Meet the Newborn Bottlenose Dolphin Calf, Born June 22nd - A Glimpse You Can Only See Now!

Adventure World (Shirahama Town, Wakayama Prefecture) is delighted to announce the birth of a bottlenose dolphin calf on June 22, 2026 (Mon). The newborn calf is currently on public display. Its adorable behavior, as it diligently swims alongside its mother and nurses while snuggling close, is a sight that can only be witnessed in its "newborn" stage. Both mother and calf are in stable condition, and you can observe their heartwarming interactions up close. We invite you to visit the park and experience the breath of new life.

In 2016, our park established the "Cetacean Breeding Project" to continuously strive for improved breeding and rearing success rates for cetaceans, which are known to have extremely low success rates due to issues like stillbirths and poor nursing. This birth marks our second consecutive year of successful breeding, following the birth of a common dolphin in July 2025 and a bottlenose dolphin in November of the same year, making this the third new life born in the past year. The data accumulated by Adventure World and these consecutive breeding successes hold immense significance for the future of Japan's aquarium industry.

[Bottlenose Dolphin Calf Birth and Public Display Information]

Display Location: Dolphin Interaction Pool (Enjo Dome side)

Display Hours: All day

※ Display content may be changed or canceled due to weather or the animal's condition. ※ Viewing may not be possible depending on the calf's behavior.

The mother is an individual active in the marine live show "Smiles" and this is her first birth at the park. Before her pregnancy, she had some reservations about husbandry training, making it difficult to elicit cooperative behavior at times. However, her pregnancy prompted gradual changes, allowing her to engage in training more calmly. Preparations for the birth were made while monitoring the fetus's growth through regular ultrasounds. On the day of the birth, signs such as a drop in body temperature and decreased appetite were observed, and a new life was born under the watchful eyes of animal educators and veterinarians.

[About the Bottlenose Dolphin Calf]

Date of Birth: June 22, 2026 (Mon), 3:36 PM

Sex: Unknown

Length: Estimated 120 cm

Weight: Estimated 20 kg

Parent Information: Father - Unknown

※ As there are multiple potential fathers, paternity will be determined by DNA testing after the calf grows.

Mother - Acquired January 2010 (Estimated 19 years old, wild individual)

From the Animal Educators:

Hiroto Umemura, Dolphin Trainer

Background: A lifelong dolphin enthusiast who specialized in "measures for dolphins to live happily and joyfully (environmental enrichment)" at vocational school. Actually, he started his career at the park in the gift shop! From a customer service professional delivering smiles to guests, he has now transitioned to being a dolphin partner on the front lines of marine live shows.

Specialty: His greatest asset is the "trust relationship" he builds with the dolphins. Even dolphins who were a bit hesitant about blood collection or health check-ups become relaxed and offer their bodies by saying "Here you go!" under his careful husbandry training.

"As this is her first birth, I was very worried about whether she could raise the calf successfully and nurse it properly. After the birth, I was truly happy and relieved to see the mother staying close to the calf, nursing at its pace. It's so cute watching it try to keep up with its mother's swimming while breathing and nursing! Please come and see this sight for yourselves!

By the way, 'Misaki,' a bottlenose dolphin born on November 6 last year, is also growing well. She is growing rapidly while eating plenty of small fish and is very interested in the fish her mother eats. She also loves being touched and will approach the educators as if to say, 'Touch me!' showing her adorable side."

[Adventure World Cetacean Breeding Achievements]

False Killer Whale

10 births from 1981 to 2022, 1 reared

Bottlenose Dolphin

71 births from 1984 to 2026 (including this birth), 23 reared

Common Dolphin

15 births from 1981 to 2025, 3 reared

Individual born in 1988: Received the Japan Association of Zoos and Aquariums Breeding Award (*)

Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphin

6 births from 2012 to 2019, no successful rearing cases

(*) Awarded to institutions affiliated with the Japan Association of Zoos and Aquariums for successful breeding of captive animals, when the breeding is the first in Japan.

[About the Adventure World Cetacean Breeding Project]

Adventure World established the Cetacean Breeding Project team in December 2016 with the aim of improving cetacean breeding technology. Cetacean breeding is considered very difficult, with frequent stillbirths and issues like poor nursing even after normal births, leading to unsuccessful rearing. Therefore, we are actively pursuing breeding and setting goals for improving post-birth rearing rates.

[About Bottlenose Dolphins]

Classification: Cetacea, Delphinidae

Scientific Name: Tursiops truncatus

English Name: Bottlenose Dolphin

Habitat: Distributed in temperate to subtropical waters worldwide.

Diet: At Adventure World, they are primarily fed mackerel.

Reproduction: Gestation period is about 12 months, usually with one calf per birth. Females reach sexual maturity between 5 and 12 years old, and males between 10 and 12 years old.

Lifespan: Approximately 50 years.

Characteristics: Generally gray, with a darker coloration on the upper body and a lighter, almost white color on the lower body.

Length: 250-380 cm Weight: 200-400 kg