Superpod of an Estimated 1,000 Dolphins Filmed Swimming Along Whale-Watching Boat in California

By Rosie McCall On 5/19/20 at 6:40 AM EDT U.S.CaliforniaDolphinVideo

Whale watchers were in for a surprise when they encountered a “superpod” of more than 1,000 common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) during a trip off Laguna Beach, California, on Saturday.

https://videos.newsweek.com/share/515672?amp=1&autostart=1&publisher=amp_nw&items=1&nwcat=nwus-us&iabcat=IAB12&ivt_fq=0#amp=1

Newport Coastal Adventure, a whale-watching tour agency, shared a video of the event, showing hundreds of dolphins leaping through the waves as the boat sails past.

“We saw this Common Dolphin “superpod” chasing fish off Laguna Beach for our 5:30pm Private Charter Whale Watching trip today,” said Newport Coastal Adventure. “Some lucky families got to experience what it’s like to be amongst at least 1,000 dolphins.”https://tpc.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html?n=0 https://d-38292508244107259295.ampproject.net/2005151844001/frame.html

“The experience was incredible,” Ryan Lawler of Newport Coastal Adventure told Newsweek. “Thousands of dolphins tightly packed together, just about an hour from sunset.”

Lawler said the super pod was seen during a private charter trip with a single family, explaining the company is currently restricting trips to members of one household and maintaining distance between the captain and whale watchers amid the COVID-19 outbreak. Read more These Dolphins Beach Themselves As Part of a ‘Risky’ Feeding Behavior 13 Spectacular Photos of the Planet From the Lens of a Travel Photographer Gutted Carcass of Endangered River Dolphin Found in Bangladesh

Dolphins are highly social and gregarious creatures that live in groups. Recent research has highlighted the extent of their collaborative behavior, from the observation that male dolphins sing together (to coerce females into sex) to dolphins’ ability to make friends through shared interests, specifically their interest in “sponging,” which involves using sponges as foraging tools to find food. Other studies suggest dolphins use different vocalizations, or names, to identify friends and rivals, forge long-lasting alliances and lean on each other when raising their calves.

While common dolphins tend to travel in groups in the hundreds, they have been known to gather in large schools containing thousands of dolphins, dubbed megapods or superpods. Some of the largest contain more than 10,000 individuals. Within these congregations, there are a number of sub-groups, each consisting of 20 to 30 individuals who are connected through relation or factors such as age and sex.

“Super pods of common dolphins are spectacular but not rare. If the conditions are suitable, they can occur anywhere in the world,” Danny Groves, a spokesperson for marine charity Whale and Dolphin Conservation (WDC), told Newsweek, noting they have been spotted off the U.S., Scotland, South Africa and many other places.

Large pods like these often form for a short period of time during courtship or in response to prey. Take, for example, the gathering that aggregated near Monterey Bay, California, on Labor Day last year. According to Monterey Bay Aquarium, hundreds of common dolphins came together “hot on the tails of billions of baitfish.” Something similar appears to be occurring here—according to Newport Coastal Adventure, the dolphins were spotted chasing fish.

“I would say we see this phenomena a few dozen times a year. Sometimes we go months without seeing it. Other times we will see it a few times in one week,” said Lawler. “Common dolphins often travel and live in groups of 20-200 here, but if there is enough food around they will form a super pod such as this one for a small amount of time to take advantage of the strength in numbers in pursuing their prey, anchovies.”

“If prey are plentiful, then hunting in big pods can be beneficial. Likewise if there is a predator threat to the dolphins, then being in a large group provides security,” said Groves. “If they are just being sociable, then we might expect dolphins to get similar benefits that humans get from getting together in large groups—a sense of community and enjoyment, ironically something they are able to do right now whilst we are isolating.”

Groves added: “Whilst we humans are locked down, the seas are quieter and less polluted, and nature seems to be reclaiming its territory.” A pod of common dolphins surf the bow wake of a boat on July 16, 2008 near Long Beach, California. Footage taken last week shows a superpod of “at least” 1,000 common dolphins near Laguna Beach. David McNew/Getty

It is not clear from the video what type of common dolphin is being filmed. Though initially considered a single species, since 1994 it has been split into the long-beaked common dolphin and the short-beaked common dolphin.

According to WDC, advances in science suggest the initial classification was correct and the short-beaked and long-beaked dolphins are variations of the same species, which can be identified by their different sized beaks and their coloring.

https://www.newsweek.com/super-pod-1000-dolphins-whale-watching-boat-california-1505010?amp=1&__twitter_impression=true

These dolphins are stolen from the wild and sold to aquariums around the world! Please do not support this cruel to tradition!!

