Delfino was born in a zoo thanks to the help of a dolphin that is not the mother: the spectacular birth ends up on social media

Apparently it is a sweet and moving story: Studentsa 38 -year -old dolphin, gave birth to a small one at Brookfield zoo, in ChicagoSaturday morning. To assist her was there Tapekoanother 43 -year -old dolphin, expert and careful, who followed the newborn from the first moments, accompanying him in his first breath.

An exciting moment, without a doubt. And not for nothing the video, immediately shared by the zoo and relaunched by newspapers and social networks, has gone around the world. But while the audience is moved and intense, a question arises spontaneously: Where is the freedom over?

The birth under the cameras

The diffused images show the small emerge from the water, swim towards the surface and start his life under the eyes of the zoo staff, Encouraged by human voices who shout “Push, push, push“. Everything happens in one closed tub, under cameras and spotlightas if the birth of a marine animal should be one show to be consumed.

It is true that dolphins, in nature as in captivity, help themselves during childbirth. But here it is not a nature: it is captivityof a controlled environment where each behavior is observed, recorded, used to feed the reassuring story of the “cure” in the zoo.

The reality behind these “sweet” images

Tursiopi dolphins are Highly social and intelligent animalsused to living in large groups, in vast spaces, in open sea. Lock them in tanks, even if modern and equipped, means limiting their existence and distort their behavior. They cannot choose where to go, with whom to stay, how to live.

The birth of the baby, who according to veterinarians is in good condition, is used as a symbol of success and care. It is estimated that weighs 16 kilos and is about 115 cm long, and that he has already started following his mother in “wake” to learn how to move. But all this happens in a context artificialwhere each movement is monitored.

The critical point is precisely this: the birth of a puppy becomes video contentan opportunity to strengthen the positive image of the zoo, to retain an audience looking for emotion but does not ask at what price. The fact that the birth was resumed, mounted and widespread as a viral contentshows how modern zoo have completely embraced the logic of show. Until animals are treated as attractions, their freedom will remain an illusion.