Captivity News Archive 2007

Dolphin facility planned for Aruba
(Added: 12 October 2007)
Plans are underway for a dolphinarium on De Palm Island in Aruba. The facility is said to be managed by De Palm Tours and will house captive bred dolphins from Roatan Institute for Marine Sciences, Honduras and Dolphin Academy, Curacao.
Click here for further information

Mayor of Napier opposed to breeding plan
(Added: 12 October 2007)
The Mayor of Napier Barbara Arnott says the council wants clarification from the Government as to where it stands on the future of captive dolphins. Ms Arnott has spoken to the Local Government and Environment Select Committee about a petition from Labour MP Russell Fairbrother on replacing dolphins at the city's Marineland.
Click here for further information

Trainer attacked by killer whale
(Added: 08 October 2007)
An experienced trainer at Loro Parque theme park in Tenerife is in hospital after she was injured by a killer whale. The incident occurred on Saturday 6th October 2007 during a training session before the show.
Click here for further information

Thomson nominated for 'green' award
(Added: 08 October 2007)
Thomson the travel operators who profit from dolphins in captivity by selling excursions to facilities such as Dolphinella in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt and Ocean World Adventure Park, Dominican Republic have been nominated for a World Travel Award.
Click here for further information and to take action

One of the 'Taiji Five' orcas dies
(Added: 27 September 2007)
“Asuka” the penultimate surviving orca of the five captured in 1997 in Taiji has died. On 13 September it was noted that Asuka appeared to lose her appitite although currently the cause of death is unknown. The only one remaining “Ku” is currently held at the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium.
Click here for further background information

Dolphin dies at Texas State Aquarium
(Added: 27 September 2007)
Cobie, a fifteen-year old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin at the Texas State Aquarium, passed away early Friday, 21 September.
Click here for full report

Napier Marineland - new dolphin plans
(Added: 27 September 2007)
The critically endangered Maui's dolphin could be part of a captive breeding programme if permission is granted. Marineland in New Zealand has held captive dolphins for more than 40 years but are now down to one surviving dolphin. In the past the facility has been refused permission to acquire more, therefore they would be very much in favour towards a capture and breeding programme to ‘save this population’ which number approx 115. However generally breeding rates of wild caught dolphins are no better in captivity and the Marine Connection would be totally opposed to the idea of taking more of this species from the wild for a breeding programme.
Click here for details on how you can help

Young orcas to be parted from their mothers
(Added: 30 August 2007)
Two young orca, named Valentin & Inouk, look set to be moved from Marineland, Antibes (France) to L’Oceanagraphic, Valencia (Spain). Both parks are owned by Spanish-based company Parques Reunidos who earlier this year purchased Blackpool Zoo, Bournemouth Oceanarium and Lake Windermere’s Aquarium of the Lakes.
Click here for full report

Dolphin Discovery plans halted – for now
(Added: 30 August 2007)
Dolphin Discovery, who already run one facility in Anguilla and others in the Turks & Caicos and Mexico, are seeking planning permission to move their facility in Anguilla from its’ current location at Barnes Bay to a new development at Blowing Point.
Click here for full report

Solomon Islands defy international pleas against exports
(Added: 30 August 2007)
Further to previous report on the latest captures of dolphins from the wild in the Solomon Islands (see 24 July 2007 report below), it appears that despite the international outcry over the governments turnaround on the export ban, plans are underway to allow dolphin exports to proceed.
Click here for full report

New development in Sharm el Sheikh
(Added: 16 August 2007)
The Marine Connection is delighted to be able to report good news regarding a facility which we have been monitoring for the past year which is now near completion.
Click here for further details

