Your Dolphin Outlook Weekly!

I wrote the following blurb on the Ric O'Barry Dolphin Project Blog and even though I did start a thread of some responses from other activists (I do not expect a response of course from Ric himself now and/or from any other cove monitors on the ground in Taji (Japan) but maybe when they get back from it next year (after the hunt time frame is done and completed this season) it can be addressed), I still have no formal reason why the below concept cannot work or happen:

Don Lichterman Is it against the law to set up our own boats to guide any dolphins away from those types of boats that line up in formation? I never got an answer to this inquiry and I have been asking it for years. Is it a money issue? I know we can get enough up to buy some boats. 

Are they in Japanese territory? Because everything is owned today. The oceans. All land, etc...maybe they are allowed a certain amount of miles off that coast. let me assume they do. 

My point is that can't we set up our own boats in what is International territory to guide the Dolphins away from the Cove in the sames ways they guide them into it? 

I'll be honest here....sitting around watching people chant and pray for the dolphins not to go in that direction annoys the hell out of me. 

Real action should be taken and rather than have Ric and the great people that can deal with it to stand on the shore if you will, it seems like there could be a way to guide them away (or at least a lot of them) unless its illegal and then why would it be illegal? 

What if we used japanese people or people from japan that have boats or that register boats and that are against this type of work? That cannot be illegal. If we need to be from that country, I will bet that we could get a few people to register boats we buy for whomever can do what i say here. 

I would do it. I would even take the chance of getting arrested if it need to be that way. They can't hold one for that long of a period of time unless we were seriously breaking some international law that has to do with the oceans.

Besides, we have the back of caroline Kennedy behind us and moreover, we have anyone that I tell that this happens for a half year behind us. Any human that I mention it to can't believe it even happens. Whether it be at a bar to a random, or at a family event, etc...everyone and I mean 100% of anyone I decide to tell about it, is in disbelief. Because for all intent and purpose...yes..its known to people like u and I, but only on a hardcore level. Regular people and the mainstream are still cluelss to it. I mean that is a generalization but i am serious. The minute you show this happens to any human with a brain, they are against it big time. Most people honestly just block it out. 

But again, why we do not have a series of 3 to 5 boats set up here every year and every day during this time is something I cannot figure out. They do NOT even need to be huge boats per se, they just need to be effective and strategically placed on the other side of those boats that set themselves up in formation. And, then we can use those same exact tactics with that sound or whatever they use, but to guide them into international sea and away fromthe cove area. 

I assume its against some law because i cannot be the first and only person that has thought about doing just that...And, how much worse could it be law wise to do what sea shepard boats have done to intercept whales from the same japanse people that also steal from what is honestly my ocean and your ocean and our oceans...

And think about what they do. Its slavery but for dolphins. Its exactly what people did to blacks and jewish people way back in the day and to whomever is oput into slavery throughout the history of this world. Whomever in power or had that power would take them from their own environment and either put them to work for free or they killed them...

Its just now done with dolphins (and with animals in other situations too but they just take them gratis). 

Their only overhead is what it cost to run these boats and to transport the animals. They basically take the actual product for free. Just like they did with black people and with jews and whatever other human slaves to make them work for free or for food basically..and they gave them housing but in a shack when they had top house black people here in america or the egyptians would allow those adobe huts or whatever they allowed the jewish people to live in overnight while they got to sleep a few hours before they were oput to work for the people in power to make money off that work...

I just wanna know why its different what they do to these animals and to things they take into zoos and circuses that was not done with humans way back....

And, I wanna know why we cant and never fought fire with fire so to speak since this came to light....we basically let them run rampant while we just hope, prey and chant swim dolphin tunes and thats it....aka being helpless...(I mean besides the great activism work everyone does to make people aware of it but that takes years and the damage is done ten fold...)

Anyway, ramble on...I should make this into an article at sunset daily....maybe I will copy and paste this content after I hear from people about it....Like I said, there is no way I am the first person anytime lately to think about this strategy. There must be some reason why no one does it....

OH and PS: If they decide to fight or shoot or harpoon other boats and the humans in it (or try to kill us)...that has to be against more laws than us trying to guide dolphins away from them....

Thanks for allowing me to rant here...

DEAD AT SEA: THE FORGOTTEN ONES
Dead at Sea: The Forgotten Ones
On October 19, Dolphin Project Cove Monitors witnessed and reported an unusually long drive of Risso’s dolphins, resulting in the deaths of approximately 12-15 animals. Despite their courageous and heartbreaking fight, the hunters were able to overpower the exhausted dolphins, pushing them into the cove where they were later killed. Presumably, this “kill number” was recorded, adding to the quotas previously established by the Taiji Fisherman’s Union for the 2015/2016 drive season.

