Taking action - worldwide
“Went to swim with dolphins in Turkey, was shocked by set up, brought to tears. Two dolphins squashed in tiny pens, one’s body is buckled where there's not enough room for it to swim. It didn't seem to have the strength to pull me.”
Each year, Born Free’s Travellers’ Animal Alert campaign receives countless heartbreaking reports of captive dolphin abuse from distressed holiday-makers just like the one above. And it’s not just dolphin shows. ‘Swimming with dolphins’ is depressingly popular and lucrative in resorts worldwide, yet direct contact is particularly stressful for the dolphins. Many people don’t find it as enriching as they expect and realise the animals are not enjoying the experience.
Despite their friendly, permanent 'smiles', dolphins in captivity are clearly not ‘happy’. In recent years several trainers have been injured and even killed by frustrated dolphins. Captivity is taking a dreadful toll. This holiday season, if you know someone thinking of swimming with a captive dolphin or going to watch them perform, ask them to think twice. Dolphinaria will have had their day when we decide to stay away.
Target
£15,000 will support our Travellers’ Animal Alert campaign costs. Help us investigate and take action, and work with the travel industry* to stop dolphin abuse.
*Born Free advises the travel industry to encourage better standards
- Stressful and unnatural, direct contact can be torture for dolphins and dangerous for people, leading to injuries and spreading disease
Taking action - in Europe
“We went down with a flu-like virus the day after swimming with dolphins in Malta. Water was dirty and smelly. Dolphins’ skin in bad condition with many scars.”
Thankfully, the UK has no captive dolphin facilities. Born Free played a major part in this achievement. Our ‘Survey of UK Dolphinaria’ (1988) exposed grossly inadequate conditions, leading to tighter regulations (1990) and then the end of UK dolphinaria. In 1990 we led a coalition of groups which returned three of the UK’s last captive dolphins – Rocky, Missie and Silver - to the wild in the crystal waters of the Caribbean.
Today Born Free exposes the plight of captive individuals, campaigns for greater
protection for captive dolphins, opposes wild captures and stops new facilities. We are currently investigating dolphinaria across Europe as part of The EU Zoo Inquiry 2011, which will lead to a major report* in early summer. EU marine parks are legally obliged to meet standards of animal care, as well as contribute to conservation and education, but many do not. It is Born Free’s mission to make sure governments don’t dodge their responsibilities. As a minimum, dolphinaria that don’t meet the standards should be closed.
Help us reach our targets
£1,000 will fund the publishing costs of our EU dolphin report
£5,000 will support the high profile launch of our 2011 Dolphin Campaign to the European Parliament to ensure they take appropriate action
*In association with the Whale & Dolphin Conservation Society
- Covered in cuts and scars - what a price to pay
Tom and Misha's story
“I knew we had to get Misha and Tom out of their tiny, filthy pool. We negotiated for their release against the ticking time-bomb of their deteriorating health. Then a breakthrough – the dolphins were ours. We organised an emergency team to rescue Tom and Misha, and battled through a tough winter to get them fitter and healthier. There is still a fair way to go, but I believe they stand a real chance of returning to a wild and free life.”
Alison Hood, Programmes Director, Born Free Foundation
Last September Born Free rescued two bottlenose dolphins from the filthy, contaminated waters of a dilapidated pool in the resort of Hisaronu in Turkey. Wild-caught, then exploited for tourist ‘entertainment’, Tom and Misha were deeply traumatised, their health rapidly deteriorating. Their rescue was swift and urgent. Under the watchful eye of our vet, and wrapped in wet towels to keep them cool, we drove them to the coast where they were released into a sea-pen. Their joy at being back in the sea was tangible!
But no sea-pen, however large, can replace life in the wild. It is a long, gradual process, but we are slowly preparing Tom and Misha for full release. They are learning the skills they need to survive on their own, and are growing strong and healthy. But we still have several expensive months to go. Will you help us return them to the wild?
Target
Fresh fish for food - £45 a box (Tom & Misha eat one box a day)
The expert team caring for them, and their facility cost £800 a week
- Before rescue Tom and Misha were in a murky, contaminated pool. Today in their seapen: We still need your help to return them to life in the wild
YOUR GIFT WILL FIGHT ABUSE & MISERY
The challenge is huge. There is so much we need to do to tackle captive dolphin exploitation. Born Free needs to investigate and fight to close down tawdry shows in grimy little pools. We need to stop the proliferation of ‘swim with dolphin’ centres and stop the capture of wild dolphins for the captive industry. We need to educate misguided holiday-makers, so that members of the public understand the agony ‘behind the smiles’.
And more. We need to ensure that while dolphins are still kept in captivity throughout Europe they are given maximum protection under the law. We need to make sure that where facilities do not meet their obligations, national governments and the European Parliament take appropriate action and the worst dolphinaria are closed. Standards of dolphin care need to be transformed. We will never stop crusading for dolphins.
Target
This appeal has several achievable targets as you have seen. The more money we raise, the louder our voice will be for captive dolphins. With your help we will expose the plight of captive individuals, campaign for greater protection, oppose wild captures and stop new facilities. Thank you.
- Stand up and be counted. Let those of us who care fight dolphin abuse worldwide
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