Kimberly Muncaster: Dolphins doomed to cruel captivity

COMMENT

Fears are growing for the fate of over 170 dolphins captured from waters surrounding Solomon Islands in recent weeks, with the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA) repeating its calls for authorities to intervene, stop the captures and return the animals to the wild.

In spite of public protests and the highly questionable legality of the captures and subsequent trade, eight more dolphins were taken from local waters this week.

Many of those still alive are in poor health, yet the capture of dolphins in dubious circumstances continues. These animals are not products or mere commodities. They are intelligent, sentient beings. How many more will die before the government takes action?

The dolphins are now being kept with others in shallow sea pens. Food is scarce and locals have reported scratches and blisters on the mammals, caused by the dolphins being unable to dive deep enough to avoid the sun's rays.

Several dolphins have already died, including one female that perished on Monday after being shipped out to a Mexican amusement park along with 27 others.

Although the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) Secretariat in Geneva has now confirmed that it advised Mexico to allow the export of 120 bottlenose dolphins from the Solomons, subject to certain requirements, it is now investigating whether these criteria were met after WSPA exposed the trade as unlawful.

If the operation is found to be in violation of CITES requirements, CITES Secretariat says it will not hesitate to recommend rejection of export permits issued by Solomon Islands.

Animal welfarists were shocked to learn that the number of dolphins taken for this operation alone is a fifth of the total number known to be kept in captivity worldwide.

WSPA, which is opposed to the taking of wild dolphins from their natural habitat, has been campaigning for a number of years against the taking of dolphins for marine parks and, in recent years, against the controversial captive swim-with-dolphin programmes. But the industry is a lucrative one; foreign business interests collecting and training dolphins for shipment abroad can sell a dolphin for up to $49,000.

How many more captures will there be before people realise that the so-called 'pleasure' they experience from watching dolphins in captivity comes at a grave cost to the animal entertaining them?

I urge anyone thinking of visiting a marine park or swim-with-dolphin programmes to reconsider. By visiting such places you are endorsing a cruel, unethical and, in this case, illegal practice.

* Kimberly Muncaster is manager of WSPA New Zealand.