NO HAPPY ENDING FOR HOLLYWOOD ANIMAL STARS. Kathy the bottlenose #dolphin featured in the 60s TV series Flipper, was retired to a tank at an aquarium. Her trainer visited her & noticed she looked anxious. She swam to his arms & ceased to breathe. #AnimalsAreNotEntertainment (1/4) pic.twitter.com/sagGXTgEmU
A swimmer who was stranded at sea for over 12 hours is alive today, thanks to a pod of dolphins who helped save his life.
Ruairí McSorley, 24, believed to be from Londonderry, Ireland, was rescued 4 kilometers from shore by Fenit Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) at 8:15 p.m. Given the condition he was found in, the group called it a “miracle” rescue.
McSorley was conscious but “hypothermic and exhausted” when found. He was wearing only a pair of swimming trunks when he was plucked out of the waters of Tralee Bay.Facebook
The swimmer told rescuers he had planned to swim out to Mucklaghmore Rock, 9 km out from where he set off at Castlegregory beach, where his clothes had been found. His abandoned belongings are what led to the search.
12 hours later, RNLI coxswain Finbarr O’Connell calculated where he could have ended up after analyzing tides in the area.
Fenit RNLI volunteer Jackie Murphy said it was a miracle how McSorley survived the ordeal and credited O’Connell with locating him at sea.
O’Connell said the man was surrounded by many dolphins when he was found. They were later identified as bottlenose dolphins living in Moray Firth in Scotland. Since 2019, the sea creatures have been seen off the Irish coast.
“Maybe they helped him in some way or another: who knows?” he said.
The Fenit RNLI and R118 coastguard performed an intensive search across Tralee Bay before finding McSorley.
Despite being the key to finding him, O’Connell refused to take all the credit, noting that the crew they have are “all excellent.”
“It’s good to get a positive result. Normally we go out, and it mightn’t be that positive. We are all just elated,” he said.
O’Connell added that the situation could have ended worse if McSorley was left there for 30 minutes longer. None of them—including the medics—could believe he survived it, but they’re relieved that he did.
McSorley has since been brought to the University of Hospital Kerry, where he is recovering.
“It is literally beyond us all (how he survived),” he said. “He was only wearing a pair of trunks. He had no wetsuit. Nothing. He must have been a good swimmer because he was just over two and a half miles (4km) from the beach.”
McSorley’s body temperature had also dropped to dangerously low levels. The swimmer said he went in around 8 a.m., and rescuers picked him up at 8:15.
“He did spend that amount of time in the water, and I don’t know how he did it,” O’Connell said. “It’s incredible, really.”
They first saw his head in the water and initially thought it was a seal. But then he put up his hand.Facebook
“The elation of seeing somebody floating alive in the water, rather than the other way, is so great,” O’Connell recalled. “We have had too many bad outcomes, so it was absolutely fantastic to pick him up.”
When asked how he had determined the trajectory of McSorley across Tralee Bay, O’Connell explained that they had been trained to handle scenarios like that.
They have a mannequin they throw in the water, which behaves like a person would in water. They leave it there and do an exercise for a few hours. Upon their return, they would see how far it has drifted. They pick it up and note in the chart the direction the tide is going. That’s the knowledge they applied during the rescue.
In light of this incident, Murphy advised swimmers to exercise caution when venturing into the water for a swim.
“Always please tell somebody what time you are due back and where you are going,” she said.
The threat remains that this will happen again & exploitation of #marinelife in #Colombia’s oceans will continue to be prioritized. Call on the Government to encourage other sources of income. Tweet at: President @IvanDuque, @MinAmbienteCo & @ParquesColombia
BREAKING NEWS: Miami Seaquarium is being sold to Mexico's @TheDolphinCo_ for an undisclosed amount. The company has no plans to make major changes to the park and will continue to use Lolita as an attraction 👎 Learn more about Lolita and how you can help: https://t.co/lquWNrYFtrpic.twitter.com/160yQJC1To
In September 2019, BKSDA Bali Forestry Department in Bali, Indonesia and the Ministry of Forestry initiated the idea for a first ever permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for formerly performing dolphins. Working with local partners Jakarta Animal Aid Network to supply the manpower and Dolphin Project to provide the financial support and supervision, the team built the Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center in Banyuwedang Bay, West Bali (“Umah Lumba” means “dolphins” in Balinese.)
The Umah Lumba Center is a purpose-built facility for recently confiscated dolphins from captive facilities, and for stranded or injured dolphins. The facility is designed to stabilize the mammals, return them back to health and to assess whether they are candidates for readaptation and release.
For dolphins deemed releasable, they will be taken to Camp Lumba Lumba Readaptation and Release Center in Karimun Jawa, the world’s first permanent facility dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of dolphins. The mammals will then be prepared for return into their home range. The location was specifically chosen because the majority of dolphins were captured from the Karimunjawa National Park, and releasing them here would offer a good chance for the mammals to reunite with their family pods.
For dolphins deemed unreleasable, they can retire at the Umah Lumba Center in a safe and healing seapen, and live out the rest of their lives in peace and dignity.
Presently we have three dolphins in our care: Rocky, Rambo and Johnny. Captured in the Java Sea, the dolphins, for several years, were incarcerated in a shallow, heavily chlorinated swimming pool in North Bali. Since their relocation to the Umah Lumba Center, they have benefited from a robust rehabilitation program and continue to undergo regular evaluation towards a possible release.
