Marineland's Kelly set to go it alone

RACHEL PINDER
Marineland's iconic dolphin Kelly is all set for her solo debut today - her first performance since poolmate Shona died on Friday.
The doors to the Marine Parade attraction reopened today after being closed over the weekend while staff came to terms with the dolphin's death.
Marineland manager Gary Macdonald said he was pleased with Kelly's progress so far. "I've been spending time with her at first light from about 6am and she's been superb. But we also have to know when to leave her alone," he said.
"Kelly has been doing the show by herself for the past couple of months but we'll find out how interactive she is today," he said.
Mr Macdonald said he would begin slowly introducing Kelly to some new companions, New Zealand fur seals Monty and Mr Bo, who already performed in the seal show at Marineland.
The "swim with the dolphins" and "behind the scenes" programmes were also set to resume today, and many visitors were expected over the Easter weekend.
A close bond developed from the start when Gary captured dolphins Shona and Kelly in Hawke Bay, 33 years ago.
Thirty-six year-old Kelly is the same age as Shona, and is thought to have entertained more than four million people in her years at Marineland.
Napier City Council, which owns Marineland, has been told that the Government won't issue another permit for dolphins to be kept at the site - even though it is the only place in New Zealand where people can see dolphins in captivity.
Hans Kriek, campaign director for New Zealand animal activist group SAFE, said today Kelly had only a limited time left to perform.
He did not believe in keeping wild animals in captivity, especially dolphins, and would prefer it if there were no shows at Marineland.
"A lot of people are saying it would be nice for Kelly to have companions, but she is very old herself, so what will happen to her companions when she dies? "I think once Kelly has died, Marineland should call it quits. Dolphins swim up to 100km a day in the wild so their behaviour changes dramatically when put in a small swimming pool," he said.
"In New Zealand, it's easy to see dolphins in the wild, so why would anyone want to watch them perform in a swimming pool?"
Councillor Harry Lawson, former deputy chairman of the Marineland Trust Board, said he would support a replacement for Shona.
"We spent about $28,000 on making an application for replacements, all to no avail, which is so frustrating as dolphins are regularly caught in fishing nets not too far away from Marineland.
"Unfortunately, those with extreme views seem to be taken seriously," he said. In the last few years, marine zoos with dolphins as the main drawcard had opened all round the world, "but here, the extreme groups are hell-bent in undermining Napier's Marineland".
Marineland was the first place that the Department of Conservation took injured sea animals and birds to when they needed to be nursed back to health, Mr Lawson said.
The performances educated, entertained and helped pay the costs of running the establishment. It was also an important part of Bay tourism attractions.