Pantropical spotted dolphins are driven into the Cove, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
Japanese activists lay a banner across the beach: STOP KILLING DOLPHINS! Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com“As the dolphins were being driven in, I relocated to the other side of the Cove to livestream from a different viewpoint. Three Japanese activists had placed a large banner on the beach. It said, in large, Japanese letters: STOP KILLING DOLPHINS!”The coast guard and police were there, as were several towns people, who had come to see what all the fuss was about. Meanwhile, the hunters had pushed the dolphins into the Cove, netting off their escape. There were over a hundred of them, with many juveniles spotted in the pod. The activists began chanting in Japanese, “Leave the dolphins alone – this is not tradition!”Shortly after, skiffs with trainers arrived on the scene, and the dolphins were forced closer to the killing beach, where tarps had been erected. Then the grueling captive selection process began.”~ Helene O’Barry
There was much turmoil and thrashing in the water. It was a scene of utter terror and fear. While hunters and trainers worked together in this display of savagery, the voices of the three brave women carried across the water, repeating their plea for mercy.
Chaos in the Cove as a pod of pantropical spotted dolphins are driven into the Cove, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
Dolphin expels contents of stomach after being driven into the Cove, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com“The chaos amongst the pod was unimaginable. Divers swam through the terror-stricken dolphins, rolling them over to check their gender, then forcefully pushing the undesirable ones out of their way. A calf attempted to surface for air, then disappeared for several seconds underneath the surface, this process repeating over and over. One dolphin likely expelled its stomach contents, swimming with what looked to be a cephalopod hanging out of its mouth.” ~ Heather Hill
Of the pod, 16 juveniles were chosen for captivity. They were loaded into skiffs and driven past their families, bound for sea cages. Before the skiffs had even left the Cove, trainers were busy administering injections of an unknown substance into their small bodies.
Stolen! Pantropical spotted dolphins whisked away for “life” in captivity, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
Trainer injects dolphin with unknown substance, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com“My guess is that the injections might have contained antibiotics to combat infections caused by injuries sustained during capture.” ~ Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project
The rest of the traumatized pod (approximately 100) were driven back out to sea. The scene was dramatic and heartbreaking as the dolphins literally swam for their lives – torpedoing out of the water then diving back in, in attempts to flee the horror they had just been subjected to.
The global captive dolphin industry is responsible for this barbaric cruelty. Dolphinariums that do not purchase dolphins from Taiji’s drive hunts are also guilty of inexcusable betrayal against the mammals for not speaking out and for doing absolutely nothing to stop it.
Dolphins flee after 16 of the pod are selected for “life” in captivity, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
Japanese activists lay a banner across the beach: STOP KILLING DOLPHINS! Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com“The contrast between the dolphin trainers’ cruelty and the protesters’ call for compassion was the most powerful and moving scene I have ever witnessed. These protestors really tried. They pleaded with the trainers to stop; tried to convince them to let the dolphins go. The trainers went ahead and put the dolphins through hell anyway, injuring many in the process.” ~ Helene O’Barry
Tragedy struck again in Taiji on February 14 when the hunters captured a nursery pod of 10 Risso’s dolphins. Four of them were small calves. The mothers in a nursery pod will guide their calves to inshore waters to forage, play, and nurse their young, but above all, to protect dependent offspring from predators. According to their previous experiences, the inshore, shallow waters provide much-needed protection for their vulnerable calves. But not so in Taiji. There, swimming and foraging close to shore puts dolphins at great risk, and when the hunters spread across the ocean at daybreak, they quickly found the pod. With their fleet of motorized boats, they effortlessly chased the nursery pod down and forced it into the Cove. The hunters quickly netted off the dolphins’ escape, and their fate was sealed.
Science has established that cetaceans are highly complex, empathetic, and intelligent beings that share strong social ties. Mothers that have lost their offspring have been seen carrying their dead calves for days, refusing to let them go. It is evident that dolphins experience grief and that they mourn the loss of an offspring.