The dolphins receive 24/7 round-the-clock care. We have a full-time staff veterinarian, security guards and caregivers. The center is a true rehabilitation, release and retirement facility, where our team is committed to making the dolphins’ lives as natural and independent as possible. In March 2020, Dolphin Project, in anticipation of the arrival of additional confiscated dolphins (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) tripled the size of our facility.
As the world’s first permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility in the world, the Umah Lumba Center must be a model of success. Ideally, it will act as a prototype for others to be built globally, as demand for captive dolphins wane.
Captured in the Java Sea, Indonesia, Johnny is an older dolphin who lived several years in isolation inside a shallow swimming pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. Crowds of people bought tickets to swim with him, and those were the only times he had any company. To make the water appear clean to paying customers, hotel staff added chlorine and other harmful chemicals. This hurt Johnny’s eyes so badly, he went blind. In addition, Johnny has no teeth left, and his right pectoral fin has been permanently damaged. When we first found him, he was also critically underweight. Johnny was destined to spend the rest of his life trapped in the tank, performing for tourists and other guests.
On October 8, 2019, we rescued Johnny from the hotel and transported him to our facility. Under our 24/7 expert care, he has since gained weight and strength, and spends his days exploring the large sea pen, where he experiences the natural rhythms and sounds of the sea. Johnny’s diet consists of high-quality fresh fish, and he is gaining weight and strength. The healing properties of a diet consisting of high-quality fresh fish, along with real ocean water are having a positive effect: Johnny often expresses his joy with energetic jumps, and he spends much time swimming, diving, and playing. We are continuing to evaluate Johnny for potential release, and are committed to doing everything in our power to ensure the rest of his life is filled with peace and dignity. Adopt Johnny today to help provide for his care!
WHAT YOU’LL GET
With a recommended minimum donation of $25, you’ll get a personalized adoption certificate for Johnny (its beautiful artwork suitable for framing), gorgeous underwater photos which are perfect for adorning all your electronic devices, Johnny’s biography, Dolphin Facts, a Dolphin Warrior booklet and quarterly updates about Johnny!
ROCKY
Rocky at the Umah Lumba Center, Bali, Indonesia
When Rocky was violently captured in the Java Sea several years ago, he lost everything that makes life worth living for a dolphin: his family, his world of sound, and the ability to swim freely in a vast ocean world. Rocky spent several years incarcerated in a shallow, heavily chlorinated swimming pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. He was trained to obey commands and perform in theatrical shows that attract crowds of fun-seeking holiday makers. In between repetitive, rowdy shows, Rocky spent much time logging on the surface, and could only swim a few feet before a wall stopped him. Confinement in such barren, unnatural surroundings took a heavy toll on Rocky’s well-being, and his future looked bleak and hopeless.
Thankfully, we were able to rescue Rocky on August 5, 2019, and transported him to a temporary floating sea enclosure in Sanur. In December 2019 Rocky was transported from Sanur to our facility. Here, in the crystal-clear waters of our spacious sea pen, he is once again enjoying the natural rhythms and sounds of the sea. Rocky is benefitting from the healing properties of natural sea water and is gaining weight and strength. Rocky loves to participate in boisterous, energetic play, and he especially loves to swim fast. Never again will he have to perform tricks for food or experience confinement in a minuscule concrete tank. Our 24/7 expert team of veterinarians and caregivers are currently evaluating Rocky for possible release. Adopt Rocky today to help provide for his care!
WHAT YOU’LL GET
With a recommended minimum donation of $25, you’ll get a personalized adoption certificate for Rocky (its beautiful artwork suitable for framing), gorgeous underwater photos which are perfect for adorning all your electronic devices, Rocky’s biography, Dolphin Facts, a Dolphin Warrior booklet and quarterly updates about Rocky!
RAMBO
Rambo at the Umah Lumba Center, Bali, Indonesia
Rambo was torn from his family and pod members in the Java Sea during a violent capture several years ago. He was confined to a shallow chlorinated swimming pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali for the purposes of entertaining crowds of tourists during loud theatrical performances. Rambo shared a tank with a dolphin named Gombloh, and the two dolphins formed a close friendship. Sadly, Gombloh took his last breath on August 3, 2019, just two days before we were able to rescue and relocate Rambo. Hotel staff found Gombloh’s lifeless body in the same tank where Rambo was confined.
We rescued Rambo on August 5, 2019 and transported him to a temporary floating sea enclosure in Sanur. In the following weeks, Rambo gained weight and strength, and in December 2019 Rambo was transported to our facility. There will be no more languishing in a small, barren concrete world, and no more theatrical dolphin shows to perform. All of that is behind him. Rambo is a younger dolphin who appears to be in good health, highly energetic and full of life. He is enjoying the healing benefits of natural sea water and the ability to dive and swim. Our 24/7 expert team of veterinarians and caregivers are currently evaluating Rocky for possible release. Adopt Rambo today to help provide for his care!
WHAT YOU’LL GET
With a recommended minimum donation of $25, you’ll get a personalized adoption certificate for Rambo (its beautiful artwork suitable for framing), gorgeous underwater photos which are perfect for adorning all your electronic devices, Rambo’s biography, Dolphin Facts, a Dolphin Warrior booklet and quarterly updates about Rambo!
