BRAVO
Bravo was a male bottlenose dolphin native to the Gulf of Mexico (United States), where he was captured in 1978. A few years later, in 1982, Bravo was moved to Italy at the Dolphinarium of Riccione: along with him, a female bottlenose dolphin named Candy, from the same catch group. At the dolphinarium, Bravo began living together with other dolphins such as Pelè , Anay , Lilly , Bonnie and Isa (arrived in 1989). Bravo lived at the old Riccione dolphinarium until its closure in 2003, and was later transferred to the new Oltremare park in Riccione, together with the other dolphins.
Bravo immediately distinguished himself as male leader of the group: his size was imposing and powerful, but he was also the most calm and peaceful dolphin, with a strong predisposition to the company of people.
On February 15, 2008, at the age of about thirty, a bad infection ended Bravo's life.
Over the course of his life, Bravo became the father of numerous children:
- Benny : born in 1991 to mother Candy. Died three weeks after birth due to a Cytomegal Virus infection.
- Tabo: born on June 15, 1993 to mother Candy. Tabo currently resides at the ZooMarine of Algarve (Portugal).
- Golia : born on 6 July 1993 to mother Isa.
- Silver : born on June 17, 1997 to mother Isa. Silver died in 2006 of acute heart failure.
- Ulisse: born on September 3, 1997 from mother Candy. Currently, Ulisse resides at Loro Parque in Tenerife (Spain)
- Achille: born on August 23, 2002 to mother Bonnie. Currently, Achille resides at Loro Parque in Tenerife (Spain).
- Mosè : born on June 19, 2007 to mother Blue. At three weeks old, Mosè died of a genetic defect.
- Two dolphins named Bonnie and Cleo had two calves from Bravo: in August 2007, Cleo's baby was born, but unfortunately died a few days after birth. Of Bonnie's baby, who died a few days after giving birth, however, both the day and the month of birth are unknown.
