Wednesday was hell off the coast in Taiji, Japan. A beautiful pod of Rissos dolphins have been slaughtered in the cove. The rest of the week was OK with no kills or captures so far.
Reportedly, 72 dolphins (although the number may be higher now) are being held captive illegally in Indonesia, and many of them are used in the country's three traveling animal circuses. Despite a vow from Indonesia's minister of forestry to ban dolphin shows in 2013, no ban has ever been enforced and dolphins continue to suffer for the sake of entertainment. Capturing wild dolphins in Indonesia is illegal, but the Indonesian government has taken no interest in prosecuting fishers, who earn hefty sums of money to catch the marine mammals.
Taman Safari Indonesia| GREGORIUZ | CC BY-NC 2.0
The animal shows, run by three separate companies—Wersut Seguni Indonesia (WSI), Taman Safari Indonesia, and Ancol—offer cheap tickets to lure large crowds to watch dolphins perform tricks in tiny plastic pools. After performing, dolphins endure stressful journeys by van to the next circus show. Many of them die prematurely because of the poor living conditions, lack of care, and stressful, unnatural environment. WSI has a facility where it holds more dolphins to replace those who die on the road or at shows.
Taman Safari Indonesia| GREGORIUZ | CC BY-NC 2.0
The animal shows, run by three separate companies—Wersut Seguni Indonesia (WSI), Taman Safari Indonesia, and Ancol—offer cheap tickets to lure large crowds to watch dolphins perform tricks in tiny plastic pools. After performing, dolphins endure stressful journeys by van to the next circus show. Many of them die prematurely because of the poor living conditions, lack of care, and stressful, unnatural environment. WSI has a facility where it holds more dolphins to replace those who die on the road or at shows.
Two organizations in Indonesia, Jakarta Animal Aid Network and Dolphin Project, have built a sea pen in which captive dolphins can be rehabilitated before being released back into the wild—but although the Indonesian government previously agreed to help dolphins, it hasn't issued permits to these organizations to do this important work.
You Can Help Us End This Cruelty
Please ask the president of Indonesia and the Ministry of Environment and Forestry to ban dolphin circuses.
This dog and dolphin are inseparable, and it’s the most heartwarming thing
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It takes a team of dedicated professionals to witness and document the atrocities committed in Taiji, Japan. From monitoring the hunting boats going out in search of dolphins, to live streaming the brutal slaughters taking place in the cove to recording the violent captive selection process – Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project is on the ground to broadcast this information to the rest of the world. And, despite the constant use of tarps in attempts to block these visuals, the truth can no longer be hidden. |
We have also launched a massive advertising campaign using digital billboards in Jakarta, Indonesia, encouraging people to stop buying tickets to dolphin traveling circuses. It’s a positive way to help educate on the extreme cruelty of captive dolphin displays. |
"We invite everyone who has ever watched a live stream, seen a photograph of a suffering dolphin, or been moved by our mission in Taiji and elsewhere to join as and be a voice for the voiceless." ~ Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project |
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