Captured in the Java Sea, Dewa was an older dolphin who was severely affected by the trauma he suffered during his confinement at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. There, he spent years confined in the hotel’s shallow, heavily chlorinated swimming pool, exploited in a commercial dolphin-assisted therapy program for people with paralysis and other disabilities. Our rescue team transferred Dewa from the swimming pool to our facility on October 8, 2019. Since we introduced Dewa to natural sea water, his condition improved but he was still plagued with several health problems including chronic pneumonia., Dewa succumbed to his longstanding illness and took his last breath on March 11, 2020.
Remembering Gombloh
Gombloh was captured in the Java Sea and, sadly, did not survive his encounter with humans. Gombloh died at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali on August 3, 2019, just two days before our team was able to rescue Gombloh’s beloved companion Rambo. We are happy we arrived at the hotel in time to rescue Rambo, Rocky, Dewa, and Johnny from the shallow and heavily chlorinated swimming pools, but at the same time heartbroken that we got there too late to get Gombloh out of there. We will always remember Gombloh, who is one of countless dolphins to have fallen victim to consumers’ demand to watch dolphins perform and to swim with them.
The Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center and Camp Lumba Lumba Readaptation and Release Center form an incredible partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, BKSDA Bali, Dolphin Project, Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Karimunjawa National Park and the West Bali National Park. Together, we built Umah Lumba, the world’s only permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for previously captive dolphins and Camp Lumba Lumba, the world’s first permanent facility dedicated to the readaptation and release of dolphins in Kemujan, Karimun Jawa. Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project has pioneered readaptation for captive dolphins and has released a number of dolphins into the wild.
Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible as authorized by law.
This design was inspired by the three dolphins currently at our Umah Lumba Center, and is also in our tie dye collection in our shop (https://t.co/Uj2AKtUW08)! All proceeds on each purchase go to support the facility and our dolphin protection campaigns! #DolphinProject pic.twitter.com/3X48wgD6Sm
New Zealand’s Far Out Ocean Research Collective spotted a bottlenose dolphin caring for a young pilot whale, and this isn’t the first time the species has stepped in as a surrogate mom.
On May 17, the Far Out Ocean Research Collective, based in Paihia, New Zealand, shared that they observed a female bottlenose dolphin interacting with a pilot whale calf like the newborn was her own offspring. Researchers believe that the dolphin adopted the young whale over a month ago and has been caring for the little creature.
“An interesting observation of an adult oceanic bottlenose dolphin with a newborn long-finned pilot whale off north-eastern New Zealand. Earlier in the day, the dolphin was part of a mixed-species group of false killer whales, pilot whales, and oceanic bottlenose dolphins,” the organization announced on Facebook.
Far Out Ocean also noted that this is not the first time a bottlenose dolphin has been observed caring for the young of another ocean mammal. It is unclear why this species seems comfortable stepping in as a surrogate parent, but researchers have theories.
“It could be a misguided motherly instinct, or she lost her own calf,” said Far Out Ocean Jochen Zaeschmar, marine researcher, 1 News reports. “Pilot whales spend seven years with their calves. There is a good chance it will eventually join another pod of pilot whales as they often cross paths.”
Far Out Ocean has taken photos documenting the special relationship between the bottlenose dolphin and the young pilot whale they spotted this spring. The organization plans to continue watching the pair’s journey and sharing their findings with their social media followers.
“The individual is a well-known member of the north-eastern New Zealand offshore bottlenose dolphin population and regularly associates with pilot whales and false killer whales. We are hoping to re-encounter her to monitor this interesting phenomenon,” Far Out Ocean said on social media of the interspecies duo.
Marine scientists are calling on the EU to adopt a comprehensive plan to protect dolphins and porpoises from fisheries bycatch in European waters. To help address the bycatch issue, which is the primary global threat to dolphins and porpoises, the researchers put forward a framework to reduce bycatch levels.
The scientists have outlined a two-step approach that involves establishing a quantitative management objective for each population and implementing monitoring programs:
To ensure an accurate estimation of bycatch levels, the experts recommend using electronic monitoring systems that allow a more comprehensive and representative sampling of the fleets.
The scientists also recommend regular formal assessments of small cetacean populations, including generation of estimates of abundance and bycatch mortality. If total bycatch has been estimated to exceed the calculated biological reference point, then a mitigation strategy needs to be put in place while monitoring is continued until levels are below the reference points.
–
“Bycatch of small cetaceans in European fisheries is widespread, including very large numbers of common dolphins in trawl fisheries and bycatch of the critically endangered population of harbor porpoise in the Baltic Sea…The failure to effectively conserve Europe’s dolphins and porpoises is not a result of a lack of scientific knowledge or difficulties in monitoring fisheries and bycatch. Instead, it reflects a lack of political will to ensure that these iconic animals are protected from unsustainable mortality in commercial fisheries throughout European waters. We can and must do better.”