Risso’s mom and calf after being driven into the Cove, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
Risso’s dolphins have a cohesive social structure, and individuals remain together for long periods of time. The bond between a mother and her calf is particularly strong. The mother will care for, defend, and protect her calf by keeping it close to her side, and a calf will stay with its mother for several years. Calves that are still nursing require intensive maternal care. They cannot survive without their mothers.
The Risso’s dolphins trapped in the Cove no doubt knew that something was terribly wrong. The mothers would do everything they could to protect their offspring from harm, but once trapped in the Cove, all hope of escape is gone. These would be their last moments together.
Meanwhile, the hunters had pulled out the tarps at the killing beach to conceal the carnage. The scenes that followed were hideous. A calf got entangled in the net, its small body struggling to free itself from the orange mesh. An adult dolphin that also became entangled when trying to escape was helplessly trapped underwater, and after a long fight, it suffocated to death. A diver and several hunters working from a skiff pulled its lifeless body out of the water. That dolphin’s last moments were filled with agony and sheer panic.
Risso’s dolphin being dragged underneath the tarps for slaughter, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
The hunters killed all the adults in the pod. When the massacre was over, they piled the dead bodies onto a skiff and dragged them to the butcher house. Imagine how the calves felt when they watched their mothers forcefully taken from them and dragged ashore, tied down, and killed. The calves were now left to fend for themselves against the hunters’ vicious assaults. They never had a chance.
On many occasions, we have seen dolphin trainers show up at the Cove during a dolphin capture such as this one. They have taken 24 Risso’s dolphins captive this season so far, and several of them were juveniles. This time, however, the trainers at Taiji Whale Museum and Dolphin Base apparently had no interest in selecting any of them. Perhaps they figured it wouldn’t be worth the hassle: These calves would be too young and too small to survive captivity for very long. Whenever dolphins are deemed undesirable for public display, the trainers let the hunters do with them whatever they want. We never see trainers at the Cove trying to help any dolphins.
Before long, another skiff with hunters entered the Cove. This one had four slings attached to it. Then we knew what kind of death the hunters had planned for the orphaned calves: They were going to dump them out at sea because the calves were too small to yield meat. Unwilling to let the calves count toward their quota, the hunters would tow them into the ocean and leave them to die there.
Young Risso’s calves being dumped back at sea, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
The hunters wrestled the calves into the slings, and the skiff left the Cove. The calves looked so incredibly frail and tiny, filling out only a small fraction of the slings. The skiff dragged the calves to a banger boat that was waiting a little farther out. The hunters transferred the slings from the skiff to the banger boat, and the banger boat took off.
The waves crashing down on the slings violently pounded the calves as the banger boat rushed toward the open sea. At times parts of the slings were submerged in water, which would make it impossible for the calves to breathe. Some of these calves might have drowned or succumbed to shock on the way out. Imagine the horror they felt throughout this day. Watching their mothers being dragged ashore and killed. Being manhandled and wrestled into slings that were attached near the ear-deafening sound of a motor. Being hauled through the water at a fast speed, not knowing what was happening or when it would ever end. A tiny calf was looking out through a hole in the sling. There was so much fear behind that eye.
It is difficult to witness such cruelty and not be able to stop it. The law protects the hunters. During the hunt, Cove Monitors are surrounded by the coast guard and the police who make sure that no one interferes with what happens in the Cove. The banger boat raced farther and farther away from the Cove where the calves had last seen their mothers alive.
Dead Risso’s dolphins are dragged to butcher’s house, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
The hunters dumped them into the ocean’s waves. They left them there and returned to the harbor.
What took place in the Cove on Valentine’s Day is cruelty in its most crude and heartless form. Nothing can justify it. Four small dependent calves were helplessly lost out at sea. They could easily have sustained injuries as a result of the brutal treatment they endured. The hunters dumped them there without even the slightest chance of survival.
These calves no doubt suffered frightening deaths. The hunters tore their mothers away from them, killed them, and reduced them to chunks of meat on the cold concrete floor of the butcher house. When night fell and darkness descended, the orphaned calves on the ocean’s surface were fully aware that there is no comfort or protection to be found anywhere. Their mothers were gone. They were alone.
