Hilton Hotels’ empire stretches through the world, and most of it consists of nothing more sinister than large hotels and resorts in varying degrees of taste. In Hawaii, however, the mega-chain is directly involved in the keeping of captive cetaceans, a highly controversial practice.
Hilton Waikola advertises its main attraction as being “dolphin swim programs”, in which people pay to go in the water with the mammals and/or watch a trainer at work.
Such “swim programs” are not anything like watching wild dolphins. These dolphins are captives, leading bleak lives in concrete pools and unable to escape from their forced interactions with guests. They might not be jumping through hoops, but they are essentially still circus animals.
This sort of crass exploitation is a relic from the 19th century and it’s time we moved on. Dolphins deserve better.
Tell Hilton Hotels to end their use of captive dolphins.
We the undersigned ask that you either discontinue the use of captive dolphins for your “Dolphin Quest” swim program at the Waikola resort in Hawaii or immediately end your association with the seemingly independent company that runs it.
Captivity is a terrible experience for beings as intelligent and social as cetaceans.According to the international conservation group, Whale and Dolphin Conservation, it shortens life expectancy, causes psychological stress, leaves the animals vulnerable to disease and prevents natural behavior. The general public is beginning to realize this.
A far more humane alternative would be for the resort to offer whale and dolphin watching tours, a move which would mark Hilton Hotels as a forward, rather than a backward, thinking entity and show a real concern for marine mammals, their conservation and their welfare. The continued exploitation of captive dolphins, on the other hand, makes it look like the chain only cares about profits, regardless of the suffering caused.
Please stop exploiting these intelligent creatures in this manner.
Thank you for your attention.