-Professor Andrew Read, Duke University’s Nicholas School of the Environment
Journal reference: Emer Rogan, Andrew J Read, Per Berggren. Empty promises: The European Union is failing to protect dolphins and porpoises from fisheries by‐catch. Fish and Fisheries, 2021; DOI: 10.1111/faf.12556
If you're an educator, or parent, feel free to utilize our free dolphin study guides and activity sheets: https://t.co/BazuBCXl7E We believe that education is the key first step to increasing awareness, and we hope that you will help us spread the word in your community! pic.twitter.com/u3XYHol0Ac
Indonesian officials are facing a new wave of criticism following their decision to relocate the dolphins rescued from the banned Dolphin Lodge in Sanur to Bali Exotic Marine Park in Benoa, which animal welfare organizations describe as a “setback.”
Despite some objections, the Natural Resources Conservation Center (BKSDA) in Bali defended their decision and said that it was made with various considerations.
Meruanto, BKSDA Bali’s head of administration, explained those considerations to Coconuts this morning, noting how the marine park is a legal conservation center and was chosen because BKSDA currently does not have a shelter for aquatic animals. In addition, the park is deemed the closest facility for rescue efforts.
“For us, the most important thing is that the animals survive while waiting for the next step,” Meruanto said.
Seven dolphins were recently rescued from the Dolphin Lodge, a swim-with-dolphins attraction operated by PT Piayu Samudra Loka, that has been banned by the Ministry of Environment and Forestry since April 2020. The facility remained operational until at least earlier this month despite official orders to shut.
A viral video featuring dangdut singer Lucinta Luna swimming with a dolphin there sparked widespread calls for authorities to step up their efforts in protecting animals, leading to the Dolphin Lodge’s closure.
The rescued dolphins, an Indo-Pacific species also known as tursiops aduncus, have since been moved to the Bali Exotic Marine Park, Meruanto said. They have been deemed healthy while still being under close supervision, and are set for rehabilitation and eventual return to the ocean.
However, some animal welfare organizations have raised concerns over the latest developments, as they see the Bali Exotic Marine Park as a “commercial captivity center.”
A conservation foundation called Rare Aquatic Species of Indonesia (RASI) noted in a statement issued yesterday that the marine park does not have a sea pen for the dolphins, which means the sea mammals will have to rehabilitate in a chlorinated pool.
“I hope there is sympathy for these dolphins so they can be freed from commercial exploitation. Because dolphins belong in the open sea, not in a manmade pool,” Danielle Kreb, a scientific program advisor at the foundation, said.
In September 2019, BKSDA Bali Forestry Department in Bali, Indonesia and the Ministry of Forestry initiated the idea for a first ever permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for formerly captive dolphins. Working with local partners Jakarta Animal Aid Network to supply the manpower and Dolphin Project to provide the financial support and supervision, the team built the Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center in Banyuwedang Bay, West Bali (“Umah Lumba” means “dolphins” in Balinese.)
The Umah Lumba Center is a purpose-built facility for recently confiscated dolphins from captive facilities, and for stranded or injured dolphins. The facility is designed to stabilize the mammals, return them back to health and to assess whether they are candidates for readaptation and release.
For dolphins deemed releasable, they will be taken to Camp Lumba Lumba Readaptation and Release Center in Karimun Jawa, the world’s first permanent facility dedicated to the rehabilitation and release of dolphins. The mammals will then be prepared for return into their home range. The location was specifically chosen because the majority of dolphins were captured from the Karimunjawa National Park, and releasing them here would offer a good chance for the mammals to reunite with their family pods.
For dolphins deemed unreleasable, they can retire at the Umah Lumba Center in a safe and healing seapen, and live out the rest of their lives in peace and dignity.
Presently we have three dolphins in our care: Rocky, Rambo and Johnny. Captured in the Java Sea, the dolphins, for several years, were incarcerated in a shallow, heavily chlorinated swimming pool in North Bali. Since their relocation to the Umah Lumba Center, they have begun their rehabilitation and evaluation towards possible release.
The dolphins receive 24/7 round-the-clock care. We have a full-time staff veterinarian, security guards and caregivers. The center is a true rehabilitation, release and retirement facility, where our team is committed to making the dolphins’ lives as natural and independent as possible. In March 2020, Dolphin Project, in anticipation of the arrival of additional confiscated dolphins (due to the COVID-19 pandemic) tripled the size of our facility.
As the world’s first permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility in the world, the Umah Lumba Center must be a model of success. Ideally, it will act as a prototype for others to be built globally, as demand for captive dolphins wane.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Rocky, Rambo and Johnny swim in the waters of the Umah Lumba Center, Bali, Indonesia. Credit: Pepe Arcos
Rambo
Rambo at the Umah Lumba Center, Bali, Indonesia
Rambo was torn from his family and pod members in the Java Sea during a violent capture several years ago. He was confined to a shallow chlorinated swimming pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. His job was to entertain crowds of tourists who think it is fun to watch dolphins jump through hoops during loud theatrical performances. Rambo shared a tank with a dolphin named Gombloh, and the two dolphins formed a close friendship. Rambo and Gombloh, it seemed, became each other’s comfort in the bleak, dungeon-like surroundings. Sadly, Gombloh took his last breath on August 3, 2019, just two days before we were able to rescue and relocate Rambo. Hotel staff found Gombloh’s lifeless body in the morning, and we wonder what it felt like for Rambo to be confined in the same tank as his dead friend, possibly for several hours.