This is happening every day for the next 6 months pic.twitter.com/uxjo3GZXft

— The Dodo (@dodo) December 1, 2019

Stolen from the wild

This is the heartbreaking way some dolphins end up in tanks 💔 pic.twitter.com/6BQ6ByXE6H

— The Dodo (@dodo) November 29, 2019

Nearly Extinct Pink Dolphin Gives Birth To Pink Calf

 

lifeinsider.me

Uncommon pink dolphin mother gave birth to a charming infant dolphin. She was named Pinky, and the baby dolphin has been seen in the Calcasieu River in Louisiana. The pink calf was there, as well.

This warm-blooded animal became famous 12 years back. Chief Erik Rue was the first to recognize her. The video of Pinky and her child was posted on Pinky’s Facebook page. The dolphins were swimming before a huge boat in the Calcasieu Ship Channel.

As indicated by specialists, Pinky is a Rare River Dolphin who got the pink shading from an uncommon hereditary change. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) recorded stream dolphins as jeopardized. Its populace is diminishing.

The birth of the calf gives us trust that calves have acquired their mom’s hereditary change which would help in the exertion of expanding the number of inhabitants in uncommon species.

Skipper Rue clarified that the dolphin is pink from its tail to the tip and has red eyes. Its skin is smooth and lustrous.

Pinky isn’t influenced by the earth or daylight however beyond any doubt likes to stay underneath the surface more than other animals.

She’s a fantastic mammal that conveys delight to local people, and visitors love seeing such a superb well-evolved creature.

Bridget Boudreaux spotted Pinky and her calf in the river some a time ago. She saw them swimming and bouncing around. Recognizing the mother and her child was a great encounter for her, and she even requested that the commander stop the vessel so she can see it better.

https://lifeinsider.me/nearly-extinct-pink-dolphin-gives-birth-to-pink-calf/

R.I.P Amity – A Sea World Icon

Black Cove

On Sunday February 10, the news was shared on a cetacean-interest Facebook page that Amity, Sea World Gold Coast’s oldest dolphin had died.  The comments that followed were mostly from people who had known and worked with Amity during their careers, and it was clear that there was a genuine fondness for this captive dolphin.

Amity received her name from the area where she was collected – Amity Banks in Moreton Bay, Queensland.  Estimated to be around 3 or 4 years of age, Amity was  captured sometime in the mid to late 60’s when wild dolphin capture was still legal in Australia.

It is likely that Amity belonged to the resident population in that area, and as a juvenile Australian Humpback dolphin (Sousa sahulensis), she would either have been taken from her mother or would have recently become independent, as calves of this species usually stay with Mums for around…

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Dolphin Project 🐬 Protest🐬

Come on out and create a noise like no other!

Event information location Scottsdale Arizona…

buff.ly/2WmXqXe#DolphinProject #ThanksButNoTanks

 

Warning Graphic Images: Police Searching For Person Who Carved Name Into Dolphin While At Sea In Spain – Sea Voice News

seavoicenews.com
by Alex Larson

Heartbreaking images show a female dolphins dead body with the name ‘JUAN’ carved into the side of the mammal.

The animal was found washed up on a beach and authorities are now hunting for the individual whom committed the atrocious act.

Credit: Central European News

The carvings as well as several other injuries appear to be have done at sea where the animal perished and later washed ashore in the south-eastern Spanish province of Almeria.

According to Equinac coordinator Eva Maria Moron, “The injuries and the cuts were not done at the beach, it must have happened at sea and the storm has pulled it out of the water.’

Spanish Civil Guard sources told reporters that the Department of Marine Service has been investigating the appearance of other dolphins found dead on the beach for months and that the latest case will be added to the investigation.

Credit: Central European News

Representatives of Equinac added that if anyone does find a dead dolphin on the coastline of Spain, they should immediately notify the authorities and that fishermen whom catch dolphins as a product should be notifying the authorities as well.

They added: “We want to make people aware of the importance of taking care of protected animals, such as marine turtles or dolphins, some people in the fishing industry are against these animals as for example they say that dolphins are eating their fish or breaking their nets and we should be aware of that.”

http://seavoicenews.com/2018/12/18/warning-graphic-images-police-searching-for-person-who-carved-name-into-dolphin-while-at-sea-in-spain/

WAN Exclusive With Marine Animal Rescue Regarding Case of Dolphin Shot In California; $10,000 Reward Offered To Find The Sick Subhuman Who Did It – World Animal News

WAN Exclusive With Marine Animal Rescue Regarding Case of Dolphin Shot In California; $10,000 Reward Offered To Find The Sick Subhuman Who Did It