Young Risso’s calf dumped back at sea, Taiji, Japan. Credit: DolphinProject.com
Lawsuit filed against Taiji. Recently Dolphin Project had the opportunity to talk with Ren Yabuki of Life Investigation Agency (LIA). LIA focuses on animal advocacy within Japan. We first met Ren in the 2016/17 dolphin hunting season when he came to Taiji to learn about issues surrounding the captivity industry in Japan.
LIA has been responsible for several legal actions in Japan, successfully defending the rights of animals. LIA, in partnership with a local Taiji resident, just announced a lawsuit aimed against Taiji’s dolphin drive hunts, and the unethical treatment and torture of dolphins in this practice. LIA hopes this lawsuit will ultimately bring an end to the hunts and to the suffering of dolphins in Taiji.
Ren being interviewed in Taiji, Japan.
Q&A with Ren Yabuki
I want people to understand that these animals have a heart; they have feelings. Just because we may not speak the same language or be the same species doesn’t mean we can destroy that.
Q: When did you first learn about the hunts in Taiji?
A: I learned about the dolphin hunt issue from the documentary, The Cove.
A: I learned about the dolphin hunt issue from the documentary, The Cove.
Q: How much do you hear about the hunts in Japan from news sources, and do you feel these sources are biased? Unbiased?
A: Generally speaking, the Japanese media outlets and news sources don’t fully cover the issues at hand in regards to the dolphin hunts. When the news reports on the subject matter, they are very biased and do not accurately portray the available information. The media tends to hide and cover up information for the Japanese people by never telling the full truth.
A: Generally speaking, the Japanese media outlets and news sources don’t fully cover the issues at hand in regards to the dolphin hunts. When the news reports on the subject matter, they are very biased and do not accurately portray the available information. The media tends to hide and cover up information for the Japanese people by never telling the full truth.
Q: What was your experience going to Taiji and witnessing the hunts first-hand?
A: What I saw was deeply disturbing and affected my peace of mind tremendously. A bunch of negative emotions ran through my body, making my blood boil upon the monstrosity I witnessed. This doesn’t even begin to describe the full emotions I felt as they are impossible to put into words. What I can say is I felt sadness, despair, anger and helplessness as I was unable to stop or do anything but watch at my horror as the events unfolded in front of me. At the end of the day, I was completely exhausted and drained from what I saw at the dolphin hunt.
A: What I saw was deeply disturbing and affected my peace of mind tremendously. A bunch of negative emotions ran through my body, making my blood boil upon the monstrosity I witnessed. This doesn’t even begin to describe the full emotions I felt as they are impossible to put into words. What I can say is I felt sadness, despair, anger and helplessness as I was unable to stop or do anything but watch at my horror as the events unfolded in front of me. At the end of the day, I was completely exhausted and drained from what I saw at the dolphin hunt.
Q: Can you offer details about LIA’s lawsuit? What do you hope to accomplish?
A: LIA’s lawsuit’s goal is to end dolphin hunting.
A: LIA’s lawsuit’s goal is to end dolphin hunting.
Q: I understand a Taiji resident is now joining you in the lawsuit. How did this come about?
A: Opposing dolphin hunting in Taiji is as hard as one might expect. I met someone who stood alone in the darkness, trying to oppose dolphin hunting all on their own. Since meeting this individual, ‘he’ has joined our lawsuit and become a dear friend to me as well. I have the upmost respect for this person and ‘he’ is one of the most courageous people I know.
A: Opposing dolphin hunting in Taiji is as hard as one might expect. I met someone who stood alone in the darkness, trying to oppose dolphin hunting all on their own. Since meeting this individual, ‘he’ has joined our lawsuit and become a dear friend to me as well. I have the upmost respect for this person and ‘he’ is one of the most courageous people I know.
LIA speaks out for animal rights.
Q: Do you think this will bring news attention (both from within Japan and worldwide) to the Taiji hunts, and the captivity issue in general?
