in the fact that newborns must take their first breath of air. If the mother lacks experience or if the conditions are not optimal, the calves might suffocate in water. Therefore, the key to a successful dolphin birth is for the baby to take its first breath of fresh air. The experience of the mother and the measures taken by our caregivers play a significant role in this process."

Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Zhuhai, China.
(XHTV)