Dolphin freed from her tank is spotted with her own calf

DOLPHIN FREED FROM HER TANK IS SPOTTED WITH HER OWN CALF

23 August 2016

Chunsam is one of five indo-pacific bottlenose dolphins taken from the wild between 2009 and 2010 and sold to aquariums in South Korea. In 2013 the Korean Supreme Court ruled to release them back into the wild, an operation that was undertaken by Ric O’ Barry’s Dolphin Project and saw Chunsam and the other dolphins released into the wild.

This is yet another example of an individual who has thrived when offered freedom and not condemned to life in a tank. In 2002 an orca named Springer was released back into the wild following months of rehabilitation after she was found alone and emaciated off Vancouver Island. In 2012, two dolphins named Tom and Misha were released into Turkish waters following a 20 month rehabilitation project, ‘Back to the Blue’, led by The Born Free Foundation.

Born Free has always stood firmly against the captivity of whales and dolphins. This year, we have launched our #TanksNOthanks campaign, which seeks to raise awareness of the issue and say no to dolphin captivity and its concrete tanks.  

‘’All of us who advocate for whales and dolphins in tanks do so because we reject the justifications for captivity’’ commented Samantha Goddard, coordinator of the #TanksNOthanks campaign. ‘’Whether it be for entertainment, education, conservation or research, these animals cannot thrive in barren tanks. Forced to endure such a profoundly compromised existence, captivity is the worst scenario for these animals. For me, this is what drives the #TanksNOthanks campaign.’’