Three Main Points

Here I will discuss three main points I would like to address and see change in.

·        Captive Breeding

 

§  Although captive breeding would not address the issue of these animals being held in captivity, it is a step in the right direction. The reason I will back this statement is because as in other environments, such as with exotic zoo animals, captive breeding provides a chance for more animals to be introduced to the world of captivity without decreasing the population of those outside the captive facilities in nature. The annual Taiji, Japan slaughter is a roundup of thousands of dolphins into a small cove where trainers can pick and choose a few dolphins for captivity, walk away with their purchases and not think about it again until the following year when they return if need be. The dolphins left behind are slaughtered in mass amounts, in painful and gruesome ways. That means thousands of dolphins were wiped out of the population in one day. Due to the fact that dolphins have only one offspring in a birth, this causes us to believe that the animals could soon be endangered if this is kept up. Another benefit of captive breeding is that the animal will have no memory of the ocean, where it belongs, and therefore will not experience the detrimental effects of being taken from his or her native environment. This does not only benefit the dolphin, but the facilities as well because it is cheaper to allow a natural birth than to purchase more dolphins, and secondly, the facilities can advertise that they do not partake in these awful occurrences and possibly drive more sales for their park from people who have the animal’s best interest in mind.  Through this route, although some dolphins will still suffer, many more will be saved and that is why it can be used as a stepping stone in the right direction.

 



·        Pods Together

 



§  Pods together means that once an animal is born through captive breeding, it will remain in that same facility, in the same enclosure as its fellow family members. These species create tightknit pods made up of family members and close friends. This is commonly ripped from these animals during capture causing extreme mental and emotional pain and even grief. The experience is traumatizing and incredibly stressful to these animals and causes a decline in health over the years. This can benefit the facilities also through advertisement of not ripping apart the families, and could also benefit the trainers because the happier dolphins may be even more willing to perform.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yq7NRRDz_JM
Watch this clip of a mega-pod of dolphins!
 



·        Better Accommodations

§  Lastly, I would like to bring up that these animals need adequate amounts of space, and more than likely, no facility will ever meet these requirements. However, effort in this area will go a long way. The facilities that hold these marine mammals in captivity need to realize that these animals naturally travel hundreds of miles across the ocean on the daily. They may then understand that that the space allotted to them in these enclosures, is just not enough. It would be of great justice to the animals to make larger enclosures and ensure more space to these beautiful creatures so that the environment is less stressful for them. They should also allow spaces where the animals can go to be away from other animals, away from the eyes of viewers, and away from the crowds. This gives the animals the freedom to choose whether they want to be in the spotlight or be social with the humans. Although this adjustment can be very pricey, it can also be advertised as better quality and care which might bring in more people who care about these things, which many do. This may also inspire more creative living environments, as I will mention in the next bullet, and could also inspire, or even drive other facilities to meet this requirement.

 

§  I also have this vision that someday these animals can still be in entertainment without being captive. My visions are along the lines of a special group of people working with a wild pod of dolphins and training them to do tricks the same way, while still allowing them to live in their native environment. The trainers would provide incentives for the animals to stick around or a least keep coming back, and the two groups would work together in harmony. Dolphins, even those in the wild, have proven to display a love for pleasing humans. With the right training, practice, ideas and incentives, I would love for this vision to someday come true! Until then, we must stick with stepping stones in the right direction!