New report on Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) produced
(Added: 16 August 2007)
The Marine Connection is pleased to announce the publication of a new paper analysing Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) and its effectiveness. The paper entitled ‘Dolphin Assisted Therapy: More Flawed Data and More Flawed Conclusions’ published by Lori Marino and Scott O. Lilienfeld assesses the methodological status of DAT by reviewing five peer-reviewed DAT studies published in the last eight years. Marino and Lilienfeld find many flawed methods used for analyzing the effectiveness of DAT and question the conclusions drawn from the studies they reviewed.
Click here to read the paper in full and more about DAT

Another dolphin faces life in captivity
(Added: 16 August 2007)
A dolphinarium in the Ukraine is celebrating the birth of a new dolphin. The latest arrival at the dolphinarium in Ukraine's Black Sea port of Odessa, a calf born less than a week ago, seems destined to become a performing star alongside his mother and father.
Click here for further details

Sad outcome for Castaway
(Added: 14 August 2007)
Despite hopes that the dolphin nicknamed "Castaway" could be returned to the wild sadly, due to her deafness, she is now facing a lifetime of captivity.
Click here for further details

Dolphin dies at Shedd
(Added: 27 July 2007)
Brought to Chicago two years ago in hopes that he would impregnate the Shedd Aquarium's four female Pacific white-sided dolphins, an aging but proven dolphin sire named Jump died on Monday 23 July in an off-view medical pool. Jump was at least 30 years old and probably succumbed to age-related ailments, Shedd officials said.
Click here for further details

Solomon Islands, further captures - headed for Dubai?
(Added: 24 July 2007)
The Marine Connection have been advised that the Solomon Islands have allowed a further 12 dolphins to be captured from the wild, and these unfortunate animals have joined the 20 previously captured. All are now languishing in a sea pen awaiting their fate.
Click here for further details and how you can help

New captivity awareness initiative launched
(Added: 04 July 2007)
To commemorate July 4 'World Day for Captive Dolphins' the Marine Connection launched our new captivity awareness initiative.
Click here for further details

Calgary Zoo shelve beluga whale plans
(Added: 03 July 2007)
The Marine Connection is pleased to announce that the Calgary Zoo will remain beluga free for the foreseeable future, after plans to house these marine mammals was removed as a cost-cutting measure to the new expansion project.
Click here for further details

Mexico releases illegally captured dolphins
(Added: 29 June 2007)
For the very first time in the history of the dolphin captivity industry in Mexico, illegally captured dolphins from Mexican waters have been released back to the area from which they were taken.
Click here for further details

Deaf dolphins’ calf dies
(Added: 18 June 2007)
The 5 day old male calf of deaf dolphin nicknamed “Castaway” by the Marine Mammal Conservancy died on Friday 15 June. Staff noticed on Thursday that the calf was showing signs of stress, his breathing had become laboured and that he was struggling to swim, despite the administration of drugs to save the dolphin it died at around 11am on Friday morning. The mother appears to be well however blood tests have been conducted to ensure this is the case. Preliminary findings from the necropsy carried out by a veterinary representative from the National Marine Fisheries Service shows no apparent cause of death.

Further dolphin captures in the Solomon Islands
(Added: 06 June 2007)
Marine Connection has been alerted to the capture of 20 dolphins in the Solomon Islands. Although following another illegal capture in 2003 a ban was put in place by the Solomon Islands Government; however it appears this ban covers only the export of dolphins from the islands and does not include captures destined for the local market.
Click here to read full news report

Surprise inspection for Gulfarium
(Added: 27May 2007)
Administrators at Florida's Gulfarium say they are are 'working to correct problems' - including unreported marine mammal deaths - discovered during a recent surprise inspection by representatives of three government agencies.
Click here to read full news report

Poland plan new DAT facility
(Added: 23 May 2007)
The Marine Connection has been alerted to a proposed Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) centre currently being planned in Poland. The Upper Silesia Centre of Doplhinotherapy claims they will be able to cure people of a myriad of diseases including brain tumours, coma, cleft spine, four limb paralysis, and meningitis and sight damage. In reality dolphin therapy has been proven to be no more effective than petting domestic animals and there is certainly no evidence that it could cure the diseases claimed by this facility.
Click here for further information