A: As this case is the first of its kind in Japan, I cant confirm how the media will report it or not. My hope is journalists will accurately report on the matter with an unbiased opinion. If they can do that, than the Japanese people can have a chance to review all the facts for themselves. If journalists do not accurately report the facts, than the information will be distorted. Animals that were once living freely in nature are then caught and forcibly made to be an attraction in aquariums and zoos. Imagine if we did that to other humans – your family or friends for example – stole them and confined them in cages for the rest of their lives. To be trapped until death is a cruel and inhumane thing to do. I want people to understand that these animals have a heart; they have feelings. Just because we may not speak the same language or be the same species doesn’t mean we can destroy that.
A: As this case is the first of its kind in Japan, I cant confirm how the media will report it or not. My hope is journalists will accurately report on the matter with an unbiased opinion. If they can do that, than the Japanese people can have a chance to review all the facts for themselves. If journalists do not accurately report the facts, than the information will be distorted. Animals that were once living freely in nature are then caught and forcibly made to be an attraction in aquariums and zoos. Imagine if we did that to other humans – your family or friends for example – stole them and confined them in cages for the rest of their lives. To be trapped until death is a cruel and inhumane thing to do. I want people to understand that these animals have a heart; they have feelings. Just because we may not speak the same language or be the same species doesn’t mean we can destroy that.
Q: Do you feel the residents of Taiji support these hunts?
A: I think the residents of Taiji generally do not concern themselves with dolphin hunts and therefore do not know much about the subject matter including who or what they affect.
A: I think the residents of Taiji generally do not concern themselves with dolphin hunts and therefore do not know much about the subject matter including who or what they affect.
Q: Do you feel Japanese citizens support Taiji’s hunts? The captivity industry?
A: When a Japanese person goes to an aquarium for example, they do not think about where or how the dolphin got there. All they see is a happy, swimming creature and they don’t concern themselves with any further details. If they knew how the dolphins were taken from their homes, I believe they would be against keeping them captive. Generally speaking, captured dolphins are sold between 4 to 6 million yen each. If the general public was informed on the subject matter, I believe the majority of citizens would be against the hunt and captivity.
A: When a Japanese person goes to an aquarium for example, they do not think about where or how the dolphin got there. All they see is a happy, swimming creature and they don’t concern themselves with any further details. If they knew how the dolphins were taken from their homes, I believe they would be against keeping them captive. Generally speaking, captured dolphins are sold between 4 to 6 million yen each. If the general public was informed on the subject matter, I believe the majority of citizens would be against the hunt and captivity.
Q: Do you look for different actions from Western culture than you do from within Japan?
A: I do not look for different actions from Western culture than I would from Japan. Japan is slowly but surely developing their ethics the same way a western culture would. We are all human and do value the same ethics. Our method to reach that same goal might be slightly different but I know Japan is already starting to change their way of thinking. Although this will take time to accomplish and unfortunately many animals will perish, the faster we can work together, the faster we can save the dolphins and environment we all love.
A: I do not look for different actions from Western culture than I would from Japan. Japan is slowly but surely developing their ethics the same way a western culture would. We are all human and do value the same ethics. Our method to reach that same goal might be slightly different but I know Japan is already starting to change their way of thinking. Although this will take time to accomplish and unfortunately many animals will perish, the faster we can work together, the faster we can save the dolphins and environment we all love.
Q: Do you view this as a ‘Japan’ issue or a ‘world’ issue?
A: I believe this is a world problem as many countries partake in buying and selling these animals for entertainment purposes for aquariums and dolphinariums. One of the leading factors of this issue is how the participating countries are uninformed on the subject matter and lack valuable information which would sway their actual decisions if they were properly informed.
A: I believe this is a world problem as many countries partake in buying and selling these animals for entertainment purposes for aquariums and dolphinariums. One of the leading factors of this issue is how the participating countries are uninformed on the subject matter and lack valuable information which would sway their actual decisions if they were properly informed.
Q: How can people help?
A: LIA is a volunteer and charity-run organization. With your support, we can improve our nonprofit organization and successfully impact the dolphin hunting cause. For more information, please visit our website.
