Delphinus Xcaret Presents 6 Dolphins Sponsored by

Handicapped Children and Celebrities

Delphinus Xcaret recently presented six dolphins, all born in November and December 2009, to the news media and the Quintana Roo community.  In an event that was jointly organized with the world's biggest producer of Latin-American programs - the Televisa Foundation - the actors and actresses who currently participate in the company's productions became the godparents of Malu ("Luck"), Peepem ("Butterfly"), Kimakool ("Happy"), Pixán ("Soul"), Balam ("Jaguar") and Tamán ("Cotton"), which were the Mayan names received by  these baby dolphins.

Among the noted performers who become godparents were the actor Fernando Carrillo, the Peruvian actress Vanesa Terkes, and Salvador Zerboni, who participated in "El Pantera".  Also participating were Armando Hernández (Amar Te Duele and Sangre de Mi Sangre) as well as the conductor and singer Jan. The baby dolphin's Mayan names were chosen by children from Cancún and Playa del Carmen who took part in a drawing contest sponsored by Novedades de Quintana Roo newspaper, the TV CUN television program called Aquí en Cancún, and the radio program Despiértate Ya!,  hosted by Karina Escalona on Cancún Radio (105.9 FM). 

Six children from Quintana Roo, three from the CRIT Cancún [Teleton Child Rehabilitation Center] (Jaquelín Montes de Oca, Bryan Ochoa and Nicolás Garrido) and three from the Casa de la Alegría - Mano Amiga Cancún (Guadalupe Velázquez, Clara Marián Yescas and Francisco Álvaro Pérez) became "little godfathers" and "godmothers" of the dolphin calves.

So, one by one, the dolphins received their Mayan name, thus linking their lives to those of the actors and children who participated as godfathers and godmothers.  Just when it appeared the program was coming to an end, the event host, Karina Escalona, asked the actors to cover the children's eyes because they would be receiving a surprise.  When all was ready, the children were allowed to see, and - thanks to the Televisa Foundation's program called "If You Dream It, It's Possible" - what each one saw before them was the toy they had always dreamed of having!

The actors were quick to acknowledge the honor of having been invited to be godparents of these dolphins.  "Seeing the hope and excitement of the children makes you remember the simplicity of being a child," enthused Vanesa Terkes.  "Besides that, now I can tell the whole world, 'Hello, a little girl named Marianita and I are the godmothers of a dolphin!'"

Salvador Zerboni and Armando Hernández both commented that this experience had deeply touched them.  Besides being in a spectacular park, away from the daily urban grind, they were able to share a truly special moment with the baby dolphins and see the faces of the children as they received a gift that they had thought was impossible to ever have.  "My little boy whispered to me, 'So, dreams really can come true!'  That really touched me..." confided Salvador Zerboni.  Salvador always plays the role of villains on screen, but he admitted that on this occasion he was moved to tears. 

Jan and his wife, Mrs. Beatriz Puig, expressed their gratitude for having had the opportunity to share with the children and dolphins.   "The Televisa Foundation has invited me to other events such as this one, but today's event has been the most beautiful of my life."  For his part, Fernando Carrillo commented that he has been living in the Riviera Maya, "and swimming with dolphins and sharing the experience with such beautiful children as we did today is a good deed for the day that makes you feel good - happy, alive.  I'll always remember my dolphin Balam and my goddaughter Pita (Lupita), and I join with the Televisa Foundation to say something that has always been my slogan: 'If there is something you can dream, there is something you can achieve.'"

Rodrigo Constandse Córdova, General Director of Delphinus, made a brief speech to emphasize the fact that, with the birth of these six dolphin calves, the population of the Delphinus dolphinarium chain has now ascended to 72 specimens, 55 (74%) of which were born in the company's facilities.  This reaffirms the Delphinus company as a model organization for the sustainable handling of the Tursiops truncatus dolphin in environments with natural boundaries.