Dolphin cruelty at aquatic park in Nanjing, China

Original article title:
Dolphin's envy turns violent in Nanjing, China Daily, 9 Aug 2006

An envious dolphin from an aquatic park in Nanjing assaulted its partner, leaving bruises all over its body, as payback for the generous rewards the hard-working partner recieved.

The two dolphins, named "Jiangbo" and "Yaya," were good partners and often performed together to entertain visitors to the park.

However, recently Jiangbo became lazy and easily agitated because of the scorching heat in summer, while Yaya worked even harder and often won food and good treatment after performances.

Feeling badly treated, Jiangbo started attacking Yaya days ago and seriously injured its tail and head.

As a punishment Jiangbo is currently kept in a dark pool and isolated from other dolphins.

Marine Connection comment:
This situation in Nanjing displays a complete lack of care for the animals involved. To say these animals display feelings such as "envy" as a human being might is irresponsible. For Jiangbo the dolphin to have become agitated and violent implies it is suffering psychologically and/or physically perhaps due to the "scorching heat" mentioned or other substandard conditions at the facility. Dolphins do not fare well in captivity - aggression and abnormal behaviour can be a reflection of poor holding conditions, health and/or treatment. Certainly, placing the dolphin in isolation in a "dark pool" to "punish" it will not help the matter and will only serve to exacerbate the issue.

In addition, to read that the other dolphin "won food and good treatment after performances" implies that the animals may not receive food and "good" treatment when they do not perform to their trainers' standards which is a particular worry to Marine Connection. These animals should not have to "win" good conditions. This news report displays the lack of welfare and protection for dolphins in many captive facilities and the Marine Connection are appalled by this report of cruelty.