Controversy over plans for young orca
(Added: 18 May 2007)
A newborn killer whale found on a Mexican beach has become the centre of an international controversy over whether the young animal should stay in Mexico or be sent to SeaWorld where she would join other killer whales that live in a tank and perform tricks for thousands of visitors.
Click for further information

Croatia says no to plans for new dolphin facility
(Added: 14 May 2007)
The Marine Connection has been supporting a campaign launched by colleagues at Animal Friends in Croatia to halt plans for a new dolphinarium in Vodnjan. We are delighted to report that we have received notification that Klaudio Vitasovic, Mayor of Vodnjan has rejected the plans and construction will not go ahead.
Click for further information

Initial response to calls for UK legislation review on captive cetaceans
(Added: 09 May 2007)
Following the tabling of the EDM on the prohibition of the import and display of cetaceans into the UK (see 26 April 2007 below), Mike Hancock MP submitted a question at the House of Commons Hansard (“Debates”) yesterday, Tuesday 8 May.
To read the response click here

Thomas Cook stop promoting Dolphinella, Sharm el Sheikh
(Added: 04 May 2007)
The Marine Connection have received verbal notification from Thomas Cook that as from 1 May 2007, they will no longer be selling excursion tickets to Dolphinella.
Click for further information

Please take action today to stop dolphin captures in Panama
(Added: 02 May 2007)
Despite national and international protests regarding the planned captured wild dolphins from Panamanian waters, the government in Panama refuse to act to put a halt to the plans, and we need your help TODAY to stop these captures going ahead.
Click for further information

UK legislation review on captive cetaceans
(Added: 26 April 2007)
The Marine Connection have joined with Captive Animals Protection Society (CAPS) calling on the government to introduce legislation prohibiting the keeping of dolphins, whales and porpoises in captivity in the UK. Mike Hancock MP (Lib Dem, Portsmouth South) has tabled an Early Day Motion (EDM 1342, Keeping of Cetaceans in Captivity) in this respect.
Click for further information

Another trainer injured at Seaworld
(Added: 11 April 2007)
Another trainer at SeaWorld has sustained an injury from one of their orcas – again highlighting the question of the effect captivity has on these normally wide ranging, sentient marine mammals.
Click to read full report

Panamanians speak out against dolphin captures
(Added: 10 April 2007)
The Marine Connection continue to support the campaign to stop the capture of dolphins from the wild in Panama and are delighted to report that public support against the planned captures is growing.
Click for further information

Merlin Entertainments acquire more dolphins
(Added: 28 March 2007)
Merlin Entertertainments (who operate the Sealife Centres in the UK), have recently acquired the Tussauds Group whose facilites include Heide Park in Germany which currently houses a dolphin pool, bringing more dolphins under Merlin's control.
Click for further information

Mexican facility needs funds for therapy for kids
(Added: 14 March 2007)
Plagued by budget problems and two missing dolphins, a dolphin aquarium in Sonora, Mexico will open its doors this month to the public, hoping tourists will help offset the cost of providing therapy to disabled children. Acuario Delfinario Sonora originally opened in Autumn, the result of a campaign promise by the then-candidate for governor of Sonora, Eduardo Bours Castelo. Aquarium officials are also worryingly in the process of petitioning the federal government to permit the capture of dolphins for scientific and therapeutic applications despite also being a commercial aquarium which undertakes dolphin swims at high costs.
For the full story and Marine Connection's comments click here

SeaWorld Orlando unveils new water park plans
(Added: 6 March 2007)
SeaWorld Orlando, has unveiled plans for a new water park which is to include Commerson's dolphins. Aquatica, which opens in March of 2008, is being built across from the current Sea World Park and Discovery Cove.
For the full story and Marine Connection's comments click here

