Baltimore, MD (September 9, 2008)- The National Aquarium is celebrating a dolphin birthday! Foster, an Atlantic bottlenose dolphin born at the Aquarium on September 9, 2007, is one year old today. A variety of celebrations will take place this week to help mark this important milestone in the dolphin’s young life.

Early Tuesday morning, the dolphin trainers at the National Aquarium held a small birthday party for Foster, presenting him with special toys and plenty of well wishes. Foster’s mom, Jade, and a few other dolphins even joined in the fun!

Visitors will have the opportunity to share in the celebration in several ways:

Send special birthday messages to Foster during dolphin shows through Sunday, September 14.
Purchase special birthday cupcakes that are on sale at the Aquarium’s cafes through Sunday, September 14.
~For each $1.25 sale, $.50 will go toward enrichment items for Foster and friends.

Donate birthday presents to the animal enrichment fund.
~Environmental enrichment is an important part of a dolphin’s life at the National Aquarium. While these items may be seen as just toys, the animal care staff is actually encouraging natural behaviors and giving the animals something new to investigate in their environment. Play helps many animals, including dolphins, develop behavioral skills they need throughout life. 

By providing simple, everyday items, such as jars and basketballs, the animals can practice a wide range of behaviors. Unfortunately, these items are so well used that many of them need to be replaced. For information on donations to Foster and his friends, please visit aqua.org/donate.

Send birthday wishes to dolphins@aqua.org!

The National Aquarium is home to ten Atlantic bottlenose dolphins. Foster was born to Jade, a nine year old dolphin. He was named Foster because he had the unusual benefit of being cared for attentively by three lactating female dolphins. He loves to play, and is eager to learn. He spends most of his time bonding and interacting with trainers, learning new behaviors, and of course, eating lots of fish!

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