Wild Dolphins Captured and Sold for Tourist Entertainment

The cruelty and suffering caused by the dolphin captivity industry has been exposed in the Solomon Islands, where up to TWO HUNDRED wild bottlenose dolphins were caught for trade on the international captivity market. Despite an outcry and charges from conservation groups around the world that supporting documentation for the international transportation of the live dolphins was improper and illegal, on July 21st, 2003, a shipment of twenty-eight of the dolphins arrived in Cancun, Mexico, to entice thousands of tourists looking for an up close and personal dolphin encounter.

The capture and transportation of dolphins is often very cruel and traumatic, and many animals die. There are reports that up to four of the Solomon Islands dolphins have died in the pens before being transported, and that more deaths occurred during the capture operation. There is one confirmed death after the dolphins arrived in Mexico.

Once in captivity, dolphins suffer extreme mental and physical stress, boredom, lower life expectancy, and higher infant mortality than in the wild, and can exhibit excessive aggressive behavior between themselves and towards humans.

The popularity of attractions enabling tourists to swim with dolphins has made for an increase in the captivity industry around Cancun. Since a ban on the capture of dolphins in Mexican waters, these parks now go to other nations, such as Cuba and the Solomon Islands for the supply of live dolphins to feed tourist demand.

In addition to concerns about the welfare of the individual animals, ACS and other cetacean conservation organizations are deeply worried about the devastating impact that the removal of the these animals could have on the dolphin populations of the Solomon Islands, about which very little is currently known.

There are reports that buyers from Japan, China, Taiwan, Thailand and Italy are in the Solomon Islands seeking to buy some of the remaining dolphins.

There is a worldwide effort to stop the further capture, transportation and exhibition of these animals.

HOW YOU CAN HELP

Please do not support any entities which condone these practices. Please do not visit any aquariums, marine parks, or resorts where whales, dolphins, or porpoises are held captive.

Politely voice your objection. Public opinion makes a difference. You can help by writing letters and sending email to the officials in the countries involved. Please write to the Solomon Islands Government, asking them to release the remaining dolphins and not to allow their export out of the country. Please also write to the Mexican government raising your concerns at the import into Mexico of 28 dolphins from the Solomon Islands.

Contact details and sample letters can be found below. Simply copy and paste the suggested text into your wordprocessor or email program, complete the salutation, and edit as desired. The letters are most effective if you use some of your own words.