Japan puts fat dolphins on diet

Dolphins at a Japanese aquarium are on a low-fat diet after they developed pot bellies and failing to look sharp in their aquatic performances.

Kinosaki Marine World in western Japan said that all its 19 dolphins have been on a low-fat diet since late August, when they started failing to hit jumping targets and keep upright while treading water.

“We were puzzled by their poor performance, then we noticed they looked rounder,” said park spokesman Haruo Imazu.

Keepers measured their weight and found all had become plumper, some up to 22lbs heavier just during the summer.

All had the same menu – about 31lbs of mackerel mixed with some white fish – but keepers found the mackerel had become fattier, adding too many calories for the dolphins.

Keepers immediately put the dolphins on a weight-loss programme, feeding them more white fish and less fatty mackerel, while instituting a routine exercise regime, Mr Imazu said.

Less fat and moderate exercise seemed to be working, he said.