Response to "Dolphin breeding pushed" - Hawkes Bay Today

Dear Sir

I was troubled to read about the suggestion in the latest article in the Marineland saga, "Dolphin breeding pushed", to "establish a facility that would nurture and breed Hector's dolphins".

To keep and breed Hector's dolphins at Marineland would require the capture of several wild Hectors dolphins. As is well-known, these animals are endangered and their populations have dropped by more than half since 1970. To remove a number of these animals from their already fragmented pods would not only cause harm to the animals caught but would impact heavily on pod dynamics and future breeding. This is excluding the fact that to remove these animals from the wild and place them in a tank would be a contradiction to any conservation claims made by Marineland.

As is already happening, we should be further encouraging the conservation and protection of these animals in their wild habitat. This in turn might enable a thriving, monitored and ethical dolphin watching industry in Napier and Hawkes Bay as there is in Kaikoura. Once in captivity, the complex and well-adapted abilities of these animals are rendered useless. Even a dolphinarium would say it is better for these animals to stay in captivity. Therefore, in what way will breeding and 'preserving' Hector's dolphins which are a shadow of their wild counterparts help to contribute 'to the survival and continuation' of this species? There can be no claim for conservation or education since the dolphins would be wild caught and if, as the dolphinariums' say, these animals no longer exhibit wild tendencies, then how can this be an education for the public?

Profit is the only justification for this proposal. New Zealand is in an excellent position to demonstrate further Hector's dolphin protection in its natural habitat as well as develop a very profitable dolphin and whale watching industry. In addition, New Zealand can ensure that Hector's dolphins never become a museum piece as has been proposed by Mr. Rowe.

Andrina Murrell
Marine Connection