The Marine Connection recently reported that Mastercard were running a promotion to purchase discounted tickets to Resorts World Sentosa who recently imported 27 wild caught dolphins from the Solomon Islands. Two of the 27 dolphins have died, leaving 25 still at the facility.

We called for Marine Connection supporters and Mastercard users to complain to Mastercard in their country. Our colleague, and ardent dolphin campaigner Ric O'Barry, also pledged to publicly cut up a card bearing his name unless Mastercard listened to the protests being received from around the world to halt their association with (and promotion of) the facility. Further to the emails received and also the online petition, we are delighted to report that Mastercard have now pulled out of the promotion which was due to run until November. We would like to take this opportunity to thank everyone who responded to our plea to help stop this promotion, this is just one example of how public opinion can help the plight of captive dolphins.

As part of the continuing campaign to highlight the plight of the dolphins at Resorts World, on Tuesday 4 October Ric O'Barry, along with executive director of ACRES, Louis Ng hosted an event sponsored by the Grand Copthorne Waterfront hotel to discuss the situation surrounding Resorts World and highlight the plight of captive dolphins and the impact continued captures from the wild will have on wild populations. The event drew a crowd of more than 500 people and it was also Ric O'Barry's hope whilst in Singapore, to hand over a personal letter to the CEO of Resorts World, asking for the remaining 25 dolphins to be returned to the Solomon Islands waters, however Resorts World refused a meeting to discuss the dolphins future.

The Marine Connection will continue to support efforts by our colleagues at ACRES to have these dolphins removed from the facility.