A: LIA is a volunteer and charity-run organization. With your support, we can improve our nonprofit organization and successfully impact the dolphin hunting cause. For more information, please visit our website.
We would like to thank Ren and LIA for taking the time to talk with us and will be updating this blog as new developments occur.
After multiple protests, including the hiring of a plane sporting a banner “Dolphinaris: Why Are 4 Dolphins Dead?” and worldwide condemnation against the beleaguered desert facility, Dolphinaris Arizona is closed.
Last night, the last four dolphins at Dolphinaris Arizona were shipped to their new home at the dolphinarium and captive dolphin breeding facility known as Coral World Ocean Park. This U.S. Virgin Island based park is another fairly new captive dolphin facility that has faced heavy opposition and controversy mainly due to its location being vulnerable to extreme weather and frequent contamination with runoff.
.@Dolphinaris_AZ Why Are 4 Dolphins Dead? #DolphinarisAZ dolphinproject.com/blog/fourth-do…6:15 PM - Feb 1, 2019
News of the move comes after Dolphinaris Arizona had a fourth dolphin die in their care in a mere 16 months since its opening. Earlier this month, Dolphin Project lent our support to Dolphin Free AZ, who held two major protests outside the park. We procured a plane which flew a banner – “Dolphinaris: Why Are 4 Dolphins Dead?” – over the area, exposing residents to the news of the recent deaths. This pressure led to a temporary closure of the captive dolphin facility and a terminated loan contract with Dolphin Quest who owns three of the dolphins, including the one involved in the most recent death. Despite Dolphin Quest’s original plans to take back their two remaining dolphins, they made a joint decision to send them to Coral World Ocean Park as well.
“This is a huge win for Arizona. The State no longer has Atlantic Bottlenose Dolphins in captivity and hopefully never will again. This is proof that protests, petitions and speaking out make a difference. Your voices were heard. These dolphins deserve to be retired in a real sanctuary and not just dumped at another dolphin abusement park. Dolphin Project will continue the fight for their freedom in St Thomas. This is far from over. A special thanks to Dolphins Free AZ and Advocates Against Dolphin Captivity in Arizona for their grassroots activism. We would also like to thank AirAds for their help with the arial banner.” ~ Lincoln O’Barry
Local activists protest Dolphinaris, AZ
Dolphinaris’ choice to move the animals to Coral World Ocean Park raises many concerns. Without confirmed knowledge of what caused so many deaths in Arizona, it is reckless to place these four dolphins in an open water exhibit in the U.S. Virgin Islands where they could potentially spread any unknown virus or disease they may have been exposed to in their previous home. Coral World’s poor hurricane management has also sparked major concern. The park was still rebuilding from intense damage from Hurricane Irma and Maria in 2017, which caused them to release over 200 marine animals back to the ocean, when the construction permits were approved for the park’s new dolphinarium exhibit. The approval outraged both locals and animal activists worldwide.
With the dolphins off their hands, Dolphinaris Arizona announced plans to reopen with “a new concept” without a dolphin exhibit, insisting their closure is only temporary.
Four remaining dolphins from Dolphinaris Arizona arrive at St. Thomas facility. Credit: VI Dolphin Voices in St. Thomas
BACKGROUND
The aquarium, which opened in October 2016, featured eight captive dolphins. Eleven months later, on September 23, 2017, a 7-year-old bottlenose dolphin named Bodie would die from a rare muscle disease.* Eight months after Bodie’s passing, on May 22, 2018, a 10-year-old bottlenose dolphin named Alia would perish of an acute bacterial infection. On December 30, 2018, another bottlenose dolphin, 10-year-old Khloe would die of a chronic illness caused by the Sarcocystis parasite.** The death of Kai’nalu, a 22-year-old bottlenose dolphin on January 31, 2019 would bring the total number of dolphins dead to four.
*Inside sources rumored that Bodie exhibited symptoms of “valley fever,” a fungal infection related to dust or soil-borne fungus prior to his passing.
