Thai Activists Attempt to Block Dolphin Show

Three animal rights groups in Thailand are petitioning the fisheries department to deny a zoo license to a planned dolphinarium in the beach resort of Phuket. SEEK Phuket, DolphinProject.org, and the Love Wildlife Foundation have hosted several events to condemn the dolphinarium, including a speech by Richard O’Barry from the documentary film, The Cove. In a statement, the head of the Love Wildlife Foundation said, “We’re basically taking these animals from the wild to die in a show for our entertainment.” The Ukrainian company that is building the dolphinarium is already selling tickets for shows starting in October. In 2011, Thai activists protested the opening of a “swim with dolphins” concession in Pattaya.

Pattaya Dolphin World (EPA Photo)

Captive dolphins are kidnapped from their families in ocean during a brutal roundup; trained to perform tricks through food deprivation; confined for life in small enclosures and deprived of the ability to do anything that comes naturally to them. These intelligent mammals who have sophisticated social lives are reduced to photo ops. If “swimming with dolphins” is on your bucket list, please cross it off and help Rick O’Barry bring an end to dolphin zoos.