That’s the “spin” Taiji wants the rest of the world to believe. But it’s a lie.
The drive itself is sheer brutality, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.” ~ Ric O’Barry
2015/2016 Taiji Dolphin Quota
2015/2016 Taiji Dolphin Quota
With the carcass of a juvenile Risso’s dolphin washing ashore, presumably after the drive of a few days ago, it’s obvious these numbers are wrong. DEAD wrong.

At the time of writing, the dolphin’s broken body still lies on the beach, between the Taiji lighthouse (visible in the movie, “The Cove,”) and the vantage point close to the Taiji High School. Says senior Cove Monitor Hans Peter Roth, “The sight of this dead Risso’s dolphin, in a progressing state of decay was shocking. It’s death is undoubtedly linked to the drive hunt from last Monday, when a pod of Risso’s was killed in the infamous cove of Taiji.”

Out at sea where there are no witnesses, dolphins die as a result of stress, exhaustion or injuries sustained during the hunt. Dolphins are run over by boats. They get hit by propellers or other moving parts. They drown. In other words, it’s a gruesome and brutal process, with no records kept of these “incidental” deaths.
Many animals, including the young, the old and the sick die even before the rest of the pod gets pushed into the cove. These “forgotten” ones  are not accounted for, likely resulting in kill numbers being much higher than officially reported.” ~ Ric O’Barry
In spite of the Risso’s decay, there were telltale signs of such brutality. Hans Peter Roth and fellow Cove Monitor Marna Frida Olsen report seeing scratch marks around the dolphin’s rostrum, indicating the animal might have been entangled in nets. In such cases, they are not used for meat. Fishermen have been noted loading bodies into skiffs and dumping them at sea.
Risso's dolphin lying dead on rocks in Taiji, Japan
Risso’s dolphin lying dead on rocks in Taiji, Japan Photo credit: DolphinProject.com/Hans Peter Roth

Says O’Barry, “When I first started going to Taiji in 2003, fishermen would openly kill dolphins on the beach. Then they started driving them into the secret cove, to kill the animals out of sight. Tarps were later employed, and now, a wall has been built. The secrecy of their actions is increasing, due to world condemnation.”

Just last week, approximately 800 people aired their grievances outside the Japanese embassy in London for the dolphins killed in the drive hunts of Japan. During the demo, which was covered by international media, the Japanese embassy chose to remove its flag from its own building. This has never happened before – a likely sign of progress. With their circle of support shrinking, and with more blue cove days during this season than red, the tide seems to be turning in our favor.

Now more than ever, we need to be diligent and keep doing what we’re doing. With Dolphin Project Cove Monitors on the ground throughout the entire killing season, the campaign is expensive, time consuming and energy intensive. Please consider supporting our work, with a monthly donation, shopping our store for cool gear or even volunteering to become part of our team in Taiji. Ourdonation page offers other opportunities for giving. Thank you.

To the dead Risso’s: although you weren’t even recorded as a “number,” your life had meaning.
Risso's dolphin dead in Taiji
Young Risso’s dolphin found dead on the rocks in Taiji, Japan Photo credit: DolphinProject.com/Hans Peter Roth

Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization in the USA (Tax ID 47-1665067), and donations are fully tax-deductible.

Stop the Needless Deaths of Thousands of Whales, Dolphins, and Marine Mammals. Protect North Atlantic Right Whales, Dolphins, and Vaquitas From Hazardous Fishing Gear.

Each year more than 650,000 whales, dolphins, and other marine mammals—including the rare North Atlantic right whale and the world's smallest and most endangered porpoise, the vaquita—are caught and killed in fishing gear around the world. 


Since 1972, the Marine Mammal Protection Act has required the U.S. government to ban all imports of fish caught in gear considered unsafe for whales and dolphins. Yet, for decades the U.S. has failed to properly enforce this law, tacitly allowing thousands of marine mammals to die each year. 


Something must be done immediately to ensure that the U.S.' demand for seafood doesn't keep threatening the lives of precious endangered sea creatures. 


Join the Center for Biological Diversity in urging the National Marine Fisheries Service to issue detailed regulations to strongly enforce the act and help prevent tens of thousands of whales and dolphins from dying in dangerous fishing nets each year. 