Are you dreaming of swimming with dolphins?
(Added: 5 March 2007)
Know the facts before you live out your ambition - your dream is a nightmare for the dolphins. The Marine Connection has produced a new leaflet to raise awareness and advise people on the risks to human and dolphin participants from swim with the dolphin programmes.
Please click here for more information and to read the leaflet

Whales killed in Penn Cove roundup may provide insight
(Added: 5 March 2007)
The long buried bones of a handful of orca whales that died in one of the ugliest chapters of Whidbey Island's history may be unearthed, giving scientists information that could help save the local pods. In the 1960s and '70s, as many as 45 orca were captured and separated from their family pods in Puget Sound, according to orca experts. More captures took place in Canadian waters. The orcas, often called killer whales, were boxed up and hauled off to aquariums across the country. Just one survives today - an orca called Lolita at Miami Seaquarium.
For the full story click here

Wild dolphin captured for dolphin therapy centre in Turkey
(Added: 5 March 2007)
Reports indicate a dolphin was caught under licence from the Turkish
government in Ýskenderun Bay. The capture occured around the 23 February. The dolphin is destined to be used for therapy sessions with handicapped children. The German company Onmega Limited, which also has extensive real estate and development interests in Turkey, is thought to have applied for permission to capture and train the dolphin for work at their facility based in the Gulf of Hisarönü. The dolphin was flown by plane from Adana to Dalaman and put into a hotel pool, apparently deeper than the one in which it was previously being held. The dolphin is reported to be a young female, to which the company have assigned the name 'mother'. The choice of 'mother' as a name may be somewhat explained by a quote from the assistant of Onmega Limited's owner, which stated "we caught a dolphin named baby before, but it died."
Click here for the new leaflet on swimming with dolphins - many dolphins continue to be captured for this very reason.
Click here for further information on dolphin therapy

US report indicates killer whales experience stress in captivity
(Added: 2 March 2007)
A report released by the Californian state department has recommended that trainers at SeaWorld try to reduce the stress which killer whales experience in captivity. The investigation, which was undertaken after a trainer was dragged and held underwater in November 2006, gave a series of recommendations for SeaWorld and stated that it was “only a matter of time” before a trainer is killed by one of the park’s killer whales.
Click here for the full story

High dolphin mortality at The Mirage Las Vegas casino exhibit
(Added: 19 February 2007)
Eleven of 16 dolphins housed in a dolphin exhibit at Las Vegas Strip casino, The Mirage, have died since the facility opened in 1990, according to federal records and interviews with resort officials. Records from the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration include an inventory of the dolphins at The Mirage and cause of death for those that died. The causes of the dolphins' deaths included severe chronic pancreatitis, a pulmonary abscess, respiratory problems and pneumonia. Just three of the 11 deceased animals were estimated to be older than the average life expectancy of 25 years when they died. In December 2005, the USDA and The Mirage entered into a settlement agreement in which the hotel agreed to make undisclosed changes as to how it cares for the dolphins at the exhibit. (Source: Associated Press)

Dominican President will be asked to halt dolphin imports
(Added: 8 February 2007)
The Dominican Academy of Sciences denounced that the Ocean World Adventure Park, located in the resort city Puerto Plata, is preparing to import 12 dolphins (See 2 Jan below) captured in "a criminal manner in Japan," and for this reason has asked president Leonel Fernandez to prohibit the entrance of those marine mammals.
Click here for the full story

Japan's tragic orca anniversary
(Added: 7 February 2007)
February 7 2007 marks the 10th anniversary of the tragic day in 1997 when 10 members of an orca family were herded into a small bay near the Japanese coastal town of Taiji.
Click here for the full story and to take action

Dolphinella and dolphin therapy
(Added: 6 February 2007)
It has been reported in the People newspaper that staff working at Dolphinella have refused to let a woman with cerebral palsy swim with the dolphins as they felt her condition may "scare the dolphins". The Marine Connection believes that swimming with the dolphins and dolphin-assisted therapy is a risk to the health of the human participants and detrimental not only to the dolphins in captivity but also for the vulnerable people which spend large sums of money pinning hopes on an unproven "therapy".
Please click here for the full story

