Dolphins have evolved over millions of years, adapting perfectly to life in the ocean. They are intelligent, social and self-aware, exhibiting evidence of a highly developed emotional sense. Here are just a few of the issues with captivity.
- Captures of dolphins are traumatic and stressful and can result in injury and death of dolphins. The number of dolphins that die during capture operations or shortly thereafter are never revealed in dolphinariums or swim-with-dolphins programs. Some facilities even claim their dolphins were "rescued" from the ocean and cannot be released. This claim is almost invariably false.
- Training of dolphins is often deliberately misrepresented by the captive dolphin industry to make it look as if dolphins perform because they like it. This isn't the case. They are performing because they have been deprived of food.
- Most captive dolphins are confined in minuscule tanks containing chemically treated artificial seawater. Dolphins in a tank are severely restricted in using their highly developed sonar, which is one of the most damaging aspects of captivity. It is much like forcing a person to live in a hall of mirrors for the rest of their life their image always bouncing back with no clear direction in sight.
Join us and pledge that you won't go to a dolphin show.
Here is a list in no particular order of captive dolphin facilities that were closed or never opened. These success stories were accomplished by ordinary people like yourself who actually showed up to protest these dolphin abusement parks.
Join us and pledge that you will not go to a dolphin show or any swim-with-dolphins facility.
Dear Mr. Dick,
Please be aware that I have now pledged not to buy tickets to any parks and swim-with-dolphins programs that exploit dolphins and whales.
WAZA has the power and influence to stop the trafficking in live dolphins and urge an end to the cruelty associated with the display of dolphins and whales.
I urge you and WAZA to act responsibly.
