Historic milestone : The first dolphin sanctuary in Europe where dolphins, from captivity will not be performing in a chlorine pool anymore but swimming in the salty sea

 

The world view toward keeping dolphins in aquaria for entertainment purposes is shifting.

 Sao Paolo Dolphin Refuge is the first dolphin sanctuary in Europe. It is located in an enclosed stretch of sea near Tarante, in southern Italy. The sanctuary was founded by the Italian organization Jonian Dolphin Conservation, especially for dolphins that can no longer stay in a dolphinarium and cannot return to the wild. Often these animals need permanent care. This sanctuary was developed with a team of partners, including World Animal Protection and cetacean experts.

"This final permit is a historic milestone. For the first time in Europe, there will be a marine sanctuary where dolphins from captivity can live in a more natural environment, without interaction with tourists and with their welfare first," says Sanne Kuijpers, campaign manager Wild Animals. "These kinds of projects are an essential part of solving the serious welfare problems in captive cetaceans. No more concrete basins, but the rhythm of the sea. A place where they can be dolphins again, instead of entertainers. It brings us one step closer to a future where the orcas and dolphins that now live in captivity will be the last."

What is a marine dolphin sanctuary?

These are spacious enclosures in a fenced-off piece of sea, where dolphins that now live in captivity can live. The welfare of the dolphins is paramount and the dolphins can show more natural behavior. Not performing in a chlorine pool for a screaming audience, but swimming around and diving in the salty sea, where they belong. No new dolphins are bred for a life in captivity.

The dolphins are provided with a more natural and challenging habitat, while receiving the care and guidance they need after years of living in a confined environment.

The urgency of reception places

The popularity of dolphinariums is declining. Visitor numbers are falling, legislation is changing and parks are closing. In the past five years, several parks in France and Belgium, for example, have closed or are threatened with closure. This is a good development, because wild animals are not supposed to do shows in chlorine baths. But the dolphins that are born in captivity often cannot go back into the wild. The only option is often a move to another park, where breeding and performing and tricks continue. That is why World Animal Protection www.worldanimalprotection.nl has been working on the development of shelters for marine mammals for years.

In addition to the reception in Italy, reception places are being developed in Canada and Greece, among others. 

Bali is working hard on a better animal welfare image for aimals in the tourist industry: animal rescue organisations are achieving hope abused animals

Umah Lumba is worlds first dolphin rehabilitation center and sanctuary. It was constructed in West Bali, Indonesia by the conservation authorities BKSDA Bali, Dolphin Project and JAAN.( Jakarta Animal Aid Network )

https://www.jaanindonesia.org/about-us  Jakarta Animal Aid Network

This facility created new hope for rescued dolphins who previously had to entertain visitors inside a hotel swimming pool. Seized by the authorities in August 2019, the dolphins were entrusted in our care. In the specially built sea enclosures, rescued dolphins can adapt to live independently in the sea again.‍

The dolphins seem to be having so much fun. In fact they are deprived of fish to eat untill they do what they are taught. It is unethical

Swimming with dolphins

‍In Indonesia and Bali there are a number of places where tourists can swim with dolphins. For many people that sounds like a dream come true. They are beautiful, graceful and always have a smile on their face (a purely anatomical feature that tells nothing about their emotions). People think that the animals are having a good time, which is anything but true.

‍

Dolphins should not live in captivity. After being snatched away from their families, they live with strange peers in pools that are way too small and in which they cannot hunt, play or communicate with other dolphin groups via sonar. In captivity, the animals turn off their sonar because the walls of the cage bounce off the sound: for dolphins, this is maddening. Without sonar it is not possible to catch fish themselves, so the animals perform every trick just to be rewarded with food.

‍

Sea turtle rehabilitation  

This new part of the program started in 2022 when we received sea turtles from the authorities, all confiscated from the illegal trade. Within one year, we received 109 rescued green sea turtles, all confiscated from illegal traders. Besides illegal wildlife trade, the main threat to turtles in need of our care is plastic pollution and ghost fishing net entanglements.

Removing a fish hook from a turtle