The eight bottlenose dolphins at the National Aquarium in Baltimore, Maryland, are getting a new home in an ocean enclosure. There, they’ll be able to enjoy an environment similar to their wild habitat. The sanctuary will be built into a natural shoreline with plants, sandy bottoms, and prey to catch, such as jellyfish and crabs.
The animals’ new home will be the country’s first dolphin sanctuary when it opens in 2020. Aquarium officials are looking for locations in Florida or in the Caribbean to build it.
Keepers must prepare the dolphins for their big move, which could stress the animals. For example, the keepers are already training the dolphins to swim in and out of a portable tank that will be used to transport them.