By Lauren Lewis –
November 19, 2018

The heartbreaking discovery of a dead dolphin that washed up on shore off the coast of Manhattan Beach, California, earlier this month continues to raise questions and demand answers.
Most importantly, who is the pathetic individual responsible for killing the innocent dolphin, and what possesses someone to commit such a horrible act of violence.
WAN talked with Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue about the “senseless brutality” of the killing, and a $10,000 reward fund that the nonprofit organization has established to help authorities identify and locate the perpetrator, as well as ensure that justice is served.
“There is no reason for anyone to kill a dolphin, especially this way,” Wallerstein, who discovered the bullet wound, told WAN, further noting that the dolphin otherwise appeared to be in good shape.
A 33-year veteran of rescuing marine animals in and around Los Angeles County, Wallerstein explained that his theory of how the dolphin died was confirmed when Dr. Palmer with the Marine Mammal Care Center in Los Angeles found the bullet inside of the deceased marine mammal.
Wallerstein told WAN that he reported the incident to the National Marine Fisheries law enforcement division, the unit that should be investigating the crime, as dolphins are among the ocean mammals protected under federal law.
Jim Milbury of the National Marine Fisheries West Coast office advised WAN this afternoon that the law enforcement division was aware of the situation, he stated that it is the organization’s policy to not comment on the status of investigations.
Don’t let the tragic death of this sentient being be in vein, other dolphins need our help to ensure that justice is served, and to send a strong message that this type of senseless animal cruelty will not be tolerated or treated lightly.
It is imperative that anyone with information about this case contact the National Marine Fisheries Law Enforcement’s Hotline at (800) 853-1964.
Anyone with a tip should also contact Peter Wallerstein of Marine Animal Rescue at (310) 455-2729.
Marine Animal Rescue, which is offering the reward, will forward relevant information received to the National Marine Fisheries Law Enforcement Division to ensure an investigation into this heinous crime.
Donations to help Marine Animal Rescue save the lives of sick, injured or orphaned marine animals including: whales, seals, sea lions and seabirds, can be made Here!

https://worldanimalnews.com/wan-exclusive-with-marine-animal-rescue-reguarding-case-of-dolphin-shot-in-california-10000-reward-offered/

 

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© Copyright 2018 – WorldAnimalNews.com

Petition: Stop the dolphin slaughter in Norway before it starts! · Change.org

change.org
Stop the dolphin slaughter in Norway before it starts! · Change.org
Ørjan Jacobsen Fjeldstad started this petition to The Norwegian government and 4 others
2 minutes

The elected officials of the indigenous northern Sami people of Norway has voted unanimously yes to introduce dolphin slaughter to the northern beaches of Norway. Similar to The Cove in Taiji Japan, or the Grindadrap in the Faroe Islands. They start working on how to legalize and implement this practice. With the ultimate goal of getting the Norwegian government on board.

Dolphins live in groups, and the catch of some, leads to damage in the social structure. Inflicting trauma and suffering, and limiting the ability to reproduce. Not to mention the brutality and suffering inflicted over the period of time it takes to kill the dolphins with various tools. The Sami claim dolphin hunt is a tradition worthy of reinstating.

If this were to happen, it would be a tremendous setback to animal welfare and conservation in Norway. It would color the beaches red. The dolphin population would not be safe anymore. And Norway would have dealt another smack in the face to international solidarity. I’m referring to the whaling ban Norway refuses to uphold, despite being a member of the IWC, and losing a vote that ended the legitimacy of commercial whaling in 1982.

We call on the Norwegian government, and relevant ministers to ban delfinfangst aka dolphin slaughter, and make it illegal permanently. And to refuse any future requests of allowing such an unnecessary and barbarically outdated practice to resurface from the depths of the past. Where progress in animal welfare, and human ethics in treatment of animals has made its slow march.

https://www.change.org/p/the-norwegian-government-stop-the-dolphin-slaughter-in-norway-before-it-starts

Breaking! Myanmar Expands Protected Area For 76 Critically Endangered Irrawaddy Dolphins Living In The Ayeyawady River – World Animal News

By WAN –
October 16, 2018

Irrawaddy Dolphins in Myanmar. CREDIT: WCS
Working in collaboration with Myanmar’s Department of Fisheries (DoF), Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) has announced the creation of a new protected area for a population of critically endangered Irrawaddy dolphins living in the Ayeyawady River of central Myanmar.
Sadly, earlier this year, conservationists counted a total of 76 Irrawaddy dolphins living in the Ayeyawady River between the river towns of Mandalay and Bhamo.
The new 100-kilometer (62 mile) zone will serve as an extension to an existing protected area established in 2005 between the towns of Mingun and Kyauk Myaung in collaboration between DoF and WCS.
“Establishment of the new Ayeyawady Dolphin Protected Area demonstrates the significant commitment of the Myanmar Government to conserve this charismatic species of the Ayeyawady River,” Saw Htun, Deputy Country Program Director, WCS Myanmar Program said in a statement. “WCS will collaborate with all stakeholders on coordinated efforts to save the threatened Irrawaddy dolphins in existing and new protected areas.”
To establish the new protected area, DoF and WCS consulted with over 50 villages along the river. Based on those meetings the protected area status was agreed for a 100 kilometer stretch of the river from Male to Shwegu, with a further 100 kilometers designated as a less restrictive buffer area.
Within the new protected area, use and size of gillnets are restricted to prevent dolphins from getting entangled, sometimes drowning. In addition, other methods like electric fishing and the use of dynamite and gold mining are strictly prohibited along with damage of habitat such as sandbars, grasslands, and vegetation.

