PELE '
Pelè is a female bottlenose dolphin possibly born in 1964 and then captured in 1970 in Florida. The young dolphin became an integral part of the breeding program of the Dolphinarium of Riccione, at the time the most renowned structure of the Riviera Romagnola. Pelè lived at the small dolphinarium for many years in the company of other dolphins such as Candy, Bravo, Isa, Lilly, Anay and Nina. In 2001, a new law on dolphinaria was approved, where among the many voices the request for improvement of existing structures was underlined. The Dolphinarium, unable to fulfill its obligations, closed in 2003, deciding to transfer Pelè and the other dolphins to the new park on the Riccione's hill, Oltremare, between 2004 and 2005. Considered the oldest dolphin in a controlled environment, Pelè has become an icon in the European breeding program.
How to recognize Pelè
- Pelè has a series of white spots on the tip of the rostrum. If you look closely, they appear to make up the shape of a strawberry.
- Its dorsal fin is shaped like the letter "C".
- His size is considerable, although the build tends to be stocky.
Pelè was the only dolphin, it is thought, not to have been able to give birth to healthy babies during her stay in the old dolphinarium. The cause, according to some confirmed rumors, seems to be a problem with the tubes and ovaries. Despite the impossibility, Pelè has acquired the role of matriarch, becoming an important point of reference for the newborn, pregnant females and new dolphins who, over the years, have been transferred to Oltremare through the collaboration between European structures about the breeding program of bottlenose dolphins in the territories of the Union. Being the oldest and most experienced female, Pelè is the dolphin who proves to be the most confident for trainers. She has a quiet, curious and sweet nature but sometimes proves to be determined and naughty.
Photo Credit: © Oltremare - Riccione