We rescued Rambo on August 5, 2019 and transported him to a temporary floating sea enclosure in Sanur. In the following weeks, Rambo gained weight and strength, and he bonded with Rocky, who was relocated to Sanur at the same time. The two of them are spending much time playing, socializing, and swimming together. In December 2019 Rambo and Rocky were transported to our facility. There will be no more languishing in a small, barren concrete world, and no more theatrical dolphin shows to perform. All of that is behind him. Rambo is a younger dolphin who appears to be in good health, highly energetic and full of life. As such, he is a candidate to be sent to Camp Lumba Lumba for release into his home range. Whether Rambo can be released back into the wild, however, remains to be seen. For now, he is enjoying the healing benefits of natural sea water and the ability to dive and swim.
Johnny
Johnny at the Umah Lumba Center, Bali Indonesia
Captured in the Java Sea, Indonesia, Johnny is an older dolphin who lived several years in isolation inside a shallow swimming pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. Crowds of people bought tickets to swim with him, and those were the only times he had any company. To make the water appear clean to paying customers, hotel staff added chlorine and other harmful chemicals. This hurt Johnny’s eyes so badly, he went blind. To make matters worse, Johnny has no teeth left. He also was critically underweight when we first found him. Furthermore, his right pectoral fin has been permanently damaged. At some point during his confinement, his pectoral fin got injured and infected. A piece of it was cut off to prevent the infection from spreading. Johnny was destined to spend the rest of his life trapped in the tank and dealing with tourists who want to kiss, hug, and ride him.
We rescued Johnny from the hotel and transported him to our facility on October 8, 2019. Those years of exploitation in appalling living conditions caused too much damage for Johnny to be successfully released back into the wild. He now enjoys a well-deserved retirement in a large sea pen, where he can once again experience the natural rhythms and sounds of the sea. We are feeding Johnny a diet of high-quality fresh fish, and he is gaining weight and strength. The healing properties of real ocean water are having an effect: Johnny often expresses his joy with energetic jumps, and he spends much time swimming, diving, and playing. We will do everything in our power to ensure the rest of his life is filled with peace and dignity.
Rocky
Rocky at the Umah Lumba Center, Bali, Indonesia
When Rocky was violently captured in the Java Sea several years ago, he lost everything that makes life worth living for a dolphin: his family, his world of sound, and the ability to swim freely in a vast ocean world. Rocky spent several years incarcerated in a shallow, heavily chlorinated swimming pool at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. He was trained to obey commands and perform in theatrical shows that attract crowds of fun-seeking holiday makers. In between repetitive, rowdy shows, Rocky spent much time logging on the surface since there was nothing else for him to do. There is nothing to explore in a concrete tank, and Rocky could swim only a few feet before a wall stopped him. Confinement in such barren, unnatural surroundings took a heavy toll on Rocky’s well-being, and his future looked bleak and hopeless.
Thankfully, we were able to rescue Rocky on August 5, 2019, on the same day we rescued Rambo, and transported him to a temporary floating sea enclosure in Sanur. In December 2019 Rocky was transported from Sanur to our facility. Here, in the crystal-clear water of a spacious sea pen, he can once again enjoy the natural rhythms and sounds of the sea. Rocky is benefitting from the healing properties of natural sea water and is gaining weight and strength. As such, he is a candidate to be sent to Camp Lumba Lumba for release into his home range. Rocky loves to participate in boisterous, energetic play, and he especially loves to swim fast. He will never again have to perform tricks for food or experience confinement in a minuscule concrete tank. Whether Rocky can be released back into the wild, however, remains to be seen.SUPPORT OUR BALI DOLPHIN SANCTUARY NOW
Remembering Dewa
Captured in the Java Sea, Dewa was an older dolphin who was severely affected by the trauma he suffered during his confinement at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali. There, he spent years confined in the hotel’s shallow, heavily chlorinated swimming pool, exploited in a commercial dolphin-assisted therapy program for people with paralysis and other disabilities. Our rescue team transferred Dewa from the swimming pool to our facility on October 8, 2019. Since we introduced Dewa to natural sea water, his condition improved but he was still plagued with several health problems including chronic pneumonia. Sadly, Dewa succumbed to his longstanding illness and took his last breath on March 11, 2020.
Remembering Gombloh
Gombloh was captured in the Java Sea and, sadly, did not survive his encounter with humans. Gombloh died at the Melka Excelsior Hotel in North Bali on August 3, 2019, just two days before our team was able to rescue Gombloh’s beloved companion Rambo. We are happy we arrived at the hotel in time to rescue Rambo, Rocky, Dewa, and Johnny from the shallow and heavily chlorinated swimming pools, but at the same time heartbroken that we got there too late to get Gombloh out of there. We will always remember Gombloh, who is one of countless dolphins to have fallen victim to consumers’ demand to watch dolphins perform and to swim with them.
The Umah Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center and Camp Lumba Lumba Readaptation and Release Center form an incredible partnership with the Ministry of Environment and Forestry of the Republic of Indonesia, BKSDA Bali, Dolphin Project, Jakarta Animal Aid Network, Karimunjawa National Park and the West Bali National Park. Together, we built Umah Lumba, the world’s only permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for previously captive dolphins and Camp Lumba Lumba, the world’s first permanent facility dedicated to the readaptation and release of dolphins in Kemujan, Karimun Jawa. Ric O’Barry, Founder/Director of Dolphin Project has pioneered readaptation for captive dolphins and has released a number of dolphins into the wild.
