Colleague of the Marine Connection, Ric O'Barry urgently needs your help to stop many captive dolphins possibly being put back into the ocean without first undergoing a rehabiliatation programme which could be very dangerous for the animals' welfare and survival back in the wild.

Officials in the Indonesian government are planning to bypass efforts by Earth Island Institute (EII) and Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN), who both signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU)in October 2010 with the Indonesian Forestry Department to rehabilitate and release the dolphins from a new centre and sea pen specifically built in Java's Karimunjawa National Park, Indonesia. The aim was to free dolphins that had been illegally captured and exploited by the aquarium industry. Once the dolphins are able to feed themselves on live fish, they can be safely released into the waters of the National Park, from which they were in all possibility first captured.

However the conservation efforts of both organisations are now being betrayed due to the influence of the dolphin capture industry in Indonesia. Some government officials are now ignoring the MOU and plan to allow these aquariums to quite literally dump the dolphins back into the ocean without rehabilitating them. Furthermore, we are now given to understand that they now only plan to release 3 out of dozens of dolphins kept illegally, just for the show. Pramudya Harzani, Director of JAAN states: "The new plan by these government officials would expose these animals to shock, starvation, and disorientation without proper safeguards and training. The dolphins won't have the ability to survive without an adaption period within our sea pen where they can build up strength in their muscles and train to capture live fish again after spending over a year-and-a-half inside a tiny pool. JAAN with the support of Ric O'Barry and EII has prepared all facilities, equipment and expertise and now it's up to the Indonesian Forestry Department to take the next right step - the captive dolphins should be given to JAAN and Earth Island for rehabilitation and release. We need the help of the President of Indonesia to stop some government officials from destroying our work to help these dolphins."

The group became aware of the government’s plan during meetings with Darori, the director general of Indonesia’s Forest Protection and Nature Conservation (PHKA). PHKA plans to release the dolphins previously held at the Taman Safari Center in Batang and also a traveling circus based in Kendal which holds six permits but owns more than 20 dolphins.

Marine Connection director Margaux Dodds responded to this news by stating; "Opportunities like this to help animals who have been subjected to a lifetime of captivity, do not occur very often and when they do we have to make every effort to ensure that undertakings such as the MOU are supported wholeheartedly by the cetacean conservation movement. The Marine Connection supports this amazing EII/JAAN endeavour. There is the expertise and experience necessary to provide a unique opportunity for these dolphins (JAAN runs the world’s largest dolphin rehabilitation center, located on Karimun Jawa Island), and we are calling on our supporters to approach the President to ensure that ALL these captive dolphins are given the chance of rehabilitation and eventual release as per the agreement signed in October last year. These officials must not be allowed to reneige on their promise or endanger these dolphins chances of survival simply due to pressure from the captivity industry."

The Marine Connection has already been in contact with the authorities concerning this matter and now ask for your urgent help on behalf of these dolphins.

Urge the President of Indonesia to honour the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), and provide the dolphins currently held in captivity only to the Jakarta Animal Aid Network and Earth Island Institute. These are the only organisations in Indonesia with the expertise, equipment and facilities to effectively care for, rehabilitate and release captive dolphins back into the wild.