Tell Travel Company to Stop Promoting SeaWorld.

Target: Adventure Student Travel
Petition: Click Here To Help!
Goal: Cut ties between Adventure Student Travel and SeaWorld.

Adventure Student Travel is a major traveling company that promotes SeaWorld as a great learning experience. Orcas in the wild will swim up to 100 miles in a single day, however orcas at SeaWorld are confined to small tanks where they swim endlessly in circles.

Adventure Student Travel promotes educational and engaging trips. In order to properly learn about orcas, one should study them in their natural habitat. Orcas at SeaWorld were either bred in captivity or ripped away from their families in the wild. The small confinement, separation from other orcas, and being forced to perform tricks in front of jeering crowds causes excessive stress in the whales and teaches people nothing about these intricate and intelligent creatures.

Many other travel companies have ended their business relationships with SeaWorld including Jet Blue, Virgin America, Independent Traveler and STA Travel. STA Travel took it even farther by refusing to offer trips to SeaWorld. Instead of promoting SeaWorld, Adventure Student Travel should look more into whale watching trips where they can see whales in their natural habitat.

Sign this petition below and urge Adventure Student Travel to stop promoting SeaWorld.

PETITION LETTER:

Dear Corey,

Recently it came to my attention that your company, Adventure Student Travel, still promotes trips to SeaWorld. Your company focuses on making the trips engaging and educational. SeaWorld is not the place to learn about orcas. Orcas in the wild swim up to 100 miles a day, however at SeaWorld, their tiny concrete tanks only allow them to swim endlessly in circles. The cramped conditions and being forced to perform tricks in front of loud and large crowds causes excessive stress in the whales.

In order to properly learn about orcas, they must been seen in their natural environment. Instead of promoting SeaWorld, you should look more into whale watching trips. Many other travel companies have ended their business relationship with SeaWorld. This includes Jet Blue, Virgin America, Independent Traveler and STA Travel.

We are asking you to consider following in the footsteps of these other travel companies and stop promoting SeaWorld. Not only is this not an educational facility, but the orcas held at SeaWorld experience excessive stress due to their living conditions and training to do pointless tricks. Please consider ending your business relationship with SeaWorld and instead promote animals living in their natural habitats.

Sincerely,

[Your Name Here]

Photo Credit: Ken Biggs

WDC adopt a dolphin monthly update October 2015. WDC adopt a dolphin monthly update with Charlie Phillips:
In our October update, adopt a dolphin field officer brings supporters news on all the adoption dolphins, plus some unusual sightings around the Moray Firth.

Remember, you can adopt a dolphin with WDC by visiting our website whales.org/adoptadolphin

