In Reply to: Thank you all posted by Leon on Saturday, 31. August 2013 at 20:43 Bali Time:
Many animal welfare bodies like the WSPA condemn the practice, this extract is from their site.
To a dolphin, a pool is a cage. These fast moving animals, which form complex social groups when free, cannot behave naturally in captivity. On these grounds, WSPA campaigns for the closure of all dolphin attractions.
The mortality rates and abnormal behaviours of captive dolphins prove that a lack of stimulation causes them terrible stress. Swimming listlessly in circles is just one common indictor of boredom and psychological distress.
Space is also an issue - pools are miserably small for large, far ranging animals that would swim up to 50 miles a day in the wild. The shallow waters expose dolphins' delicate skin to painful sunburns.
By withholding food, some trainers coerce dolphins into repetitive and unnatural behaviours, performing ‘tricks' for the public. Hunger forces the dolphins to ignore their most basic natural instincts. They are even trained to beach themselves, despite the danger of doing so.
Visitors don't always realise that the much promoted dolphin ‘smile' does not reflect of their emotional state. It is simply the shape of their mouths.
A dolphin is trained to behave unnaturally for human amusement.
Many dolphins do not survive the trauma of capture. Of those that do, 53% die within three months of confinement. Captive dolphins also suffer and die from intestinal disease, stress-related illness and chlorine poisoning.