THE EDITOR, Sir:IN AN unbalanced article about dolphin attractions in The Sunday Gleaner of September 7, 2003, your contributor, Max Lambie, asks: "Where's the beef?" Although Mr. Lambie adequately explores the economic benefits of such attractions, he fails to explore the environmental, animal welfare and educational impacts, although this information is readily available.
So here it is, Mr. Lambie: Here's the case against keeping dolphins in captivity.
Environmental: Female dolphins are preferred for dolphinaria, especially for swim-with-the-dolphins facilities, because females are less aggressive and sexual towards humans than males.
As Mr. Lambie outlines in his article, very little is known about Caribbean populations of wild dolphins. Taking young, pre-breeding females from any wild population in the absence of information about the health of that population is highly irresponsible. If dolphins are as rare around the north coast of Jamaica as Mr. Lambie claims, then surely Dolphin Cove's pending application to import six wild-caught Cuban dolphins should be denied, since Cuba and Jamaica in all likelihood share a dolphin stock.
Animal Welfare: Dolphins are highly intelligent, social animals living in family groups called pods. They swim distances of 60 to 100 miles a day, reach speeds of up to 30 miles per hour and dive to depths of 100 feet. These conditions are never replicated in captivity.
Further, capture methods are violent, stressful affairs. Mr. Lambie challenges this statement, although descriptions of dolphin captures are easily found on the Internet. Dolphins are herded by boats into nets or shallow areas, where they are at considerable risk of drowning and injury. Suitable dolphins are then forcibly taken from their family groups, manhandled into slings and transported long distances in trucks and aeroplanes. They are often held in sub-standard facilities while awaiting sale and transportation. Dolphin mortality increases six-fold during capture and transportation, and does not return to baseline levels until a month after capture.
Mr. Lambie correctly states that dolphins in captivity receive regular veterinary care, implying they are much better off. However, he does not discuss mortality rates. In the best facilities, captive dolphins live as long as their wild counterparts, but no longer. In many captive environments, they die early. Three dolphins have died at Dolphin Cove Ocho Rios since it opened; two adults and a calf.
EDUCATION
Captive dolphin facilities claim they are delivering a valuable educational service. However, the education they present is highly sanitised. Visitors are not told much about dolphin natural history or the threats they face in the wild. They are told nothing about capture methods or mortality rates. Instead, the public is led to believe it is desirable to seize animals forcibly from the wild to perform circus tricks for food.
Briefly, on economics and the environment: Economic activity is indeed necessary for human welfare, but has long been fettered by other considerations. We no longer allow slavery, child labour or an 80-hour work week in the pursuit of economic gain. Similarly, our environmental laws prevent economic activity at the expense of the natural environment. We can have animal attractions if they do not hurt wild populations or the animals themselves, but captive dolphin facilities simply do not meet these requirements.
Mr. Lambie does offer a possible compromise using only captive bred dolphins. Captive-bred dolphins would not take important breeding animals from the wild, there would be no violent capture, and new techniques of artificial insemination are now possible to overcome the risks of inbreeding.
Lastly, it is true that humans have a historical fascination with dolphins. We are inclined to look at a dolphin's "smile" and its exuberant antics in the water and conclude the dolphin is happy. But that "smile" on a dolphin's face is a fixed facial feature a dead dolphin "smiles."
If we truly loved these remarkable creatures, we would not allow activities that threaten both wild populations and individual animals.
I am, etc.,
DIANA MCCAULAY
Jamaica Environment Trust
11 Waterloo Road
Kingston