**Source: AZ Central, 1/2/19
**Source: AZ Central, 1/2/19
Click HERE to see a list of Dolphin Abusement parks we have help close.
Sunwing Cuts Ties With SeaWorld—Ask AAA to Follow Suit. After more than 155,000 PETA supporters e-mailed Sunwing Travel Group—the largest tour operator in North America—the company stopped selling SeaWorld tickets. Now, tell AAA that the abuse of orcas and other animals imprisoned at the marine park is a serious issue and urge it to end all affiliations with SeaWorld today. Contact AAA.
Can you imagine being born into prison? You spend all your days behind bars with other miserable jail mates. Sometimes they become aggressive towards you due to their own frustrations of being so tightly confined. Each day, you have the opportunity to leave your cell, but if you do, you have to work under the strict pressure of your prison guards.
As you work, you are watched by hundreds of spectators. You are provided food as a reward for positive behavior, but if you behave against the guards’ wishes, you could possibly suffer the consequences of missing a meal. Your survival depends on care given by your prison guards. You don’t speak the same language as these guards, so you can’t tell them you don’t belong there.
What did you do to deserve such a life? Oh, nothing. You were born without freedom because you provide public entertainment. And you must like it because millions of dollars are spent on your “world-class” standards of care, you are given psychoactive drugs, and the thought of you ever being liberated is absolutely absurd…
Sound familiar? If so, you’re probably thinking of the lives of captive dolphins and whales. Though parks such as the famous SeaWorld try to convince the public that their cetaceans are content with their “spacious aquariums, restaurant-quality fish, exercise, quality veterinary care, and enrichment,” ultimately, profit is priority. Don’t believe this? Here are some signs cetaceans were born to be wild.
1. Collapsed Dorsal Fins
Why does the orca doing the silly trick have a floppy fin? That certainly doesn’t appear to be natural. If you’ve ever seen videos or images of majestic wild orcas, you’ll notice their dorsal fins are vertically stable. According to a member of SeaWorld’s education department, orcas have collapsed dorsal fins due to genetics, gravity, and injury from play … not captivity.
Hmm … Does that make you wonder why the majority of captive killer whales have these collapsed dorsal fins, while only one percent of wild orcas have been observed with this condition?
2. Aggression Amongst Tank “Pod” Members
Can you blame these amazingly intelligent and emotional beings for being frustrated with their confinement? In captivity, cetaceans have nowhere to escape conflict and thus, suffer from each other’s stress. Imagine being locked in a room with a spouse when you’re having an argument … rough.
Many dolphins, such as the orca in the image below, have injuries caused by tank mates. This rarely occurs in their wild environment. Although orcas are natural carnivores and eat other animals in their wild environment to survive, these animals only become “killer” whales in captivity.
3. Abnormal Repetitive Behaviors
We can all get a little crazy when we’re bored from time to time. But can you imagine being bored and stressed every day of your life?! With dolphins and orcas having brains quite a bit larger than humans in terms of weight and volume, it’s no wonder captive cetaceans display zoochotic (psychotic) behaviors, similar to symptoms of prison neurosis. Some stereotypic behaviors include swimming in circles repetitively, establishing pecking orders, and lying motionless at the surface or on the aquarium floor for relatively long periods of time.
4. Broken Teeth Due to Extreme Boredom
When you live in a concrete bathtub, what else is there to do besides bite down on bars separating you from other cetaceans? Unfortunately, this neurotic behavior results in serious dental issues. Captive cetaceans’ teeth are often chipped, broken, or have to have the pulp drilled out of the center of their teeth (Ouch!).
5. Self-Mutilation
Dolphins have been known to slam themselves against the sides of their tanks concrete walls. Sadly, marine parks don’t offer emotional counseling services for their “much-loved” captive dolphins.
6. Vomiting
According to former SeaWorld killer whale trainer John Hargrove, “Nearly every single killer whale regurgitated their food after we ended our interaction.”
Cetacean researchers believe that captive environments could be resulting in reduction of these animals’ brain size. Through lack of mental stimulation, the areas of the brain responsible for communication can atrophy. Cetaceans are degraded to playing with their own vomit.
