No hard feeling here, just stating the fact: For someone who claim to love dolphins, I think you need to start being more educated about them and the reality they face everyday in the seas, instead of attacking parks who actually do their best to make them happy and healthy (the good professional facilities, not the crappy ones of course, which I love to help closing down).
Fact is that, one-third of all marine mammals are facing extinction. The oceans are increasingly unhealthy. Dolphins living off the Atlantic coast are less healthy than those living in human care, and are getting even sicker from pollution. Whales off the Pacific coast die from ship strikes and malnutrition, and 83% of endangered North Atlantic right whales are being entangled in fishing gear. Noise pollution in the ocean is endangering marine life, and conservationists rely on the results of hearing studies conducted in aquariums to inform conservation policy.
The future will not be positive if we stop learning from marine mammals in human care, when these learnings are driving conservation solutions to protect them. Just as the future health of children and communities is endangered by the anti-vaccine movement, so too is the future for marine mammals if we "empty the tanks".
For your info and to break any myth people believe in:
Recent peer-reviewed, published, scientific research shows that:
--Dolphins in accredited facilities live as long as their ocean counterparts, and in many cases longer, thanks to high-quality food, professional veterinary care, and constant play and exercise to keep them mentally and physically healthy.
--Stress levels of dolphins in human care – measured by the level of their cortisol hormone – are equal or lower than in wild dolphins.
--Wild dolphins have more compromised immune systems than those in human care.
So, stop watching "free willy" & "Black fish" style movies and instead read real scientific research papers. Here are some good example:
Scientists found the most persistent toxins remain in the harbour porpoise mother’s body until they are passed on to their babies through lactation.
www.sciencefocus.com
www.sciencemag.org
In the North, where food prices are notoriously high, beluga whales are a staple community resource
thenarwhal.ca
Oh and btw about the case of Keiko, the killer whale who starred in the 1993 film "Free Willy". It took $23 million dollars to get him released back into the waters off of Iceland where he was collected as a young calf. Yet, this release is not considered to be successful, due to the fact that Keiko never fully reintegrated into a wild pod with all interactions between him and every wild pod he encountered often ended with the animals getting too aggressive towards him. From there, Keiko who was still dependent on humans for survival swam to the coast of Norway where he allowed kids to swim with him, and even ride on his back for fun. Official cause of the death was that he died of pneumonia. Non-official reason was that he was killed by local fisherman who didn't liked the "competition". This was back in 2003. How I know ?... Well I was involved in the whole thing. But not telling more on here to keep my identity private. Just showing you (and other readers) that I know what I am talking about, for being involved in the marine mammals field as well.
Alright, now back to porn! ?