Dudzinski began DCP’s studies of the dolphins at Zoo Duisburg in late 2012. She was invited to observe the dolphins and spent time documenting their behavior and vocalizations. There are nine dolphins calling the dolphinarium at Zoo Duisburg home. When Dudzinski visited in 2012 and 2013, 1 adult male, 3 adult females, 2 subadult females, and 2 male and 1 female calves called the dolphinarium home.
The Zoo opened in 1935 and was well received with more than 300,000 visitors in it’s first year. Though severely bombed during WWII, the zoo survived and rebuilt. Seals and penguins were brought to the zoo in 1958. The dolphinarium was opened in 1965, with four bottlenose dolphins. The zoo welcomed its first beluga a year later.
The zoo has been home to a variety of odontocetes (toothed whales) over the years including Commerson’s dolphins and the Amazon River dolphin. Baby, a ~40 year old Amazon River dolphin still calls the zoo home!
Dudzinski spent several hours observing this group of dolphins from both the in-water, underwater view and via the underwater viewing ports/windows. The younger dolphins were rambunctious and curious!
Check out DCP’s publications page (under Research Hub) for the article published in December 2013 about our study comparing pectoral fin contact between individual dolphins at Zoo Duisburg with our studies of the dolphins around Bimini, The Bahamas, at Mikura Island, Japan, and in Roatan, Honduras.
