(MW / 26-01-11)  Nika, one of the five dolphins living in the zoo in Barcelona and one of the oldest in captivity in Europe died last weekend due to her age, 48, after many years making visitors enjoy her jumps and spins.

According to Lluís Colom, technical director of the zoo, Nika, a female of the species Tursiops Trucatus, had been in Barcelona since 1971, come from North America. She soon began to participate in the show of the dolphinarium and delighted the public with her jumps, spins and intelligence for years.

For some weeks, when her health was deteriorating due to age, she only participated in training sessions, and last weekend she died of natural causes. The zoo of Barcelona has now four dolphins, all born here, since Nika was the only one that had come from outside.

Lluís Colom has announced that they will bring another dolphin to substitute Nika, “which had already completed her life cycle”.