Alfa is a female bottlenose dolphin captured in 1986 near Campeche, Gulf of Mexico. She became part of the breeding and scientific research program of the bottlenose dolphin species at the Rimini Dolphinarium, where she lived several years of her life. Upon her arrival at the small dolphinarium, Alfa met three other dolphins such as Speedy, Beta and Chico. The Rimini Dolphinarium achieved a not inconsiderable record when Alfa, on 17 August 1990, gave birth to her first calf. In perfect health and having passed the critical first months of life, the first daughter of Alfa and Speedy was called "Luna". Alfa and Speedy soon created their own family in the years that followed. On May 3, 1993, Sole was born, but two years later, in 1995, her eldest daughter Luna passed away. However, on May 12 of the same year, Alpha gave birth to a female, named Luna II (according to official records) in honor of her older sister. The fourth child of Alfa and Sole was born on September 27, 2003 and was called "Rocco". Perpetually attached to mother Alfa, this did not prevent her from getting pregnant another and last time, giving birth to another boy, later called Lapo, on July 28, 2007. Two years later the birth of her last calf, little Rocco died struck down by a sudden infection.

In September 2013, the Italian State Forestry Corps raided the Rimini Dolphinarium following allegations of crimes for animal abuse and non-compliant structure according to European and national quality standards. The "kidnapping" of the dolphins, which took place in a very quick and stressful way for the animals, took place in a single day, and the following morning Alfa and her three offsprings arrived at the Aquarium of Genoa, which was decided to be their new and final home. .