Would you let your best friend torture animals? SeaWorld does.
On paper SeaWorld calls the annual dolphin hunts in Taiji ‘horrific’. But one of its closest allies is an organisation that stands side by side with dolphin hunters in the cove.
That organisation is IMATA, the International Marine Animal Trainers’ Association. IMATA gives its trainers permission to enter the blood-stained waters of Taiji and tear baby dolphins away from their mothers. And it has SeaWorld’s full support. IIn fact, SeaWorld’s network of dolphin trainers makes up a huge chunk of IMATA’s membership body, and its board of directors.
As a massive corporation with global influence and buying power, SeaWorld could use its position to save Taiji dolphins from unthinkable pain and suffering.
But as IMATA trainers drag screaming dolphins away from their families, SeaWorld stays silent.
Please, ask SeaWorld to speak up for animals, and stop IMATA trainers torturing innocent dolphins in Taiji.
These actions will only take 30 seconds, but will make a big impact:
  1. Write a message on SeaWorld’s Facebook page asking them to use their influence and stop IMATA from supporting the Taiji hunts (to ensure your comment is published, please comment underneath the most recent photo on SeaWorld’s Facebook page).
  2. Take to Twitter with #SpeakOutSeaWorld to share your demands and call on SeaWorld to use their industry power to help dolphins.
The brutal dolphin hunts in Japan exist for one reason – because the aquarium trade for live dolphins is big business.
By pressuring SeaWorld to take action, you can get IMATA trainers out of the cove. This would remove one of the biggest players in the evil dolphin captivity trade, dealing a massive blow to the hunts.
A few weeks ago hundreds of caring animal advocates contacted IMATA and its headquarters at Shedd Aquarium, pleading with them to stop supporting the dolphin hunts. If you were one of those passionate dolphin advocates who took a stand, thank you. Because of your powerful action, IMATA is losing friends in the industry fast.
FORMER DIRECTORS OF SIX FLAGS VALLEJO ACCUSE PARK OF ABUSE
Not good enough SeaWorld
Now it’s time to target IMATA’s last big supporter: SeaWorld.
Since the release of Blackfish, SeaWorld is keen to distance itself as much as possible from any bad PR. But if SeaWorld wants to avoid bad press, it can’t stand by while its close friend IMATA tortures innocent dolphins in Taiji.
Don, will you join thousands of animal lovers on Facebook or Twitter and demand SeaWorld speak out?
We’ve already seen how SeaWorld reacts to negative publicity. With the power of collective action and social media, your message WILL get through to IMATA.
Get SeaWorld to use its influence and speak out by leaving a message on its Facebook page.
Or tell SeaWorld what you think about its shameful connection to IMATA with a #SpeakOutSeaWorld tweet.
IMATA talks about “respecting animals” but its trainers are alongside the hunters, choosing which dolphins will live and die in the cove.
Don, please join the global movement of dolphin defenders holding SeaWorld to account. We may be the little guys, but together we are more powerful than a multi-million dollar corporation.
With you on our team, I know we can create a kinder world where there is no place for animal cruelty. 
Write on SeaWorld’s Facebook wall
Tell them on Twitter using #SpeakOutSeaWorld
Former Directors of Six Flags Vallejo Accuse Park of Abuse
News surfaced recently of a lawsuit filed Oct. 14, in Salano County Court against the Six Flags Vallejo theme park. The suit — brought by former park directors Michael and Holley Muraco, alleges that the duo were fired over the deaths of two dolphin calves despite repeatedly raising concerns over conditions at the park with management.
According to this Courthouse News report:
The Muracos say they told management repeatedly that crumbling infrastructure, poor water quality, improper diets, overmedication, improper surgical procedures, abusive training techniques, insufficient salt in the tanks and other compliance issues were endangering the health of the animals, and in some cases endangering employees and the public.
The Muracos then refer to this May 12, 2014 inspection and citation by the USDA’s, Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service or APHIS, which specifically blames water quality for the death of the calves.
Six Flags has denied all the allegations and appears to have lodged an appeal against the APHIS citation, although nothing official was located.

“We provide excellent care for all of our animals. The lawsuit is without merit and we intend to vigorously defend ourselves,” said Six Flags spokeswoman Nancy Chan.
Sadly, it is the voiceless victims who pay the price of the self-serving. Bella, Ping and their calves, died because of someone’s negligence. The tragedy is heightened by Bella’s devotion to her unborn calf. While pregnant, she was heard making whistling sounds in recognition of her future offspring. Described as a “signature or baby whistle,” Michael Muraco told ABC7 News, “What we found out was it is almost as if Bella were imprinting with her baby, prior to the birth.”

You can listen to Bella’s whistle at SFGate.com.

As for Ping, the mother of the other calf, APHIS writes that her 11 1/2 day-old calf died of traumatic injuries when all the dolphins became erratic and agitated. This behavior, APHIS stated, coincided with a spike in ammonia and chlorine that sent the dolphins into a frenzy and “likely” caused the calf’s injures.

It is unfathomable that a backstage glimpse of these facilities only ever seems to occur with internal strife. As always, it begs the question, what else don’t we know about this park and why don’t we know it?

For Bella, Ping and their lost calves, none of this matters of course. Through no fault of their own, they lost much.
It is beyond distressing.

ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST: FINNISH DOLPHINARIUM CLOSES
Another One Bites the Dust: Finnish Dolphinarium Closes
As further proof that worldwide attendance of dolphin shows is on the decline, Finland’s only dolphinarium, located in Särkänniemi Adventure Park (also known as Tampereen Särkänniemi) has closed. Congratulations to all of the animal welfare activists in Finland who have been campaigning against the dolphinarium for many years. A special thank you goes to Viivi Senghore, who campaigned solo not long after the facility opened in 1985, bringing awareness to the plight of the dolphins held captive there.

Background
Viivi and Ric O’Barry participated in a protest in Finland in the late 1990’s. In 2010, Finland acknowledged the rights of whales and dolphins, hosting a conference that established a Declaration of Rights for cetaceans. Amongst the conclusions: “No cetacean should be held in captivity or servitude; be subject to cruel treatment; or be removed from their natural environment.”*
Brussels Demo 2014In 2013, over 300 people from all parts of Europe demonstrated against all dolphinariums in the European Union. One year later, in 2014, Ric participated in a huge demonstration in Brussels, where over 400 people rallied against keeping dolphins in captivity. Also in 2014, then-Environment Minister, Ville Niinistö, called on the facility to close, stating he felt the keeping of dolphins in captivity was “problematic.”