https://worldanimalnews.com/breaking-myanmar-expands-protected-area-for-76-critically-endangered-irrawaddy-dolphins-living-in-the-ayeyawady-river/

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Petition: Why Is Peru Illegally Slaughtering 15,000 Dolphins Each Year?

by: Kevin Mathews
recipient: Vice Minister Javier Fernando Miguel Atkins Lerggios

46,140 SUPPORTERS – 50,000 GOAL

A new report by the Animal Welfare Institute finds that over 100,000 cetaceans (dolphins, porpoises and small whales) are intentionally killed each year by fishers so they can be chopped up for bait. This inhumane practice is most common off the coast of Peru, where fishers catch up to an estimated 15,000 dolphins.

These dolphins aren’t just being killed, they’re being brutalized. Once they’re pulled on to the boat, they’re stabbed with harpoons and knives and left to slowly die in agony.

Hunting dolphins is already against the law in Peru, but the lack of enforcement isn’t preventing the fishing industry from carrying on with killing dolphins and the like anyway. Though there have been some initial efforts to fix this problem, it’s going to take a serious commitment from Peru to scare this thriving black market out of existence.

That’s why we’re calling on Vice Minister Javier Fernando Miguel Atkins Lerggios, the man in charge of fisheries and aquaculture in Peru, to commit himself to aggressively

If undercover investigations by conservation groups can discover how prevelant this practice is, surely some government stings can catch the fishing industry in the act, too.

Protect the dolphins, Peru!

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/103/306/410/

 

“Dolphins Come Together to Greet Newborn | BBC Earth”

Petition: Someone Shot and Killed a Dolphin and Her Unborn Calf

by: Care2 Team
recipient: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)

109,846 SUPPORTERS – 110,000 GOAL
When most people see a dolphin their hearts fill with joy. But not some thug in Mississippi. Instead, according to officials, he pulled out a gun and shot it.

If that wasn’t bad enough, when authorities performed a necropsy on the dead cetaecian, they found that it was pregnant. Neither the mother or unborn calf had a chance of surviving. Now animal welfare organizations are offering a combined reward of up to $11,000 for information that leads to the killer’s arrest.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) — one of the organizations charged with implementing the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA) — if caught, the culprit could face up to one year in prison and $100,000 in fines.

Since 2002 — in the Northern Gulf region which includes Mississippi — 24 dolphins have been found dead from human-inflicted injuries including guns, arrows or being impaled.

For some reason, more and more people are finding it “fun” to abuse our protected marine life.

This killer must be caught and brought to justice so our government can make an example out of them. We must make sure animal abusers are held responsible for their crimes.

Sign the petition and tell NOAA support them in their search for the killer of the Mississippi dolphin.
https://www.thepetitionsite.com/481/471/271/someone-shot-and-killed-a-dolphin-and-her-unborn-calf/

 

Petition: Protect Dolphins from Oil Spills

act.oceana.org

Opening the floodgates to dirty and dangerous offshore drilling is a catastrophe waiting to happen, made all the worse by President Trump’s proposal to gut a key safety rule.

The BP oil spill was the most devastating oil spill in our nation’s history and the Well Control Rule was one of the only safety regulations implemented in the aftermath.

We cannot allow the Trump Administration to eliminate this key safety rule right when they are pushing to radically expand offshore drilling in nearly all federal waters. We need more safety, not less.

Tell the Trump Administration and the Bureau of Safety and Environmental Enforcement: Do not dismantle the Well Control Rule and risk another oil spilling catastrophe.

We need 30,000 people to speak up before the Aug. 6 deadline to stop offshore drilling – make yourself heard.

https://act.oceana.org/page/27224/action/1?locale=en-US

In male dolphin alliances, ‘everybody knows your name’ — ScienceDaily

sciencedaily.com
In male dolphin alliances, ‘everybody knows your name’ — ScienceDaily
Jonathon Goodman,
3-4 minutes

It’s not uncommon in dolphin society for males to form long-lasting alliances with other males, sometimes for decades. Now, after studying bottlenose dolphins in Shark Bay, Australia, for more than 30 years, researchers reporting in Current Biology on June 7 find that these males retain individual vocal labels rather than sharing a common call with their cooperative partners.

“We found that male bottlenose dolphins that form long-term cooperative partnerships or alliances with one another retain individual vocal labels, or ‘names,’ which allows them to recognize many different friends and rivals in their social network,” says Stephanie King (@_StephanieLKing) from the University of Western Australia. “Our work shows that these ‘names’ help males keep track of their many different relationships: who are their friends, who are their friend’s friends, and who are their competitors.”

In the new study, King and colleagues set out to better understand what role vocal communication plays in coordinating complex social behaviors, including cooperation, in bottlenose dolphins. The researchers knew from years of study that male bottlenose dolphins form long-term cooperative alliances with one another. However, they did not know how these males used vocal signals to form and maintain these relationships.