German Association "Autism" finds DAT "questionable"
(Added: 1 February 2007)
Marine Connection is pleased to report that the German association “Autism” has stated that it considers the development of increasingly offering DAT (Dolphin Assisted Therapy) in dolphinariums to be questionable.
Click here for further information

Help stop the capture of wild dolphins for captivity in Panama
(Added: 25 January 2007)
A for-profit company called Ocean Embassy has presented a proposal to the Panamanian government for development of a dolphinarium that would require the capture of 80 wild dolphins over a 5-year period from both the Caribbean and Pacific coasts. Initially, and without any population surveys, Ocean Embassy is proposing to capture 28 dolphins.
Click here for information on how to help

Multi-million dollar marine park cancelled
(Added: 18 January 2007)
A four-acre, $75 million marine adventure park planned for Ko Olina in Hawaii has been dropped. The park had been aimed at bringing nature to visitors and providing a place where "it will be safe for people to see and encounter" hundreds of marine animals. It had been proposed that the capture of animals for the park, including rays, sharks and fish, would comefrom Hawaii's waters. One of the largest attractions at the park was to be a swim with the dolphins section and Marine Connection are therefore delighted that these plans have been halted.
Click here for Marine Connection's views on swimming with dolphins

Phoneline set up for ill beluga whale in China
(Added: 18 January 2007)
A 5-year-old beluga whale a Qingdao Polar Ocean, China, is suffering from an unknown disease which is causing ulcerations on her tail and body as well as lowering her appetite. A Chinese newspaper has reported that a phoneline has been set up for experienced vets worldwide to offer their expertise.
Click here for the full story

A step forward for Japan's dolphins
(Added: 5 January 2006)
It has been reported by our colleagues Ric and Helene O'Barry that on December 26 2006, the director of food products for the Okuwa Supermarket Corporation, Mr. Yasunari Kanki, banned the sale of all dolphin meat in all of their stores. The ban on dolphin meat is official, and the supermarket chain will decide if the ban is to be permanent after they test their own samples. Although marine parks still pay huge sums of money for single animals captured from the dolphin drive hunts, the ceasing of dolphin meat sales in such a large chain of stores is an outstanding step in the right direction.
Click here for the full story

Massive marine park planned for Sentosa Island, Singapore
(Added: 3 January 2007)
As reported here on 24 October 2006, companies were vying for the contract to develop Sentosa Island in Singapore. In December, a 5.2-billion-Singapore-dollar (US$ 3.6 billion) bid from Genting was selected on the basis of tourism appeal, with a theme park occupying half the resort. However, other attractions include Quest Marine Life Park, the largest single marine tank in the world spanning over 8 hectares featuring some 700,000 species of fish, a 6.5 million gallon Whale Shark Lagoon and an interactive dolphin habitat, operated by Dolphin Quest. Marine Connection will be carefully monitoring this situation, especially with regards to the dolphin interaction experience and also where the animals are to come from.

Ailing beluga whale euthanized at Georgia Aquarium
(Added: 2 January 2007)
On 14 December 2006, Marine Connection reported on the worsening condition of one of Georgia Aquarium's five beluga whales. It has now been confirmed that this animal was euthanized on 1 January. The 17-year-old whale's health had been deteriorating over past months and worsened further over the past few weeks. In the past few days the whale's medical test results and physical condition declined rapidly, and the aquarium's veterinarian team "made the difficult decision to humanely euthanize the animal," according to the Aquarium's statement. (Source: Associated Press)

