SPONGED ON FLIGHT

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31077, 4 June 1966, Page 22

SPONGED ON FLIGHT

Dolphins Sent To Sydney

(Special Crspdt. NZPA)

SYDNEY, June 2.

Two dolphins from Napier arrived in Sydney on a Qantas jet this morning. The dolphins are a gift from Napier to Taronga Park Zoo, and were taken to the zoo soon after the aircraft landed. They travelled in specially - built waterproof cradles designed hy the zoo, and reclined on 3in thick foam plastic mattresses during the journey from Auckland.

The dolphins, which were given tranquilliser shots before leaving Auckland, were accompanied by Mr Douglas Boness, aquarium director at the zoo.

He sponged their bodies continuously throughout the flight with water to prevent dehydration. The dolphins are joining two others already at the zoo.

The Napier dolphins, captured four months ago, are dusky dolphins, a different type from the bottle-nosed dolphins at present at Taronga Park Zoo, and of a type not found off the Australian coast.

The dolphins, named Jenco and Splasher, left Napier about 7 a.m. on the first leg of their journey to Sydney. They were Lifted from their home in the Napier dolphin pool shortly after 6 o’clock, Two canvas stretchers were used to lift them out of the water and on to a truck, which took them to the Napier Airport where a Grummen Widgeon plane from Auckland was waiting for them.