7. Suicide Attempts
From intentionally flinging themselves out of their tanks to swallowing inedible stones, many dolphins and orcas have decided a life in a tank is a life not worth living. There have been many records of captive cetacean suicide attempts. If this isn’t an absolutely determinate sign these animals don’t belong in confined spaces, what is?
8. Reliance on Medication
Aren’t pharmaceuticals used to treat patients for physical or mental ailments? Drugs are apparently also used to calm mentally distressed captive cetaceans. SeaWorld has admitted to medicating their orcas with psychoactive drugs (similar to valium). Of course, mental illness of these animals that caused them to swim in circles all day, play with their own vomit, or commit suicide couldn’t possibly be related to the fact they live in a tank…
9. Unusual Illnesses
Captive dolphins and orcas are kept in unusual environments, so is it a surprise they tend to suffer from unusual ailments? For example, unlike wild cetaceans, captive cetaceans spend a lot of time exposed out of water (remember, dolphins and whales often float motionlessly at the surface when they are bored).
Trainers at SeaWorld in Orlando have witnessed swarms of mosquitoes settle on the backs of killer whales. Kanduke, a large male orca passed away unexpectedly at SeaWorld as a result of a pathogen transmitted by mosquitoes. Dolphins in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas have suffered from a contagious disease called the pox, caused by stress and poor general health according to the National Institute of Health.
10. Accelerated Deaths
Depression, aggression, poor dental health, self-mutilation, vomiting, suicide attempts, drugs, illnesses – don’t these all seem like signs ultimately leading to death? According to a research study conducted in 1995 by Robert Small and Douglas Demaster, the annual mortality rate for captive dolphins was two and a half times higher than that of wild cetaceans. Sadly, not much has changed since then for the benefit of captive cetaceans. While wild killer whales have been known to live as long as 80 to 90 years, only two female orcas in captivity have passed the age of 40, and no males have lived longer than 35.
What Can You Do to End this Cruelty?
Are you now convinced cetaceans do not belong in tanks? Not yet? Read about what cetaceans might say about their life in captivity…
Help free our friends with fins by:
As you work, you are watched by hundreds of spectators. You are provided food as a reward for positive behavior, but if you behave against the guards’ wishes, you could possibly suffer the consequences of missing a meal. Your survival depends on care given by your prison guards. You don’t speak the same language as these guards, so you can’t tell them you don’t belong there.
What did you do to deserve such a life? Oh, nothing. You were born without freedom because you provide public entertainment. And you must like it because millions of dollars are spent on your “world-class” standards of care, you are given psychoactive drugs, and the thought of you ever being liberated is absolutely absurd…
Sound familiar? If so, you’re probably thinking of the lives of captive dolphins and whales. Though parks such as the famous SeaWorld try to convince the public that their cetaceans are content with their “spacious aquariums, restaurant-quality fish, exercise, quality veterinary care, and enrichment,” ultimately, profit is priority. Don’t believe this? Here are some signs cetaceans were born to be wild.
1. Collapsed Dorsal Fins
Why does the orca doing the silly trick have a floppy fin? That certainly doesn’t appear to be natural. If you’ve ever seen videos or images of majestic wild orcas, you’ll notice their dorsal fins are vertically stable. According to a member of SeaWorld’s education department, orcas have collapsed dorsal fins due to genetics, gravity, and injury from play … not captivity.
Hmm … Does that make you wonder why the majority of captive killer whales have these collapsed dorsal fins, while only one percent of wild orcas have been observed with this condition?
Can you blame these amazingly intelligent and emotional beings for being frustrated with their confinement? In captivity, cetaceans have nowhere to escape conflict and thus, suffer from each other’s stress. Imagine being locked in a room with a spouse when you’re having an argument … rough.
Many dolphins, such as the orca in the image below, have injuries caused by tank mates. This rarely occurs in their wild environment. Although orcas are natural carnivores and eat other animals in their wild environment to survive, these animals only become “killer” whales in captivity.
