Dolphin captive Lagoon - Maldives

[samui13]

I have been informed by a very good friend of mine who is in the Maldives now that the person behind the Captive Dolphin Lagoon is Amir Mansoor.
HaveeruOnline - Government to lease lagoon to develop dolphin lagoon
He was the number one tennis player in the Maldives for a long time and now a businessman. he owns the safari boats 'Carpe Diem' & 'Carpe Vitae'. Has a fleet of fishing vessels as well and a few shops in male'. he opened up a branch of the fast food joint 'Marry Brown' in male' last month as well. His partners are the owners of Lily Beach Resort and Spa in Ari Atoll.

I would advise all to avoid booking with any of the above companies.

Stew

 

[Shaff]

Here's what Amir Mansoor replied to the Scuba-Tribe article about the Dolphin Lagoon in their blog: Scuba Tribe Magazine

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amir mansoor says:
October 30, 2011 at 5:23 pm
I would like to clarify that the information given in this article is totally incorrect and it is a pity that it was published without verifying the facts first. The dolphins of the Maldives will not be captivated nor harmed in any way. The Dolphin Lagoon Maldives is primarily meant as a recreational center offering table tennis, darts, billard, photography, childrens playground, watersports activities and dolphin encounters.

The dolphins that are going to be brought for this project are bottlenose dolphins which were born and raised in captivity. They will be kept in a natural lagoon here in the Maldives with a diameter of 1 km and therefore will have far more space than the place where they are kept now.

Our mission is to present the truth about dolphins despite their popular and sometimes mythological image. We do this by providing an educational venue with our programs. By offering information and interaction we hope to encourage a sense of wonder and fascination based on fact, not fiction.

The physical and mental well being of the animals that will come under our care is our number one priority and therefore we are bringing their trainers and veterinarian as well . The dolphins are free to interact spontaneaously. By fostering a personal bond between the local community and the dolphins, we hope to encourage a sense of committment to the protection and the well-being of dolphins.

Our intention is also to reach out to schools, local handicapped organisations, orphanages and provide them with free lectures and educational material on dolphins followed by direct interaction with the dolphins including transfer to the lagoon.

We hope that with our programs we will be able to raise awareness and care for our under sea world.
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We should not let them or anyone else keep captive dolphins in the Maldives! Say NO!

Shaff

 

[moss77006]

"Advise against booking...." Quite the opposite! Captive dolphins are dolphins that have been raised, born, bred in captivity. They cannot and should not be released into the wild, much like we would be going back to cave dwellings in the stone age...no thanks! I've had the privilege on numerous occasions to be with dolphins in varying environments and have witnessed what a positive and remarkable experience this has had on the general public who otherwise would have no comprehension of the intrinsic value of these magnificent mammals. Yes, while it's unfortunate there are hundreds "in captivity", it is what it is. As long as they are well cared for and in no way mistreated, endangered or harmed, I firmly believe these animals provide a unique and impactful opportunity for humankind to increase its concern for the conservation and protection of nature. I've dived the Maldives many times, and having these animals in a natural setting could not be more positive. I was certified in 1962 and have over 2,000 dives. I've also dived with the Carpe Diem group several times as well as other outfits...Carpe Diem group take the top position in my book as far as caring for and protection of the natural environment. Try to understand it before you knock it down........you might be doing more harm than you realize.

 

[Shaff]

We in the Maldives dive industry will not allow this to happen. I was certified in 1993 and have over 8000 dives and still I'm not going to agree on this. I've dived and snorkelled with Dolphins in the wild in Maldives and that's the best feeling ever. No Maldivians want to have this Dolphinarium other than some crazy businessmen! Already the proposal to have a dolphinarium is creating bad reviews about the Maldives.

 

[fdarden]

You do not need live Dolphins to teach people about Dolphins. This educational premise is what allows megacorps like Sea-World to thrive. Raising captive dolphins only furthers the crimes against these animals. If what you say is true that the current captive stock cannot be released to the wild, then they should all be neutered, or spayed and placed outside of the public view, and appropriate laws and consequences for public display of these animals put into place. Public display of marine mammals should be banned in my opinion. Keeping such beautiful and intelligent creatures captive is a sick crime. Born in captivity or not.