Cruel to Dolphins?

[star10]

I don't know where I read or saw it... but I've heard that the dolphin excursions are cruel to the dolphins. It shortens their life spans, and many of them get sick from interacting with people.

 

I love dolphins and I'd love to swim with them. Does anyone have information to back this up? Can I swim with the dolphins and not feel guilty about causing them harm.

 

I mean I guess when you really think about it, it sounds like it can be true. What dolphin would want to be part of the "excursion" every few hours a day?

 

I'm torn!! :confused:

[star10]

I did a Google on this subject and what I read broke my heart.

 

I will not be swimming with the dolphins, and I urge people to do a google search on thie topic before committing to it themselves.

 

I also read that Radisson Cruise Line took their Dolphin Excursion off their activity list because of how cruel it is to the dolphins.

 

You may think you are getting an educational experience, but the price to the dolphin is not worth it.

[Zeno]

Good for you! So many people go on these excursions without a thought in the world about whether it might be "good" for the dolphins.

 

Picture this: You are captured by a different species when you are young and inexperienced (for the sake of argument let's say seals were the dominant species). The seals pen you up in a crowded pen and every day, dozens of them poke and push awkwardly at you, crowding their smelly bodies close to yours. You are far from your family with a bunch of strangers

(who may not speak your "language") and they are prisoners like you AND you are forced to interact with a dominant species that you have little in common with. The food the seals give you is edible but stale. Your living conditions are overcrowded and dirty. Just does not sound like a lot of fun to me!

[star10]

Phew... I thought I was going to get bashed for posting this.

 

But I don't think many people are aware of what the dolphins go through.

 

These excursions are all about making money... I'm surprised that it's legal.

 

I mean really, who wouldn't want to swim and interact with dolphins? They are beautiful animals... If it did them no harm, then fine... but it's proven that it's not good for them.

 

My family and I will not be supporting this excursion.

 

Please, again, before committing to this excursion, take a look on google. I'll bet you change your mind.

[MAO]

I have swum with the Dolfins with Seaworld....didn't really think about it too much:o However i was going to horseback ride on one of the Islands and when I saw the condition of the horses changed my mind...skinny, dirty, tied out to a short lead and no water in sight. Of course this was one time but i have seen others that look pretty sad.

Thnaks to the OP, we all need to take a moment and think of the animals we share this earth with!

MAO

[lhbsurf]

My family and I will not be supporting this excursion.

 

Please, again, before committing to this excursion, take a look on google. I'll bet you change your mind.

 

I completely agree - most people have no idea about the harm to the dolphins...

 

My kids asked about it...I explained it to them and they were in agreement that we would not want to participate in this activity. We've seen the spinner dolphins several times in the wild and it was wonderful, but we will NEVER swim with captive dolphins anywhere.

[MercedMike]

Well, there are certainly a few very vocal groups who feel that swimming with the dolphins is somehow a terrible abuse. In general they are the same people that think elephants should be banned from the circus, rodeos are abusive to the bulls, and poor doggies kept captive in crates at dog shows should be released.

 

All of these ideas pretty much suffer from anthromorphism -- a tendency to impart humanity to wild animals. If you really believe that captive animals suffer the same way that captive humans in a dungeon would suffer, then you can accept these ideas, and be firmly opposed to all zoos, circuses, aquaria, petting zoos and pets.

 

Most people, and almost all responsible scientists, disagree. Most of the dolphin encounter facilities belong to reputable zoological associations and maintain high standards in their facilities, just as most riding stables treat their horses well.

 

It is generally accepted that the animals in such parks are "ambassadors" for their species, and that the many humans who encounter the animals will go away with greatly increased respect for them. People who have shaken hands with a dolphin are more likely to become aware of real threats to dolphins, such as gill netting, and "setting" on dolphins to catch tuna.

 

There is little real evidence for any mistreatment of the dolphins. The dolphin I shook hands with was accompanied by her six month old baby. As a general rule, animals that breed in captivity normally have good accomodations and good social conditions, and it is evidence that they are well cared for.

 

Anybody can put up a website. Anybody can make outrageous claims. Wise people check the credentials of the site, and determine whether it is a reliable and verifiable site. I think if you compare the credentials of the reputable dolphin encounters, and the credentials of those who want to "expose" the operators, you will understand which are to be believed.

 

Me -- I really enjoyed my encounter with the dolphins, and might well do it again some day. I think it is a wonderful and educational program.

[vmom]

I think dolphin encounters at reputable zoological associations such as Sea World are fine and cannot be compared to dolphin encounters such as what are often seen in these excursions. I have serious doubts regarding how the animals are treated in some of these 3rd world or poor areas such as Belize or Costs Maya where dolphin encounters are used as huge $$$ makers, not as "good will abassadors" as the previous poster implied. I think equating the 2 is ludicrious.

[dforeigner]

(The illegal part applies to US territorial waters). Here is some interesting reading if anyone is interested. I agree, a place like Sea World is very different than a pen in a third world country.

 

http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/pr95/aug95/noaa95-r142.html

[Zeno]

I think dolphin encounters at reputable zoological associations such as Sea World are fine and cannot be compared to dolphin encounters such as what are often seen in these excursions. I have serious doubts regarding how the animals are treated in some of these 3rd world or poor areas such as Belize or Costs Maya where dolphin encounters are used as huge $$$ makers, not as "good will abassadors" as the previous poster implied. I think equating the 2 is ludicrious.

 

Thank you for pointing out the difference vmom.

 

Anyone who thinks dolphin encounters are humanely run in places like Belize and Mexico is seriously naive. While I personally would not participate in a dolphin encounter anywhere (I am just not interested in dolphins being made "goodwill ambassadors" through enforced close encounters.) I think that if someone REALLY wants to do this, they should do a little research and make VERY sure that they are doing it at a reputable facility that is actually engaged in research and rescue operations (like Sea World). I don't agree with everything Sea World does BUT I think they do some good and I think they try to provide their dolphins with as good an environment as they can.

 

BTW - I also have no problem with humanely run zoos where the emphasis is on captive breeding of endangered species. (Some of whom are unfortunately pretty much doomed in the wild due to habitat loss) I am not naive enough to think that the "freedom" to be starved or slaughtered in the wild is preferable to a healthy, safe but captive life in a zoo. However I believe most animals (except for the seriously endangered) who are in the wild should be left there (and BTW most zoo animals are now zoo bred and NOT taken from the wild.) This is unlike dolphins in dolphin encounters in places like Mexico where they are removed from the wild. Dolphins in the wild are not endangered (yet) and are for the most part far better off in their own environment.

 

Edited to add:

I suggest anyone who thinks capturing wild dolphins to entertain people is OK, read this article:

http://abcnews.go.com/Primetime/story?id=1254011&page=2