These are not just people fleeing the war in Ukraine. Four dolphins and three sea lions arrived at the Konstanz Dolphinarium last year, along with trainers and veterinarians who escaped the explosions in Kharkiv, Reuters reported.

“Now we have more colleagues… Ukrainian colleagues and Ukrainian dolphin colleagues,” said Monica Mindrescu, who has been a trainer in the dolphinarium section for almost six years, poolside after a morning show for hundreds of schoolchildren.

“We get along very well together, we speak the same “language”. This is the best thing that could have happened to our dolphins.”

Romania is one of fourteen European Union countries with dolphinariums and marine animals in captivity.

Since 2010, female dolphins Ni Ni and Chen Chen have been living in the Constanta Dolphinarium, which is part of the Museum Complex of Natural Sciences.

In Kharkiv, a local dolphinarium tried to relocate its dolphins and sea lions as soon as the bombing began last February.

The dolphins – Kiki, Maya, Marusya and Veterok – and the sea lions – Alex, Maria and Zosia – were immediately transported to Odessa, where they waited for two months for Romanian and Ukrainian officials to complete the “carousel” of documents necessary for delivery. them to the EU.

What was the placement of Ukrainians and dolphins in the Konstanz Dolphinarium

The animals arrived in Constanta in early May and were quarantined for a month before being introduced to two dolphins that have been here since 2010.

“It was a new experience for us and our animals, because we are different, they have two very old and very beautiful females, we have very young animals, at first it was a gap,” said the leader of the Ukrainian team Olena Komogorova.

“But now… we’re really good friends, and so is our team.”

At the end of June, the animals began to sing together, swim with trainers, jump through hoops and play with balls. Sea lions walk and walk in the middle of the hall.

“We want them to stay with us as long as possible,” said dolphinarium manager Julian Kaelin. “They are hardworking people and dolphins and we want them to be with us because we make a beautiful family.”

In addition, in a recent video interview, Monica Mindrescu says that the animals have become much more playful and sociable after the arrival of the four new dolphins, reports Focus Press.

PHOTOMarius Scarlat|Dreamstime.com