We can all get a little crazy when we’re bored from time to time. But can you imagine being bored and stressed every day of your life?! With dolphins and orcas having brains quite a bit larger than humans in terms of weight and volume, it’s no wonder captive cetaceans display zoochotic (psychotic) behaviors, similar to symptoms of prison neurosis. Some stereotypic behaviors include swimming in circles repetitively, establishing pecking orders, and lying motionless at the surface or on the aquarium floor for relatively long periods of time.
When you live in a concrete bathtub, what else is there to do besides bite down on bars separating you from other cetaceans? Unfortunately, this neurotic behavior results in serious dental issues. Captive cetaceans’ teeth are often chipped, broken, or have to have the pulp drilled out of the center of their teeth (Ouch!).
Dolphins have been known to slam themselves against the sides of their tanks concrete walls. Sadly, marine parks don’t offer emotional counseling services for their “much-loved” captive dolphins.
According to former SeaWorld killer whale trainer John Hargrove, “Nearly every single killer whale regurgitated their food after we ended our interaction.”
Cetacean researchers believe that captive environments could be resulting in reduction of these animals’ brain size. Through lack of mental stimulation, the areas of the brain responsible for communication can atrophy. Cetaceans are degraded to playing with their own vomit.
From intentionally flinging themselves out of their tanks to swallowing inedible stones, many dolphins and orcas have decided a life in a tank is a life not worth living. There have been many records of captive cetacean suicide attempts. If this isn’t an absolutely determinate sign these animals don’t belong in confined spaces, what is?
Aren’t pharmaceuticals used to treat patients for physical or mental ailments? Drugs are apparently also used to calm mentally distressed captive cetaceans. SeaWorld has admitted to medicating their orcas with psychoactive drugs (similar to valium). Of course, mental illness of these animals that caused them to swim in circles all day, play with their own vomit, or commit suicide couldn’t possibly be related to the fact they live in a tank…
Captive dolphins and orcas are kept in unusual environments, so is it a surprise they tend to suffer from unusual ailments? For example, unlike wild cetaceans, captive cetaceans spend a lot of time exposed out of water (remember, dolphins and whales often float motionlessly at the surface when they are bored).
Trainers at SeaWorld in Orlando have witnessed swarms of mosquitoes settle on the backs of killer whales. Kanduke, a large male orca passed away unexpectedly at SeaWorld as a result of a pathogen transmitted by mosquitoes. Dolphins in the Mirage Hotel in Las Vegas have suffered from a contagious disease called the pox, caused by stress and poor general health according to the National Institute of Health.
Depression, aggression, poor dental health, self-mutilation, vomiting, suicide attempts, drugs, illnesses – don’t these all seem like signs ultimately leading to death? According to a research study conducted in 1995 by Robert Small and Douglas Demaster, the annual mortality rate for captive dolphins was two and a half times higher than that of wild cetaceans. Sadly, not much has changed since then for the benefit of captive cetaceans. While wild killer whales have been known to live as long as 80 to 90 years, only two female orcas in captivity have passed the age of 40, and no males have lived longer than 35.
Are you now convinced cetaceans do not belong in tanks? Not yet? Read about what cetaceans might say about their life in captivity…
Help free our friends with fins by:
- Not supporting marine parks.
- Taking a Pledge to not purchase tickets from marine parks and sharing this message with family, friends, and colleagues.
- Contacting government agencies and elected officials to request for them to prevent cetacean captivity.
- Signing petitions for cetaceans’ freedom and the end of breeding programs.
- Joining marine activists in peaceful protests for the liberation of cetaceans.
- Checking out what awesome anti-captivity heroes have done.
- Learning why there is hope for the demise of the captivity industry.
- Watching the documentary Blackfish (if you haven’t already) tolearn more and investigating SeaWorld’s “Truth Team.”
- Spreading the word through social media (and sharing OGP posts).
Don Lichterman
Sunset Corporation of America (SCA)
Sunset TV
Sunset Television Network
Sustainable Action Network (SAN)