To explore the role of vocal signals, they recorded the dolphins’ vocalizations using underwater microphones and determined the individual vocal label used by each of the males. They then measured the similarity of those identity signals within and between alliances to find out whether males with stronger social relationships used vocal labels that were more similar.

“We wanted to understand if allied male dolphins converged onto similar calls as a way of advertising their alliance membership, or whether they retained individual vocal labels,” King explains.

The analysis showed that males in an alliance retain vocal labels that are quite distinct from one another, suggesting that those calls serve a purpose similar to an individual name. That’s in contrast to findings in many other species where individuals with close relationships converge on shared vocalizations as a way of advertising their membership to that partnership or group.

“With male bottlenose dolphins, it’s the opposite — each male retains a unique call, even though they develop incredibly strong bonds with one another,” King says. “Therefore, retaining individual ‘names’ is more important than sharing calls for male dolphins, allowing them to keep track of or maintain a fascinating social network of cooperative relationships.”

King says they will now study the males’ relationships with one another more closely. They’ll play the “names” of individual males back to each other and explore how males respond to members of their alliances in different contexts.

“It will be interesting to reveal whether all cooperative relationships within alliances are equal or not,” she says.

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/06/180607112756.htm

Story Source:

Materials provided by Cell Press. Note: Content may be edited for style and length.

Petition: Tourist Steals Dying Dolphin From Beach

by: Care2 Team
target: Yangjiang City Police

37,309 SUPPORTERS
40,000 GOAL

As the small dolphin lay suffering on the shore, a man approached. But he didn’t help the beached animal — instead he did something far worse.

The male tourist, dressed only in black swimming trucks, was filmed by shocked beachgoers picking up and throwing the dying dolphin over his shoulder. The man even seems to smile at the horrified onlookers as he walks off with the dolphin slung over his shoulder. He is then seen taking the dolphin to his car and speeding off.

Sign and share this petition to demand that local authorities find this man and charge him to fullest extent of the law for this cruel and illegal act!

The video was taken at Hailing Island off the coast of Yangjiang City in southern China and the unidentified man is still at large. The poor dolphin’s fate is unknown.

In the wild, dolphins are very social and emotionally sensitive animals. Their intelligence has been described by scientists to be on par with great apes and human toddlers. It’s unconscionable that this man would treat this helpless dolphin so cruelly — committing it to a painful death while he callously collects the animal like a souvenir.

Join the global call for Yangjiang City Police to treat this case as seriously as possible. This tourist needs to be found, investigated, and charged for this horrific act of abuse!

https://www.thepetitionsite.com/221/043/938/tourist-steals-dying-dolphin-from-beach/

Copyright © 2018 Care2.com, inc. and its licensors. All rights reserved

Justice Must Be Served After Man Heartlessly Carries Stranded Dolphin Off Of A Beach In South China – World Animal News

Justice Must Be Served After Man Heartlessly Carries Stranded Dolphin Off Of A Beach In South China
By WAN – May 4, 2018

Police are looking for a man who was filmed callously carrying a stranded dolphin off of a beach in southern China.
The horrifying footage, taken at popular tourist destination Hailing Island in Guangdong province, was reportedly filmed during China’s three-day labor holiday on May 1st.
According to Channel News Asia, the man picked up the dolphin, which appeared to be lifeless, and swung it over his shoulder before driving away with it in a car.
As per China’s Law of Wildlife Protection, dolphins are one of the species that citizens are not allowed to hunt, kill, sell, or keep, even if the mammals are found dead.
“Dolphins are protected animals in China,” an official stated after the local fisheries bureau launched an investigation. “Whether it is dead or alive, it is wrong to take it away. He should have called the authorities to deal with the matter.”
“Is he going to boil the dolphin,” questioned one person, “This is simply disgusting.”
Local officials have confirmed that the man could face criminal charges for his action.
Could? He absolutely Should!
WAN will continue to update this story as it develops.

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http://worldanimalnews.com/justice-must-be-served-after-man-heartlessly-carries-stranded-dolphin-off-of-a-beach-in-south-china/

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What to Expect From North America’s First Dolphin Sanctuary

azula.com
What to Expect From North America’s First Dolphin Sanctuary
Martha Sorren
4-5 minutes

As more people come around to the idea that cetaceans are animals that deserve freedom and not to be stuffed into tanks for entertainment purposes, a real shift is occurring.
Soon, North America will see its first-ever dolphin sanctuary built — designed to rehabilitate aquarium dolphins in their natural habitat.

According to the Associated Press, the National Aquarium has begun a three-year program designed to get its seven dolphins ready for release into this sanctuary. Fortunately, they just received a major boost from tour company Virgin Holidays, which pledged $300,000 to make this sanctuary a reality.

The AP reported that the years-in-the-making project is in the early stages of shopping potential locations in Florida and, in the meantime, is painstakingly readying the dolphins for the habitat transition.