Unhappy New Year for Japan's dolphins
(Added: 2 January 2007)
It was revealed on 20 December 2006 by the Taiji Town Assembly, the town where brutal dolphin drive hunts take place annually condemning hundreds of dolphins to death or a life of restrictive captivity, that Taji Whale Museum is to export twelve bottlenose dolphins to the Dominican Republic and four bottlenose dolphins to Guangzhou, China (approximately 100km northeast of Hong Kong). It has also been reported that the Japan Fisheries Agency is about to add Pacific white-sided dolphins to the catch quota of the yearly drive fisheries, more details of this story will be posted as received.
Click here for the full story and to take action

"Appalling" World of Dolphin travelling shows
(Added: 20 December 2006)
The Marine Connection recently became aware that a travelling dolphin and sea lion show, dubbed by its owners as the "Wonderful World of dolphins", has been set up outside the SM Mall of Asia in the Philippines. Having flown in two dolphins and two sea lions from Indonesia, the show is to be situated at the mall for 40 days with five shows a day.
Click here for more information

World's tallest man saves dolphins
(Added: 15 December 2006)
The world's tallest man has saved two dolphins by using his long arms to reach into their stomachs and pull out dangerous plastic shards. Mongolian herdsman Bao Xishun was called in after the dolphins swallowed plastic used around their pool at an aquarium in Fushun, north-east China. Attempts to use instruments failed as the dolphins contracted their stomachs.
Click here for the full story and Marine Connection comment

Condition of beluga whale at Georgia Aquarium worsens
(Added: 14 December 2006)
On 9 October, the Marine Connection reported on a beluga whale at Georgia Aquarium which was removed from disply due to a weakened immune system. In recent days, the condition of this whale has worsened and the Director of the Aquarium hasstated that the animal was "gravely ill". He went on to comment that if the animal's immune system does not improve the whale's outlook is not bright. This whale, captured from the wild and then transferred intially to a very poor captive facility in Mexico from Utrish dolphinarium in Russia, was brought to Georgia Aquarium in 2005.

Oceanografic marine park in Valencia, Spain to receive orcas
(Added: 14 December 2006)
Spanish newspapers have reported that the Oceanografic marine park in Valencia is to become the third park in Europe to receive orcas. Although there has been no official confirmation of this project, reports state that the development of the pools at the park will cost over 600,000 Euros and will result in the transfer of the dolphins of Oceanografic to its sister park in Salou. Oceanografic marine park will be able to transfer animals relatively easily from the newly acquired aquarium in Antibes France. Due to EU legislation, it is now possible to transfer animals from park to park with little documentation. The Marine Connection will be monitoring this situation and placing any updates on this preliminary report in this section in future.

Anniversary of Corky and her pods' capture from the wild
(Added: 12 December 2006)
On 11 December 1969, six members of the A5 pod of the "northern resident" community of British Columbia were captured at Pender Harbour on the North Coast of Vancouver, Canada. Of these six orcas, just one survives - Corky.
Click here for the full story about Corky and her pod

Third dolphin dies at Minnesota Zoo
(Added: 5 December 2006)
Another dolphin has died at the Minnesota Zoo, the third this year. Staff at Minnesota Zoo had to euthanize the 14-year-old Atlantic bottlenose dolphin named Ayla on Friday 1 December. They said she had stopped eating and no longer responded to medication after a lifelong battle with severe scoliosis which left her with a crooked spine. Two other dolphins have died at the zoo during 2006 - a dolphin called Rio died six weeks after her calf which had died after fracturing his skull jumping out of the tank during a training exercise. With only three dolphins left, the question must be asked will the zoo soon be requesting further dolphins despite the recent deaths? (Source: Associated Press)

Whale attacks trainer at Seaworld
(Added: 30 November 2006)
A killer whale attacked a trainer during a show Wednesday at SeaWorld Adventure Park, sending the man to the hospital but sparing him serious injury, authorities said.
For the full story please click here

Vancouver Aquarium expansion approved
(Added: 29 November 2006)
After months of consultation and debate, the Vancouver Park Board has voted to approve a $90-million expansion of the aquarium in Stanley Park.
For the full story please click here

