Dolphins can be lovable prima donnas, but rumours currently circulating that uShaka Marine World's dolphins are stressed out and unwilling to perform should be taken with a pinch of salt water.
Mark Penning, executive director of the South African Association for Marine Biological Research, said the happy-natured dolphins have not only adapted to their new home, they are revelling in it.
The return of the ever-popular dolphin shows was being delayed because the blue coating which covers the waterproof layer on the pool had began peeling, said Penning.
"Dolphins are inquisitive. They love to experiment, by probing with their noses," he said. "We could not take a chance on them checking out their surroundings and swallowing some of the coating material."
So the pool had to be drained of its almost four million litres of water. However, since last Saturday, the public has been invited to attend the dolphins' training sessions twice-daily and three times at weekends.
Penning spoke about the hospital pool, where the water level can be dropped within 15 minutes, making it shallow enough to examine the dolphins and draw blood samples. It can be refilled in 10 minutes.
"The dolphins' back-of-house behaviour, where they frolic happily, has shown they are content in their new surroundings," he said.
Meanwhile, the baby dolphin born last month at uShaka Marine World is thriving. "He's growing like a weed," said Penning. "He's adventurous, and venturing away from his mom."
During August, a competition will be launched for people to name the bouncing baby, which was fathered by Durban's oldest and most famous dolphin, Gambit. Penning said it was hoped that full performances by the dolphins would resume in September.