The dolphin calf that was born in the Särkänniemi Dolphinarium on Monday of last week has died.
According to preliminary information, the calf died of a sudden bout of illness. It could take weeks to find out the precise cause of death.
The Särkänniemi Dolphinarium was opened in 1985. Over the years, more than ten of the calves born in the dolphinarium have died, says Timo Rahunen, the director of the Dolphinarium and Planetarium.
According to Rahunen, the calf mortality rate is high even among dolphins in the wild, where most of the calves do not survive to their first birthday.
The Särkänniemi Dolphinarium will stay closed to the public at least until the end of this week.
Animalia, a Federation for the Protection of Animals, hopes that Särkänniemi would give up its attempts to increase its dolphin population. Executive Manager Salla Tuomivaara says that the bare concrete pools do not offer the intelligent mammals good enough conditions.
The import of dolphins into Finland has been forbidden since 1998.