For example, the aquarium is raising the temperatures of the dolphins’ tanks so that algae will grow and start to emulate the real waters to which they’ll be relocated.

This donation by Virgin Holidays fits right in line with the company’s stance.
Virgin Group, founded by philanthropist Richard Branson, has long been interested in cetacean issues.

TV3, which is owned by Virgin Media, reported that in 2014 the company pledged to stop working with agencies that took captive cetaceans from the wild. In 2017, they ceased to work with hotels and entertainment attractions that housed captive dolphins and whales.

They also teamed up with the World Cetacean Alliance to forge new whale-watching rules that better respect the animals in their natural habitat.
In pledging money to help create a marine sanctuary for these dolphins, Virgin Holidays is propelling the company’s pro-cetacean policies forward to effect change.

The Independent reported that Virgin Holidays’ managing director, Joe Thompson, is hoping to re-shape how people interact with these wild ocean animals. He said the company aims to steer its clientele away from using animals in “theatrical shows” and places an emphasis on tourism that promotes animal welfare.

So helping build a sanctuary would allow tourists to view dolphins as they rehabilitate, rather than perform. Virgin Holidays hopes to have guests witness these animals beginning in 2020, according to the Independent.

But while tourism factors into Virgin Holidays’ hopes for the sanctuary, John Racanelli, CEO and president of the National Aquarium, told the Independent that the aquarium is thinking only about the dolphins at this point. “It’s the driving force behind the why, how and what’s next for this project,” he said.
“Put simply, we place the welfare of the dolphins above all else — science, the public, donors, whatever.”

Plans for the sanctuary are still in development, but TV3 reported that the $10 million to $15 million project is aiming for a site that is 100 times the size of the dolphins’ current tank — putting it at a cool 100 million gallons of water that will allow the dolphins to dive and swim freely.
Per the Independent, the sanctuary will also feature tides, temperature changes and other fish and plants that are native to the dolphins’ natural environment.

It’s a massive undertaking, and it’s not the only one in the works. According to Mother Nature Network, in 2016, a nonprofit called the Whale Sanctuary Project pledged to create a cold-water sanctuary for orcas and beluga whales to be retired to.
As of early 2018, that three- to five-year plan was still in the works.

These sanctuaries would be the first of their kind in North America and would drastically change the options for entertainment facilities’ captive cetaceans.

The tides have long been changing on how humans view sea animals in captivity, so it’s great that the industry is catching up with the times. Hopefully this all goes according to plan, and all seven dolphins can begin to get their lives back in just two short years with the hope of many more joining them in the future.
It’s the very least these magnificent animals deserve.

https://www.azula.com/dolphin-sanctuary-2562469814.amp.html?__twitter_impression=true

Giphy

Petition · Karmenu Vella: Stop the slaughter of common dolphins by the fishing industry in EU waters · Change.org

Thousands of short-beaked common dolphins are being killed by fishing vessels targeting pelagic fish species in EU Waters. This barbaric practice is referred to as ‘bycatch’by the fishing industry. We are calling on Karmenu Vella, the EU Commissioner for Environment Maritime Affairs and Fisheries, to take urgent action to end this cruel and unnecessary mess slaughter of these highly intelligent and much-loved animals.

https://www.change.org/p/karmenu-vella-stop-the-slaughter-of-common-dolphins-by-the-fishing-industry-in-eu-waters?source_location=petition_footer&algorithm=promoted&original_footer_petition_id=10401740&grid_position=1&pt=AVBldGl0aW9uAKeZxgAAAAAAWswF7swB7Ws4OTY1MjAxOA%3D%3D

Massive Oil Spill In Borneo, Indonesia, Claims The Lives Of 5 People & An Endangered Irrawaddy Dolphin – World Animal News

BREAKING NEWS
By Lauren Lewis –
April 4, 2018

A dead Irrawaddy dolphin was found washed up on the shore near the oil spill. Photo courtesy of the Rare Aquatic Species Indonesia (RASI).
The Indonesian government issued a state of emergency yesterday following a major oil spill that occurred over the weekend in Borneo, Indonesia.
Tragically, five fishermen and one endangered dolphin have been confirmed dead so far as a result of the spill that occurred on Saturday morning in the Balikpapan Bay, in East Kalimantan province.
This morning, as per an AFP report on Yahoo7, Indonesia’s national oil company Pertamina, which originally denied responsibility, declared that the spill was, in fact, caused by a ruptured pipe that was used for transporting crude oil approximately 25 meters below the sea surface.
The Irrawaddy dolphin, which is listed as endangered on the ICUN Red List, was discovered on the shore near the spill on Sunday evening.
Distributed across the coastal Indian Ocean from India to Indonesia, the Irrawaddy dolphin’s relatively small size, mobile ‘expressive’ head, and ability to spit water when instructed have contributed to the recent rise in their captivity.

u.s.whales.org, Dipani Sutaria
While the toxic spill is believed to be the cause of the dolphin’s death, according to Mongabay, Danielle Kreb, a marine biologist with the non-profit organization Rare Aquatic Species Indonesia (RASI) explained that it would take up to a week before they receive the results of the samples they took from the animal.
A protected species under Indonesian law, killing an Irrawaddy dolphin carries fines and a possible jail sentence.
WAN prays there are no more deaths of people or animals affected by this tragic oil spill.