Current
With the closure of the dolphinarium made official, animal welfare activists in Finland are calling for the dolphins to remain in Finland until a proper retirement sanctuary can be established in Europe.

Presently, the Finnish facility houses four bottlenose dolphins, Veera, Delfi, Leevi and Eevertti, which are all in urgent need of a retirement home. The elder dolphins, Veera and Delfi, were captured in the Gulf of Mexico, off Pine Island, Florida in 1984 by dolphin dealer Dr. Jay Sweeney and Mandy Rodriguez, Director, Dolphin Research Center, Grassy Key, Florida. Three other dolphins caught alongside them, Niki, Joona and Happy, are all dead. Given their advanced age, the would probably not survive transport back to Florida. Leevi and Eevertti are both over 20 years old, born in captivity and are in questionable health.
We applaud Tampereen Särkänniemi’s Board of Directors in their decision to close the dolphinarium. The next step is to provide a proper retirement home to these dolphins who have provided years of service, not be sent to another aquarium.” ~ Ric O’Barry
The President of the Marche Region in Italy, Luca Ceriscioli has offered to transfer the four dolphins to the Blue Dolphin Freedom Center, a joint initiative between Cetaceansound and Dolphin Project.
This initiative was designed to help dolphins in trouble. In Europe, nothing like this exists. Together with Ric, we will try to give previously captive animals an opportunity to retire in peace.” ~ Luca Giovagnoli, DVM, Marine Mammal Veterinarian and Dolphin Project consultant

Read the list of captive facilities which have either closed or have never opened.

DISNEY’S DISMAL DOLPHINS — NO MAKE BELIEVE HERE
Disney’s Dismal Dolphins — No Make Believe Here
We keep moving forward, opening new doors, and doing new things, because we’re curious and curiosity keeps leading us down new paths. Walt Disney
Disney Dolphin Capture by Jay Sweeney
Scanned images provided by Jordan Waltz
If there is one thing that can be said about Walt Disney the man, he was a visionary. The artist and pioneer of cartoon films even credited the foundation of today’s multi-billion dollar empire to one mouse — Mickey.

Many animals are portrayed through Walt Disney’s magic screen — “Bambi”, “Dumbo”, “Lady and the Tramp”, “One Hundred and One Dalmatians”, are just a few of them. The irony of these films rests in the same underlying theme, all of them feature animals who in some form, encounter the worst of humanity.
Which is why we don’t understand why Disney’s Epcot Center continues to keep captive dolphins when public support for keeping large marine mammals in captivity, is rapidly waning.

Brief Epcot History
Named E.P.C.O.T or the, Experimental Prototype Community Of Tomorrow by Mr. Disney himself, the project didn’t actually get underway until 1979, over a decade after his death. The ‘Living Seas Pavilion’ opened in Jan. 1986. According to an article in the “Evening Independent” dated Jan. 28, 1986:
Until now, Walt Disney World was forgetting something … Disney wizardry had overlooked oceans. Living Seas … is a huge ocean environment that takes aquariums and Sea World-type attractions a step further. Dolphins don’t jump through hoops in the ocean. They won’t do it here.
In fact said a Disney spokesman, “We won’t commercialize sealife. There are no tricks here.”

Today, Living Seas has had a name change and is now known as, ‘The Seas with Nemo & Friends Pavilion.’ For $199, you can interact with the dolphins in waist-deep water for around 30 minutes. The other 2.5 hours of the tour, Epcot writes, is educational.

Living Seas Early Days
Several dolphins have passed through Epcot’s pavilion since it first opened. The first six, all captured in FT. Meyers, Florida didn’t live long at all. Captured by Jay Sweeney, a veterinarian who sourced dolphins around the globe, the ‘Sun Sentinel‘ reports that Sweeney founded Dolphin Quest and:
Caught at least 80 dolphins in the 1980s … “Will deliver to your size and sex specifications … 90-day replacement guarantee.”
The capture of the four male and two females dolphins for Epcot by Sweeney, is featured in the documentary, ‘A Fall From Freedom.’
Scanned images provided by Jordan Waltz
Scanned images provided by Jordan Waltz
The dolphins’ names were Bob, Geno, Tyke, Toby, Christie and Katie.

