Dolphins
© WSPA
Dolphins, unlike some other wild species, do not adapt well to a live of captivity. Alarmingly, half of the world’s captive dolphins die due to the cruelty of their capture and confinement, with intestinal disease, chlorine poisoning and stress-related illness among the causes of death.
Dolphins’ intelligence matches that of the great apes and human toddlers – they are self-aware and capable of abstract thinking. They have strong, complex friendships and family ties, and need to search for live prey, socialise, rest and play as a cohesive group.
Their bodies are built for speed and in the wild they may travel hundreds of kilometres a day. They live in a vast, ever changing, rich and diverse world, which they navigate using sound and their highly developed sonar.
Forced to live in artificial and cramped conditions, these wide-ranging, social animals are stripped of every normal facet of their lives.
It is therefore unsurprising that as information about the cruelty of keeping dolphins in captivity becomes more widespread, countries are increasingly being forced to debate and update their marine mammal protection legislation.
Many countries around the world now have laws prohibiting the taking, holding, importing and exporting of dolphins. Cyprus, Hungary, India, Vietnam, Mexico and Malaysia have all recently banned the import or export of dolphins, or both, and Chile, Costa Rica and Cyprus have also banned the keeping of these animals in captivity.
Last year, an alliance of European and international animal welfare and conservation groups launched a public campaign calling on the EU to implement a ban on the construction of new marine parks, plus a ban on the trade of whales and dolphins into the EU.
Whilst the death of Kelly New Zealand’s remaining captive dolphin last year heralded the closure of this country’s one and only captive facility, Napier Marineland, New Zealand’s law does not prohibit a new captivity facility opening on our shores.
Although it is illegal to catch dolphins in our waters it is still legal, under certain circumstances, to import them and keep them in captive facilities.
New Zealand’s Marine Mammal Protection Act allows the taking and holding, importing into and exporting from New Zealand of marine mammals if the Minister of Conservation approves and grants a permit.
At the moment it is unlikely that anyone would want to open a dolphinarium in New Zealand, but this still does not change the fact that the law as it stands does not forbid this cruel practice.
New Zealand is heralded the world over for its firm stance on whaling and progressive animal welfare legislation. A simple addition to its Marine Mammal regulations could permanently close the door on the country’s captive dolphin industry, once again placing New Zealand as a leader in marine mammal protection.
WSPA along with its member societies is working with the Government to try and amend the Marine Mammal Protection Act to prohibit the keeping of dolphins in captivity for entertainment purposes.