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TAGS:Animal News,Animal Protection,Animal Welfare,animal welfare organizations,
Dolphin,Endangered Species,Indonesia

http://worldanimalnews.com/massive-oil-spill-in-borneo-indonesia-claims-the-lives-of-5-people-an-endangered-irrawaddy-dolphin/

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South Korea Bans Importation of Taiji’s Dolphins

dolphinproject.com
Posts by : Cara Sands
March 20,2018
Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry

Dolphins caught in Taiji Japan’s notorious drive hunts will no longer be welcome in South Korea. Today, the Ministry of Environment announced a revised bill on the Protection and Management of Wildlife, banning all imports of dolphins captured in such a brutal manner.

Imports will also be restricted if the mammals are captured in areas where wild populations are either unclear, or are in decline.
How did a centuries-old relationship between man and dolphin become so corrupt?

Wild bottlenose dolphin brutally caught in Taiji’s notorious dolphin hunts. Credit: DolphinProject.com

In Taiji, dolphins are chased, then driven into the cove for the purposes of capture or slaughter. The hunts are relentless, with countless mammals dying during the drives themselves. Dolphins are listed in Appendix II of CITES – the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora – meaning they may not be threatened with extinction today, but may become so unless trade is closely controlled.

Footage of two dolphins arriving to Ulsan Aquarium in South Korea from Taiji, Japan
Credit: Hwang HyunJin

Dolphin Project has supported our South Korean friends and colleagues for many years in their efforts to ban dolphin imports from Taiji. We extend a warm “congratulations” to Hot Pink Dolphins, Korean Animal Welfare Association and Korean Federation for Environmental Movement of Ulsan on their success.
Hot Pink Dolphins at The Cove with Ric O’Barry. Taiji, Japan.

https://www.dolphinproject.com/blog/south-korea-bans-importation-of-taijis-dolphins/
The CITES Appendices / Cites.org
News1Korea
Dolphin Project Take Action Now
Cara Sands

Stop McDonald’s From Supporting Endangered Dolphin Deaths

1. McDonald’s Filet-O-Fish reportedly contains fish that is caught using a horribly destructive method that kills dolphins. Demand McDonald’s drop unsustainable fish from its menu.

Source: Stop McDonald’s From Supporting Endangered Dolphin Deaths

Dolphin Project Confirms Taiji’s Dolphin Hunting Season Has Ended But Help Is Still Needed To End The Slaughter Permanently! – World Animal News

http://worldanimalnews.com/dolphin-project-confirms-taijis-dolphin-hunting-season-ended-help-still-needed-end-slaughter-permanently/

By Lauren Lewis –
March 3, 2018
Photos from Dolphin Project
Another horrific dolphin hunting season came to an end yesterday but sadly, plans are already underway for the 2018/19 season.
This season some progress has been made with 109 dolphins taken captive compared to the 235 dolphins that were captured during the 2016/17 season. That is still 109 dolphins too many!

According to documentation collected by Dolphin Project Cove Monitors, a total of 722 dolphins across seven species were taken captive and or slaughtered through the years. This figure does not include the untold numbers that die during the drives themselves. Often, the very sick, the young or injured are unable to keep up as the pod is being brutalized, thus, their numbers are never recorded.

“Tarps and their framework that dolphins are dragged under to be killed or taken captive have come down. At the butcher’s house, rolled up tarps have been stored. Banger poles used to “drive” the dolphins into the cove have been removed,” noted a statement yesterday by Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project. “For six months, dolphins were subjected to ongoing harassment and abuse; chased, injured, run-over, manhandled, dragged alive, taken captive and slaughtered. Entire pods of dolphins were decimated and age-old bonds of trust were irrevocably broken.”

For what?
Marine parks and aquariums were supplied with wild-caught dolphins and freshly-caught dolphin meat filled the cold sections of local grocery stores, despite the Japanese government’s acknowledged dangers of mercury contamination.

Just Tragic!
Every year from September 1st to March 1st, a notoriously cruel hunt of some of the most sentient and sensitive creatures on the planet takes place in Taiji, Japan, made famous by the 2009 Academy award-winning movie The Cove.

During this period, fisherman, or more appropriately, dolphin hunters, “drive” the mammals to their capture or deaths via means of physical violence and acoustic torture.

