Dolphin Reef
Dolphin Reef is a horseshoe-shaped sea-pen holding captive bottlenose dolphins in the Gulf of Eilat in the northern-eastern Red Sea near the city of Eilat in southern Israel. It is a major tourist attraction in this area.
History
The Dolphin Reef opened its doors in 1990. The site is home to Black Sea bottlenose dolphins that are not trained to perform and there are no dolphin shows, but they are able to interact freely with human visitors. The dolphins, known for their curiosity and friendliness, approach the observation posts and floating piers, and swim alongside the people who snorkel and dive there.[1]
The sea-pen covers an area of 10,000 sq.m. enclosed with buoyed nets. It is an average of 12 meters deep.[2] The eastern side has a steeply sloping wall profile, giving way to a sandy slope. Many species of fish can be found in the area. Angelfish, butterflyfish, cuttlefish, bluespotted and blackspotted stingrays are common.
The Dolphin Reef Dive Center offers individual and group diving tours, as well as special therapy sessions for the disabled and seminars on animal and dolphin behavior.
The Dolphins
Cindy Sex: Male Approximate age:30 years old Date of birth: unknown Arrival from Black Sea: 1990 Family Tree: Father of all the dolphins born at Dolphin Reef Identifying marks: very wide and large, light shades of gray, wrinkles around eyes, half-closed eyes, scars and scratches on upper jaw, big scar on belly
Cindy was called Cinderella at the first because he had marks on his face. We see him as the "king of the hill", the ultimate Don Juan of the group. Cindy invests much effort in his courtship activities such as impressive jumps in the air, cat-like positions and sensual swimming alongside the females
Shy Sex: female Approximate age: 30 years old date of birth: unknown Arrival from Black Sea: 1990 Family Tree: Mother of Pashosh, Nana, Lemon and Nemesh. Grandmother of Sheba. Identifying marks: gray-black stripes on forehead, white spot on lips, two white spots on dorsal fin, smooth without scratches.
Shy behaves shyly towards people - but not so shy towards male dolphins… She was the first female to get pregnant. Over-protective mother towards her young, earning her the title "Polish mother".
Nana Sex: female Date of birth: June 26, 1995 Family Tree: daughter of Shy and Cindy mother of sheba. Identifying marks: round forehead, wide face and body, light gray color, dark gray stripes.
Nana is Shy's daughter, therefore her name is derived from the delicious mint herb we add to tea. "Nana" - Hebrew for mint herb "Shy" - Arabic for tea. Nana is adventurous, was the first one to go out to the open sea and is a role model for others.
Luna
Sex: female
Date of birth: August 9, 2000
Family Tree: daughter of Dana and Cindy
Identifying marks: medium-sized, very light gray color, very light gray stripes, end of tail is white
Luna is named after the Spanish word for moon. She was born during a full-moon night and her colors are light gray as the moon. She is showing signs of growing up, while enjoying independence from her mother - Dana. Luna is relatively large for her age, definitely an advantage.
Nikita Sex: female Date of birth: 23.7.03 Family Tree: daughter of Shy and Cindy Identifying marks: Small, dark shades of gray, black beauty - mark on the left side of her body.
Small Nikita was born to her mother, Shy, on a fine morning. The short and easy labor was seen and shared with the staff swimming around her. The first year the baby dolphin is attached to his mother to learn natural behaviors and to find his place among the group.
Sheba Sex: Female Date of Birth: June 1, 2004 Family Tree: Daughter of Nana and Cindy Identifying Marks:Very small and long body, Dark shades of gray.
Little Sheba was born to Nana, an easy birth lasting about 2 hours. Nana came to the staff members for petting during her labor pains. Sheba, the little baby, spends all of her time nursing and swimming alongside Nana. The Hebrew letters of the name Sheba symbolize the following characteristics: contentment, beauty, blond, long...why blond?! Because she was born with a blond moustache! All babies are born with a moustache that helps them locate and feel their mother when nursing. The moustache sheds after a few days. Sheba is a plant used in tea, Nana means mint, also used in tea, and the grandmother is named "Shy", meaning, in Arabic - tea - this makes a very tasty combination.
Raja Sex: Male Date of Birth: June 6, 2006 Family Tree: Son of Shy and Cindy Identifying Marks: Long mouth and body, Dark skin, long lower jaw.
Raja is named after the Hindu word of prince.
See also
References
External links
Coordinates: 29°30′55″N 34°55′34″E / 29.51528°N 34.92611°E
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