Ric O’Barry’s Dolphin Project is registered as a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, and all donations are tax-deductible as authorized by law.
“When you put your head on the pillow at night it doesn’t go away,” Mr O’Barry said of his time campaigning against the slaughter in Taiji.
“It’s like one long, bad dream, these last 15 years.”
‘It affects your family,’ O’Barry says of dolphin activist work
In his pursuit to free dolphins from captivity, Mr O’Barry has had his life threatened on many occasions, and lost count of how often he’s been imprisoned around the world.
Describing Japanese prison as torturous, he has avoided confrontation there, even when a hunter in the town of Taiji decapitated a dead baby dolphin in front of him.
“I think he wanted to shock me with a knife, that kind of stuff right in my face,” Mr O’Barry said.
“Blood splattered all over me”.
Mr O’Barry spoke to Yahoo News Australia from his home in Copenhagen. Source: Michael Dahlstrom
The work has taken a toll on him, but he believes it’s the people he loves have suffered most.
“It affects your family, it affects everybody around you,” he said.
“You miss your son’s graduation, I’m not sure I would recommend this to anybody.”
‘I wish I hadn’t taken that phone call’
Every time he leaves his home he’s walking into conflict, and that’s hard to leave at the door when he comes home.
Mr O’Barry’s work shot to prominence 10 years ago after his campaign to end dolphin slaughter in Japan was documented in the Oscar winning film The Cove.
Sometimes you have a split second to make a choice and it’ll literally change your life.Ric O’Barry
His work there began after receiving a call from another activist asking for assistance.
Mr O’Barry recalls he was told it was “dangerous” but they needed help.
Mr O’Barry (left), a skilled diver, said it is thrilling to set dolphins free. Source: Dolphin Project
“So, I bought an aeroplane ticket and I was there the next day,” he said.
“That was 20 years ago and I’ve been stuck (campaigning) there ever since.
“In some ways I wish I hadn’t taken that phone call.”
Dolphin Project’s work in the town of Taiji, has focused on not just the killing of dolphins for their meat, but also the hunters’ ties to the marine park industry.
With dolphin consumption not particularly popular in Japan, and known to be high in mercury, Mr O’Barry believes it is the lucrative sums earned from selling live dolphins which makes the slaughter financially viable.
While debate rages over whether dolphin killing is a tradition in Japan, the large scale culls and capture of these animals is a relatively new phenomenon.
Dead dolphins sell for as little as US $480, while a live animal can sell for 100 times that amount, according to Vice News.
Dolphin Project urges tourists to avoid dolphinariums. Source: Getty
The majority of those sold into entertainment are sent to China where there is an expanding middle class, with money to spend on dolphin shows, the Washington Post reported.
A growing number of Japanese nationals are protesting the hunt each year, and Mr O’Barry believes that ongoing education will see the practice phased out.
More
‘It’s all about showing up’: Key to dolphin activism
His activism was directly sparked by the loss of Flipper who died in his arms. The very next day he flew to the Bahamas and was arrested after setting a dolphin free.
A new feature from VICE spotlighting Taiji’s global dolphin trade has just been released. The film includes exclusive drone footage, interviews with local citizens and with Japanese activists including Ren Yabuki, the director of Life Investigation Agency: https://t.co/fZh0rO3Nflpic.twitter.com/OJ4RjplRPG
We have a lot in common with dolphins. We live in tightly-knit social groups, have complex relationships, utilize forms of communication, and have culture. Culture, as in behavior that is shared within a community through social learning, has been recognized in a number of whale and dolphin species.
One of the most well-known of these may be the complex and charismatic singing of male humpback whales. In certain populations, virtually all male humpback whales sing the same song. Every few years, males change up their songs with new patterns of squeaks and groans and then the new pattern gradually spreads as more males in the area learn it.
Wild dolphins swim by | Credit: Taryn Elliott/Pexels
In terms of dolphins, observations on how different dolphins behave in different parts of the world suggest a wide range of cultural behaviors. Bottlenose dolphins for example, are one species with a huge range; localized populations of bottlenose dolphins live in distinct parts of the world. Dolphins in a population in Florida utilize a complex cooperative hunting strategy known as mud-ring feeding, where muddy water is kicked up in a circle to trap a school of fish.
In Laguna, Brazil, human fishermen and local bottlenose dolphins work together to catch fish. Both parties seem to have recognized that they target a specific type of fish and rather than compete they have learned to work together; when these local dolphins slap their heads or tails against the water, it acts as a cue for the Laguna fishermen standing on the nearby shore to cast their nets, which then breaks up the school of fish and makes it easier for dolphins to catch and feed on individual fish.
And in Shark Bay, Australia a number of unique hunting behaviors have been observed in the local population of bottlenose dolphins, including the use of sea sponges as a foraging tool.
Among orcas, the concept of culture is even more compound. There are at least 10 different known orca eco-types, each with their own range, diet, dialect and cultures. Within each of these ecotypes are localized populations.
CA163 “Liner” and pod mates from the population of transient (mammal-eating) ecotype off the coast of California | Photo by Tracie Sugo
Within the resident ecotype, there are southern resident orca and northern resident orca. Northern residents have a unique “massage” culture, in which they frequent specific beaches to rub their bodies along smooth pebbles in the shallows. Southern residents appear to have culture of being incredibly active and friendly; they have been observed having “greeting ceremonies” in which two groups of whales line up across from each other and then come together to engage in playful, physical contact (sadly such sightings have been sparse recently, as the Southern Residents face major threats to their primary food source, Chinook salmon).
