A friendly, sociable bottlenose dolphin which frequented the area around the Port of Brisbane in Queensland, Australia has been captured and taken into captivity by Sea World, Gold Coast (located in Main Beach), and the Marine Connection are calling for this animal to be returned to the wild.

The dolphin, nicknamed Cliffy, is thought to be between three and five years of age and was found earlier this year with fishing lines wrapped around his tail fluke. Sea World took him into their facility to remove the fishing gear and after a six week recuperation period, having regained his strength, the young dolphin was released.

image (c) Grahame Long

Sea World and the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) who authorised the capture have said the dolphin was having trouble adapting to life back in the wild and relying on fishermen to feed him. However, the Marine Connection would like to know what other options, if any, were considered before the final decision to take the dolphin into captivity was made and are now investigating this further.

The majority of the people living in the area do not want this dolphin to stay in captivity and agree that Cliffy must be left in the wild where he belongs. In our seas and oceans thousands of dolphins are injured or killed by fishing gear each year and also face other dangers from mankind, however this does not mean the option should be to remove from from their natural habitat into a captive environment. Situations like this highlight the need for more effort to be taken to protect them and their habitat in the wild state. Although of course we are concerned for the future welfare and protection of Cliffy, the Marine Connection would like to see this dolphin released and The EPA put into place a public educational awareness programme to try to ensure Cliffy's safety and welfare, highlighting to the public the need to give the dolphin its space as a wild animal and not to feed him as this can endanger the dolphin further and lead to habituation and dependency.

Over the past few years, the UK has seen several solitary dolphins around the coastline and what has become obvious is that public awareness is vital to help protect animals like these. Many people do not differentiate between dolphins in a captive situation - trained to interact with humans, and dolphins in a wild environment. Dolphins by nature appear to be very sociable animals, living in close knit family groups and although it is fairly unusual for these marine mammals to be living on their own there have, and continue to be to this day, many solitary/social dolphins thriving in the wild around the world. Some of these dolphins stay in the same place for a short period of time whilst others have been known to frequent areas for longer. Fungie in Ireland is just one example. He has been living in the same area for over 25 years, near a busy harbour with boat traffic, however there have been instances of younger, inexperienced dolphins unaware of the dangers they face in such circumstances becoming injured or even killed. Of course this has to be addressed but taking them into captivity should not be the first and only option for a wild, free ranging animal.

Please email a positive request to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), asking that Cliffy be returned to his natural environment.

Click on image above to read our comprehensive 'Lone Rangers' report on solitary cetaceans including recommendations for their protection