Bob was known to have aggression issues and was implicated in the death of Katie, who allegedly suffered with a lung condition. In 1990, the ‘Orlando Sentinel‘ wrote:
The only female dolphin at Epcot Center’s Living Seas Pavilion died early Tuesday, the fourth of six dolphins to die at Walt Disney World since 1985.
Kym Murphy, Disney’s corporate vice president for environmental policy, told the Sentinel, “Bob probably contributed to the 1987 deaths of two other dolphins at the Living Seas.”

Bob caused further issues when he was shipped to the National Aquarium in Baltimore in 2003. In this report of his own death two years later:
The death of the 500-pound dolphin named Bob follows the deaths of two dolphin calves last year. In April, an unnamed 10-day-old male calf died from bacterial meningitis. In July, a 4-month-old calf named Bridget died after she was roughed up by older male dolphins. Her death was blamed on pre-existing pneumonia.
Geno lasted less than one year in captivity. The Sentinel — citing Fisheries Service records, said the male became trapped in a net and suffocated. As for the other dolphins:
Two animals died within three days of each other after being injured in October 1987. A 9-year-old female died of a brain hemorrhage and a 6-year-old male died after its vertebrae were fractured.
It was a harsh lesson for Epcot. You can’t force an artificial dolphin pod and expect them to get along, particularly in a contained environment.

Epcot courted further controversy in 1993, when it accepted three surplus Navy dolphins for breeding purposes. The dolphins, Nina, Snapper & Noriko, were tipped for release by congress. The move had not been approved by the National Marine Fisheries Service and irked the agency considerably. According to the ‘Sarasota Herald-Tribune‘  and Fisheries agency spokesman Scott Smullen:
The Navy is supposed to get permission from the Fisheries agency to take, maintain and move marine mammals … Mullen said it had no clue the Navy was shipping dolphins around the country.
Unable to find the records for these dolphins, I turned to Ceta-Base.com, a massive online website dedicated to tracking captive marine mammals. Ceta-Base told me that according to records, Noriko, Nina and Snapper were all formerly wild dolphins captured off Mississippi. Noriko and Nina in Aug. 1984, and Snapper in 1988. They were sent to Epcot on May 25, 1993.

Noriko was transferred back to the Navy in June 1997, and died in November. Nina went back to the Navy in Oct. 1998, and died in Nov, 2001. Snapper was transferred back to the Navy with Nina, and is still alive.

There was one calf born during the breeding loan. Noriko was pregnant when she arrived at Epcot and delivered Naia on May 7, 1994. Owned by the Navy, Naia was sent back to them on  June 11, 1997. From there, she was sent to Sea Life Park in 2005, and then went back to the Navy in 2009.
Disney Dolphin Capture
Scanned images provided by Jordan Waltz
Epcot Today
Today, Epcot houses four dolphins in its pavilion — Ranier, Khyber, Calvin and Malabar. Ranier was captured in the Gulf of Mexico in July 1988. He was transported to Epcot in July 2002, having left the Navy in 1988, Dolphin Connection in 1996 and Brookfield Zoo in 2000. He has been at the pavilion for 13 years.
Khyber (1998) and Calvin (1993) were born at Dolphin Connection. Khyber was in service at Dolphin Quest Bermuda before being shipped to Epcot in 2005. Calvin, went to Brookfield Zoo in 1996, back to Dolphin Connection in 1999, and finally to Epcot in 2003.
Malabar was born at Dolphin Quest Bermuda in June 2000, and was sent to Epcot in 2005.
Times and conditions change so rapidly that we must keep our aim constantly focused on the future. Walt Disney
The need to keep dolphins in a captive environment in order to study them is unnecessary and limiting, particularly for education purposes. Any marine mammal biologist or conservationist who participates in research on wild dolphins, will often speak to you freely. Naturalists are also well educated in their respective regions and can tell you far more than any aquarium about the animals that inhabit those areas. The experience is genuine, realistic, and more importantly, the animals get to stay in their natural environment.
You can design and create, and build the most wonderful place in the world. But it takes people to make the dream a reality. Walt Disney
The only reason dolphins are still held in captivity is because of public demand. You can end this. Take the pledge: Don’t buy a ticket.

*Dolphin Project would like to thank Jordan Waltz for providing the scans. All scans are taken from the book, “Dolphins, Our Friends in the Sea: Dolphins and Other Toothed Whales (Books for World Explorers) Hardcover”. Judith E. Rinard; 1986. Images/Henning Christoph.