Wild and free Risso’s dolphins off the coast of California | Credit: Tracie Sugo
In 2009, Risso’s dolphins were among a handful of studied cetacean species that were found to have spindle neurons, which are linked to processing emotions and social interactions (these specialized brain cells were previously though to be unique to humans, but have now been found in certain species of great apes, elephants and cetaceans). What types of culture might Risso’s dolphins have? And how many other cetacean populations have culture? There is much that is yet to be studied in other cetacean species. In addition to aspects of cetaceans like intelligence, self-awareness and roles in marine eco-systems, culture is another important consideration for advocating for their protection.
In areas like Taiji, Japan, where localized dolphin populations face tremendous pressure from human activity (direct hunts and captures, commercial fishing and prey competition, and noise pollution and other interference from nearby shipping lanes), there is serious concern for their well-being, their survival, and the risk of extinguishing their culture.
Striped dolphin entangled in the hunters’ net | Credit: DolphinProject.com
In May of 2001, two bottlenose dolphins were languishing in a crude holding pit in the mountains of Santa Lucia Milpas Atlas, Guatemala. Both dolphins – a male named Turbo and a female named Ariel, had been captured from the wild and brought to the mountains by truck fourteen months earlier. Their captors were in the process of training them to perform in shows in the infamous traveling dolphin circus known as Water Land/Mundo Marino, when the Guatemalan environmental organization, MadreSelva, discovered the primitive operation. MadreSelva immediately alerted the authorities and asked them to look into the legality of Water Land´s captive dolphin training camp.
Water Land operates out of Margarita Island in Venezuela. Ruben Roca, the owner of the same traveling dolphin show that had illegally held Cheryl the Russian navy dolphin until her death, abandoned Ariel and Turbo when Guatemalan authorities instigated proceedings against him for their illegal capture.
Roca had left the dolphins in a shallow, stagnant pit, which had been dug with a backhoe. The hole was inserted with a white plastic liner, and a three foot high cement wall topped it off. The dolphin trainers had taken the fish freezer and parts of the filtration system with them when they fled the country in the middle of the night. As a result, the filtration system was not working, and the dolphins were literally living in a cesspool. According to eye witnesses, the pit had originally contained four dolphins. It is presumed that the two missing dolphins, named Sammy and Pinky, were transported to Water Land´s base in Margarita Island.
Ric O’Barry checking on the condition of Ariel and Turbo.
Dolphin Project, which at the time was working with the World Society of the Protection of Animals (WSPA) was initially contacted by Ms. Magali Rey Rosa of MadreSelva. When Ric and Helene O’Barry showed up in the remote mountain location to inspect Water Land´s dolphin training camp on June 1st, they found Ariel and Turbo floating listlessly on the surface of the foul-smelling water.
The dolphins were malnourished and dehydrated, and their skin was discolored from the contaminated water. Rocca’s rented house and the pit he had dug for the dolphins was located at an elevation of more than 6,000 feet. The altitude had played havoc with the dolphins’ health, and they had not eaten in several days.
Ric and Helene set up camp next to the pit and implemented first-aid. The filthy water was pumped out, and the bacteria-ridden liner was scrubbed clean. The pit was refilled with 25 tanker-trucks of fresh city water as well as 2400 pounds of salt. A new heavy duty swimming pool filtration system was installed. They fed the dolphins freshly-caught fish injected with water and electrolytes in order to re-hydrate them.
While Helene and Dr. Juan Carlos Murillo, a WSPA veterinarian, nursed the two dolphins back to health with fresh fish, vitamins and antibiotics, Ric flew to the edge of the Guatemalan jungle by helicopter provided by the Guatemalan Army to search for a site to build a sea pen. An ideal site was chosen when pods of resident bottlenose dolphins were spotted from the air. With the help of the Guatemalan army, a huge sea pen was erected in record time in Graciosa Bay, on the bayside of the Manabique Peninsula.
It took more than five weeks of negotiations between the Guatemalan government, MasdreSelva and WSPA to secure the dolphins´ release. While the negotiations went on, members of the dolphin captivity industry tried to roadblock our efforts. For the dolphins, this was a do-or-die situation: They could not survive in the holding pit much longer.
The authorities finally awarded custody to WSPA, and on July 12th Ariel and Turbo were transported out of the mountains and back to the sea.
The Guatemalan navy provided a truck that would transport the dolphins from Santa Lucia Milpas Altas to the airport in Guatemala City. The dolphin rescue team had received death threats a few days earlier, and police and army personnel escorted the truck the entire way.
From Guatemala City, the dolphins were transported by plane to the naval base in Puerto Barrios. From there, it was just a 20-minute helicopter ride to the awaiting sea pen in Graciosa Bay where, for the first time in over a year, Ariel and Turbo once again experienced real sea water and a spacious environment. Never again would they have to perform tricks in order to be fed. The healing process could begin.
Airlifting Ariel and Turbo to their readaption and release facility ~ with Helene Hesselager O’Barry.
