A baby Pacific White-sided dolphin -- the first of its kind born in an aquarium in East China -- is now nearly two-months old. It's a rare sight in China, and one that sheds light on the plight placed on dolphins by humans. Li Jianhua has the story. 

Pacific White-sided dolphins are playful and highly social marine mammals. Living mostly in the Pacific Ocean as its name suggests and one such animal, born in an aquarium in East China -- has become an internet sensation. Now its mother -- named Yina -- has devoted most of her attention to nursing her calf until it's able to survive on its own. Regular check-ups are conducted to make sure the parent is healthy enough to attend to the baby.

ZHOU HUIJUN Vet, Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park "During regular check-ups in August last year, we found the progesterone in her body rose up. Earlier, she had mated with a male dolphin, so we suspected she was pregnant. After B-mode ultrasound, we found a fetal sac in her womb, so we were sure she was expecting. The vet and nursing team were both happy and a bit nervous."

Breeding dolphins remains a novelty in China, despite earlier cases in which otters and penguins were bred at the aquarium.

WANG SUCHEN Nurse, Shanghai Haichang Ocean Park "Breeding dolphins in aquariums is difficult. Births for Pacific White-sided dolphins are very rare in China. The most common dolphins in aquariums we see are bottle-nosed dolphins."

Pacific White-sided dolphins are usually found in the US and Japan. Though not an endangered species, a primary threat for the species is fishing equipment such as gillnets and trawls.

ZHOU MENG Professor, School of Oceanography Shanghai Jiaotong University "Human activity affects dolphins. Not only fishing, but container ships as well. We have fishing boats which drop nets and gear in the ocean. They usually have an open ocean. These mammals can swim around. But now we've eliminated most of their free paths. This has led to a change in their behavior."

Zhou noted that global warming, waste and the overuse of antibiotics are all wreaking havoc on the lives of marine animals, which, as a consequence, will also affect mankind. LJH, CGTN, SHANGHAI. 

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  China Marine Life: Aquarium-born dolphin turns 2 months old