Dolphin Project is the only organization that has been on the ground consecutively since 2003, and the only one in Taiji during the entire 2017/18 hunting season.
The organization’s goal is to expose the atrocities committed against dolphins, utilizing live stream technology, photo and video documentation, blogging and the power of social media.
“Only with worldwide exposure will Taiji’s egregious practices end,” states the heralded non-profit. “And end they must.”

You can contribute to help Dolphin Project continue their important work of saving dolphins while also educating the public by donating HERE!

Help us continue to bring you the latest breaking animal news from around the world and consider making a Donation Here! http://www.peace4animals.net/donate

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TAGS:Animal News,Animal Protection,Animal Welfare,Animal Welfare Organizations,
Dolphin Slaughter,Dolphins Taiji

World Animal News brings you the latest breaking news in animal welfare from around the globe.
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© Copyright 2016 – WorldAnimalNews.com

Petition · Hyatt Hotels: BOYCOTT THE HYATT HOTELS · Change.org

The Hyatt has open a property in Cancun where they have multiple captive Dolphins stuck living in a standard size swimming pool. This is not only cruel and unethical, but sets a terrible precedent for other major hotel chains to replicate the same business model.

Dolphins, like any other wild animal, are supposed to be in their natural habitat instead of a small pool being exploited solely for human entertainment. These are living, feeling, sentient creatures and we must treat them as such.

https://www.change.org/p/hyatt-hotels-boycott-the-hyatt-hotels

Take Action-Flying Dolphins to China?!

https://secure.peta.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=6918&utm_campaign=0517%20zhonghong%20seaworld%20EA&utm_source=peta2%20E-Mail&utm_medium=Alert

After 20 Years in a South Korean Marine Park, 2 Dolphins are Going Back to the Wild! | One Green Planet

Michelle Neff

April 24, 2017

We have some very exciting news to share! After a staggering 20 years living at the Seoul Grand Park aquarium, Geumdeung, and Daepo, two bottlenose dolphins will be sent back to the oceans in July. The two dolphins were captured by a fishery net near Jeju Island in 1997 and 1998, respectively, with their names coming from the villages where they were first found. Geumdeung and Daepo were bounced between various dolphin performance theaters around Jeju Island until they were transported to Seoul Grand Park in 1999 and 2002. The pair have been there ever since.

According to the Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project, a non-profit organization dedicated to ending marine animal captivity, the decision to move Geumdeung and Daepo came from Mayor Park Won-soon. The ground-breaking movie “The Cove” greatly influenced the mayor’s decision to rehabilitate and release the two dolphins, even going as far as to pay for the entire project.
After being taken from the wild and then forced to perform meaningless tricks for people, Geumdeung and Daepo are now finally going back home. Wonderful news!

The decision to move the dolphins back into their home is a solution to increase the wild dolphin population near the Jeju shores. Geumdeung and Daepo are around 23 to 26 years old and are still diagnosed as healthy enough to procreate, the average Indo-Pacific Bottlenose dolphin living up to 30-25 years old.
The Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries plans to carry out training sessions for Geumdeung and Daepo so they will adapt back into the wild. Once they become used to their local surroundings and are able to catch prey, the two dolphins will be transported back to the Jeju island in May and then will return to the ocean around July. With dolphins having complex communication skills, advanced mental capacity, and genuine self-awareness, we are thrilled to learn that Geumdeung and Daepo will soon return to where they belong: the wild.

No animal should have to suffer for the sake of our entertainment. Please never visit or otherwise support a marine park like SeaWorld or Marineland. Instead, support organizations like Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project and Sea Shepherd’s Cove Guardians both of which are dedicated to stopping marine animal captivity. 🐬

URGENT Petition: Dolphins At Risk of Death in Drift Gillnets – The Animal Rescue Site

http://theanimalrescuesite.greatergood.com/clickToGive/ars/petition/Oceana-DolphinsAtRisk/?utm_source=ars-ta-animals&utm_medium=email&utm_term=03282017&utm_content=takeaction-f&utm_campaign=oceana-dolphinsatrisk&origin=ETA_032817_Ocean-DolphinsAtRisk_f&oidp=0x4a568a63ec7cab2cc0a82937

Petition: SAY NO TO DOLPHINS AT THE KUWAIT SCIENTIFIC CENTER

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/611/239/530/say-no-to-dolphins-at-the-kuwait-scientific-center/

Stop Mutilating Pink Dolphins for Fish Bait

 

Pink dolphins are having their fins cut off by fishermen to use as bait, leading to painful, excruciating deaths. This inhumane practice cannot be allowed to continue. Help save these creatures from cruel deaths by mutilation.

Source: Stop Mutilating Pink Dolphins for Fish Bait

Save Innocent Dolphins Trapped in Small, Chlorinated Tanks

A museum holds several dolphins in small, dirty tanks with chlorine levels so high that some of the dolphins cannot even open their eyes. Sign this petition and demand that these incredibly sensitive and intelligent animals are moved to a sea pen or an accredited sanctuary immediately.

Source: Save Innocent Dolphins Trapped in Small, Chlorinated Tanks