While the remote site at the edge of the Guatemalan jungle was ideal for rehabilitating dolphins, it posed many challenges for the dolphin rescue team. Ric and Helene were dropped off in the jungle with very few supplies, and as they saw the helicopter take off and disappear, they had no idea where they were going to spend the night. Just before dark, they found a small platform that could be used as a camp site. Here, they were safe from panthers, crocodiles, poisonous snakes and the large pack of wild dogs that lived in the area.
A freeze brand is used to create a logo on the dorsal fin for tracking after release.
Ariel and Turbo had only spent a short time in captivity and were perfect candidates for release. They had spent enough time in the wild prior to their capture to know how to survive, which fish to catch and how to avoid predators. Once introduced to the large sea pen, they showed no interest in humans whatsoever, and they had not forgotten how to hunt live prey. They spent most of their time leaping, diving and catching fish in the deep end of the sea pen. A pod of resident bottlenose dolphins entered Graciosa Bay twice a day to hunt for fish and each time visited the sea pen.
Dolphin Rehabilitation Sea Pen
Ariel and Turbo were rehabilitated using the Dolphin Project protocol. On the day of their release back into the wild, they were quickly adopted by the resident pod of bottlenose dolphins. Both Ariel and Turbo were seen together by local fishermen one year later. Turbo was spotted again on January 2003 in the Sarstoon River, which form a portion of the border between Belize and Guatemala. He was swimming with a group of wild dolphins.
Footage from yesterday (Jan. 14, 2021) when a pod of striped dolphins was driven into the cove. In panic, several dolphins crashed into the rocks, turning water red as they were injured and bled. Take action: https://t.co/BkupXmhEip Coverage in collab with Dolphin Project & LIA pic.twitter.com/WdVvUIJhCp
The captivity industry offers the primary economic motive for Taiji's dolphin hunts. This reinforces the idea that the hunts are tied to the captivity industry, and the desire for captive dolphins fuels the continuation of brutal captures: https://t.co/Yz9J9N7Xcr#DolphinProjectpic.twitter.com/uEpvfO2xTe
The dolphin drive hunts that take place each year in Taiji, Japan, have garnered international attention as the world has learned about the mass slaughter of dolphins and the ruthless captive selection process. These brutal hunts are documented by our team of Cove Monitors each season, and shared with the international public so that attention may be drawn to this outdated and unnecessarily cruel practice.
Please help today by taking the following action steps:
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6. HAVE A COVE OR BLACKFISH PARTY AND HELP EDUCATE OTHERS
Host a movie night at your house and watch “The Cove” or “Blackfish”to educate others about dolphin captivity issues.
7. GET CREATIVE
Have a personal goal you’ve always wanted to accomplish? Want to help protect dolphins? Learn how by creating your very own fundraiser.
Think of unique ways to raise awareness in your community. Visit our VOLUNTEER PAGE for ideas.
8. SHARE
Let your voice be heard for dolphins! Education and spreading the word are key, so follow our social media accounts and share our posts with your friends.
9. WEAR your support for dolphins! SHOP authentic Dolphin Project gear.
All proceeds support our international campaigns, and it’s a great way to start a conversation.
10. CONTACT THE AUTHORITIES
Help us get the word out! Please contact these authorities and let’s end this senseless slaughter once and for all.
AZA: The American Association of Zoos and Aquariums Media Contact: Rob Vernon (301)244-3352 | Email: rvernon@aza.org
IMATA: The International Marine Mammal Trainers’ Association info@imata.org
PRIME MINISTER OF JAPAN Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga Cabinet Public Relations Office, Cabinet Secretariat, 1-6-1 Nagata-cho, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 100 – 8968, Japan
US Embassy in Japan: William Hagerty IV – Ambassador of the United States to Japan Telephone: 011-81-3-3224-5000 Fax: 011-81-3-3505-1862 Send E-mail to the U.S. Embassy in Japan
Taiji: A pod of approximately 15 Risso’s dolphins including a mother with a juvenile by her side were driven from their home in the open ocean into the Cove. The dolphins fought hard for over 3 hours but were eventually forced under tarps where all were slaughtered. pic.twitter.com/aM7kYRr5jl
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.
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.
“The experience was incredible,” Ryan Lawler of Newport Coastal Adventure told Newsweek. “Thousands of dolphins tightly packed together, just about an hour from sunset.”
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.
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.
“He that takes truth for his guide, and duty for his end, may safely trust to God’s providence to lead him aright.” - Blaise Pascal. "There is but one straight course, and that is to seek truth and pursue it steadily" – George Washington letter to Edmund Randolph — 1795. We live in a “post-truth” world. According to the dictionary, “post-truth” means, “relating to or denoting circumstances in which objective facts are less influential in shaping public opinion than appeals to emotion and personal belief.” Simply put, we now live in a culture that seems to value experience and emotion more than truth. Truth will never go away no matter how hard one might wish. Going beyond the MSM idealogical opinion/bias and their low information tabloid reality show news with a distractional superficial focus on entertainment, sensationalism, emotionalism and activist reporting – this blogs goal is to, in some small way, put a plug in the broken dam of truth and save as many as possible from the consequences—temporal and eternal. "The further a society drifts from truth, the more it will hate those who speak it." – George Orwell “There are two ways to be fooled. One is to believe what isn’t true; the other is to refuse to believe what is true.” ― Soren Kierkegaard
