Ukrainian dolphins find new home in Romanian aquarium

 Romania is one out of some fourteen European Union states that have dolphinariums and captive sea animals.

Ukrainian dolphin trainer Sonia Chezghanova interacts with two dolphins at the Constanta Dolphinarium.

By REUTRES

At the dolphinarium in the Black Sea port city of Constanta, Romanian and Ukrainian trainers are letting dolphins guide them despite language barriers.

Last year, the dolphinarium took in four dolphins and three sea lions alongside their trainers and doctors fleeing the shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv.

"Now we have more colleagues ... Ukrainian colleagues and Ukrainian dolphin colleagues," Romanian trainer Mona Mandrescu said at the edge of the pool after a mid-morning performance for hundreds of delighted school children.

"We get along together very well, we speak the same 'language'. It's the best thing that could happen to our dolphins."

Romania is one out of some fourteen European Union states that have dolphinariums and captive sea animals.

The Constanta dolphinarium, part of a wider natural science museum and research complex, has been home to female dolphins Ni Ni and Chen Chen since 2010.

IN SHORTS;

The Constanta dolphinarium in Romania took in four dolphins and three sea lions alongside their trainers and doctors fleeing the shelling in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kharkiv. The local dolphinarium in Kharkiv sought to move their dolphins and sea lions as soon as the shelling started last February. The animals arrived in Constanta in early May and were quarantined for a month before being introduced to the two resident dolphins. The animals started performing together in late June, swimming with trainers, jumping through hoops and balancing balls. The sea lions mingle with the audience.