Good News for Dolphins: India Ditches Dolphinaria!

Dolphins may be diving in delight this week at the fantastic news that plans to build dolphin parks in several Indian states have been scrapped following pressure from PETA India. The proposed marine parks would have condemned dolphins to spend their lives in small tanks after being torn away from their natural habitat and families. While there, they would have been forced to perform absurd tricks for human entertainment.

Three cheers for Jayanthi Natarajan, India’s Environment Minister, for making the right decision and announcing this week that her ministry will not allow the cruel dolphinaria! PETA India reminded her that importing and imprisoning the playful marine mammals would be a violation of cruelty-to-animals legislation. Luckily for dolphins, she listened.

In their rightful ocean homes, dolphins establish close, cooperative and long-standing relationships. They live in large, intricate social groups, swim together in family pods and can travel up to 100 miles a day. In aquariums and marine parks, these animals can only swim in endless circles in enclosures that, to them, are like bathtubs, and they are unable to engage in most natural behaviours.

We’re hopeful that a complete ban on dolphin parks in India is on its way. There are currently no dolphins in captivity in the UK; nor should there be anywhere, because no animal belongs in a prison.

One marine mammal who still needs our help is Morgan, a female orca who is being held captive at Loro Parque in Tenerife. Please speak up for her today: