CONSIDER THE FACTS

[kokomo]

The new captive dolphin parks in the Cayman Islands are yet another despicable act of intelligent mammal exploitation for capital gain and you have our full support in doing everything possible to shut them down, along with the companies allied with them. Like you we employ all means necessary. Anyone opposed to these aggressive online methods need only weigh them against the act of clubbing baby dolphin to death in front of their mothers to lure them to their baby's rescue so they can be beaten unconscious and caged for transport to a confinement tank for human entertainment and corporate profit.

Anyone supportive of captive dolphin parks may benefit from understanding the facts behind the facade:

• Fifty three percent of dolphin who survive violent capturing events die within 90 days

• Average lifespan dolphin in wild = Forty Five Years

• Average lifespan of dolphin in captivity = Five Years

• Survival rate in captivity = Five Years.

• Every seven years 50% of captive dolphin die
Cause of death: capture shock - pneumonia - intestinal disorders - stomach ulcers - chlorine poisoning. STRESS RELATED ILLNESS.

• These facts are acceptable and routine operating expenses for dolphin park owners.

• Captive dolphin water tanks contain toxic chemicals and many species of bacteria, causing health problems, blindness, death.

• 80% of dolphin born in captivity die before turning one

• Wild dolphins swim 40 to 100 miles per day. Captive dolphin swim around in circles to struggle for their required exercise.

• Captive marine parks starve their dolphin to get them to perform for their food. The stunts they perform in captivity are trained behaviors that do not occur naturally in the wild.

• Confined dolphin abuse themselves (banging their heads against the walls) creating stimuli that their captive environment can not supply.

• Dolphin in captivity develop stereotypical behaviors (swimming in a repetitive circle pattern, with eyes closed and in silence) because of boredom and confinement. The human equivalent to this is psychosis.

• Dolphins prey on fish and spend half their time in the wild hunting. Dead fish results in less exercise and lack of mental stimuli, further contributing to boredom.

• Confined together, male dolphin become agitated and domineering, creating unprovoked attacks on each other and the trainers.

[jamesl]

It makes me ashamed to be a member of the human species! The barbaric ways that we continue to exploit, murder, kill, oppress and generally destroy any living thing for profit is pathetic!

[florencecollins]

Being cruel to animals is not the sign of humanity. There must be some strict laws to avoid such cases. Also the organizations like PETA should be given encouragement.