Baby Beluga Whale Dies at Marine Park
(Added: 28 November 2006)
The baby beluga whale born in a Spanish marine park recently - widely advertised as the first beluga whale born in captivity in Europe - has died at the age of 25 days. Officials at the Oceanographic park in Valencia said that the whale died on 27 November. They stated that the exact cause of the young mammal's death remained uncertain, "the incident probably occurred because the young whale never adapted to artificial milk,".
For further information please read article below - 17 November

Dolphin deaths are expected says Caymans Tourism Minister
(Added: 21 November 2006)
At least some of the dolphins slated for the Grand Cayman's proposed dolphin facilities in West Bay are expected to die. The Marine Connection were shocked to hear reports from the weekly Cayman Island Cabinet press briefing that Tourism Minister, Charles Clifford, stated dismissively that, "We do expect that some of the dolphins will die at the facility, just as they die in the wild. It will happen."
For the full story please click here

Marineland dolphin petition stalls
(Added: 20 November 2006)
A bizarre stand-off continues over a petition to the New Zealand Parliament signed by more than 13,500 people asking the Government to let Marineland in Napier import new dolphins. However, Gary MacDonald, Manager of Marineland, has been planning for a future without dolphins.
For more information please click here

Europe's first captive-born beluga whale may not survive
(Added: 17 November 2006)
A 2-week-old beluga whale - the first born in captivity in Europe - may not survive because his mother has stopped producing milk, officials at a Valencia's Oceanografic marine park in southeastern Spain said Thursday. Officials at the Valencia aquarium said the baby beluga had suffered from an irregular swimming style and excessive buoyancy since his birth on November 2.
For the full story please click here

Sea Life Centre operators discuss future of acquired dolphins
(Added: 16 November 2006)
On 13 November, Merlin Entertainments, operators of Sea Life Centres, announced their acquisition of Italian theme park, Gardaland, which runs one of Europes largest captive dolphin shows. Merlin Entertainments runs seven Sea Life Centres throughout the UK and the Marine Connection is concerned that this acquisition may represent a significant threat of captive dolphins returning to the UK.
For further information please click here

China receives ten wild-caught beluga whales for marine park
(Added: 15 November 2006)
It has been reported that in late October ten beluga whales were flown from Vladivostok in Russia to Dalyan Oceanarium in China. The ten beluga whales, two which were captured in 1999 and the rest as recently as 2005 from the Okhotsk Sea between mainland Russia and Chkalov Island, were previously being held together in small pens situated in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Vladivostok.
For more information please click here

Florida-Caribbean Cruise Association campaign update
(Added: 9 November 2006)
The Marine Connection and several other groups worldwide supported a booth for the "Keep Dolphins Free" coalition at the 2006 Florida Cruise Company Association (FCCA) conference to raise awareness within the cruise industry about the issues surrounding dolphins in captivity and propose the alternatives to developing dolphinariums. This was an excellent opportunity for the coalition as it is important that those involved in the cruise industry, which makes up approximately 85% of the custom to dolphinariums in the Caribbean, are aware of the truth surrounding these facilities.
For more information please click here

Dolphin with additional "fins" captured during brutal drive hunt
(Added: 6 November 2006)
It has recently been reported that fishermen captured a dolphin which had two "extra" fins towards its tail fluke off the coast of Wakayama prefecture in western Japan on October 28. The Marine Connection is concerned about these reports which have been circulating because although a dolphin with extra fins is indeed an unusual occurrence, one very disturbing fact has been overlooked - the way in which this dolphin was discovered.
For more information please click here

Dubai Marine World Project Delayed
(Added: 1 November 2006)
Dubai's controversial dolphinarium will open at least two months late and will not be ready until January 2007 at the earliest. The Dubai Creek Park project, which includes two pools to house three dolphins, was scheduled to open at the beginning of this month but delays in the construction of the 1,500-seat stadium and a building to hold restaurants, cafés, classrooms and a gift shop have made that impossible.
Click here for more information and to take action