Dolphins in the hotel pool at Hotel Cozumel and Resort??

[Augustus]

Main point here is some things should not be made a "show" for the tourists or researchers. Its wrong. I know that some folks love the idea of diving with dolphin in an enclosed envirmonment. to each his or her own.

 

[Diver Kat]

Best experience I had on a dive was last year, diving San Francisco Wall. A pod of dolphins - 30 or more - came swimming right by us under water. Some came as close as 10 feet. It was truly amazing. That is where dolphins should be - swimming free.

 

[Christi]

I agree but then they would probably not come back and they wouldn't want that...no more $$$.

Good....that's my point! Let them be free!!!!!!

 

[ReefHound]

Main point here is some things should not be made a "show" for the tourists or researchers. Its wrong.

Not to disagree but WHY? Are you against all aquariums, zoos, and circuses? Man has always utilized the creatures around him for his benefit and entertainment. Do we have a principled opposition to this or are we selectively favoring certain creatures?

 

[jd950]

This is always a troubling issue for me. On the one hand I am opposed to holding dolphins captive and making them perform, but then I am not bothered by by the idea of an aquarium or zoo. I resolve that conflict this way: The good accomplished by zoos and aquariums that try to provide a natural environment offsets the issue of keeping animals in captivity. They sometimes are the only protected environment for some endangered species and introduce people to animals they otherwise might never see, serving an important educational function. They have also helped in our understanding of the behavior and needs of some animals. They do not require animals to act in unnatural ways or to perform for their food. The animals are not expected or required to interact with humans.

Circuses and dolphin encounters require animals perform for our "entertainment." The animals are held in unnatural environments and required to perform stunts for our pleasure. Little or no effort is made to provide the animals with a natural environment or life. This is not a good thing and does not justify keeping these animals in captivity. In regard to the dolphins, an additional concern is the environmental damage caused by keeping these animals contained within a small area.

Dolphins are animals that normally exist in pods and feed by hunting. They normally travel over a wide area in their life, and living in pens and being fed by trainers is not normal or healthy.

As I said, it can be hard to resolve feeling okay about an elephant in a zoo, but opposing dolphins in captivity, but there it is.

I suspect placing them in a pool during a storm is more a question of protecting an investment than caring for the animals.

Christi will, I'm sure, speak for herself, but that's how I feel.

 

[suzbo]

Sasscuba, where did you get the idea that they were raised in captivity? Pretty much without exception, marine mammals in dolphin encounters outside of the U.S. are captured in the wild and transported to their new homes. And many of those transported do not survive the initial period. Most common places for capture these days are Cuba and the Solomon Islands, where there are little to no regulations protectiong wild dolphin polulations. Rearing marine mammals in an evironment sufficient to promote breeding is very difficult, and even the best aquariums with top-notch scientists on staff have trouble accomplishing this. The animals you see in an entertainment environment like this were NOT born and raised in captivity.

That aside, several alluded to above but didn't say outright: the reason they are placed in pools during a hurricane is to prevent them from ESCAPING. This is what they mean by keeping them "safe." It's not that they can't survive the hurricane, it's that they are likely to get out of their pens. The safest place for them to be, from the standpoint of their own welfare, is out in the wild.

BTW, the U.S. has stringent rules and regulations for zoo and aquarium animals. There are many, many hoops for these organizations to jump through to prove that what they are doing is ok for the animals. Those with breeding programs for endangered species have to regularly prove that what they are doing is advancing the welfare of the species, in addition to being ok for the welfare of the individual animals in captivity. Even with all of these restrictions in place, the most reputable of institutions can have problems keeping their animals safe, healthy, and thriving. No other country has this many safeguards in place as we do. Don't kid yourself that becasue you've been to a good zoo or aquarium in the U.S., that facililties elsewhere, particularly in 3rd world countries, take this kind of care with their animals. They just don't.

p.s., for those of you who don't know me and will therefore ask: I'm a retired endangered species biologist, though I have no special expertise in marine biology.

 

[Christi]

This is always a troubling issue for me. On the one hand I am opposed to holding dolphins captive and making them perform, but then I am not bothered by by the idea of an aquarium or zoo. I resolve that conflict this way: The good accomplished by zoos and aquariums that try to provide a natural environment offsets the issue of keeping animals in captivity. They sometimes are the only protected environment for some endangered species and introduce people to animals they otherwise might never see, serving an important educational function. They have also helped in our understanding of the behavior and needs of some animals. They do not require animals to act in unnatural ways or to perform for their food. The animals are not expected or required to interact with humans.

Circuses and dolphin encounters require animals perform for our "entertainment." The animals are held in unnatural environments and required to perform stunts for our pleasure. Little or no effort is made to provide the animals with a natural environment or life. This is not a good thing and does not justify keeping these animals in captivity. In regard to the dolphins, an additional concern is the environmental damage caused by keeping these animals contained within a small area.

Dolphins are animals that normally exist in pods and feed by hunting. They normally travel over a wide area in their life, and living in pens and being fed by trainers is not normal or healthy.

As I said, it can be hard to resolve feeling okay about an elephant in a zoo, but opposing dolphins in captivity, but there it is.

I suspect placing them in a pool during a storm is more a question of protecting an investment than caring for the animals.

Christi will, I'm sure, speak for herself, but that's how I feel.

Actually JD, I am in agreement with you on this. Zoo's and Aquariums (with some exceptions) are educational environments and have trained caregivers and veterinarians that monitor and care for the animals. They have their place and are not operating for the sole purpose of profits. In some cases, tehy are non-profit organizations all together dedicated to the well being of the animals with regard to research and protecting species. The Dolphin programs are nothing but a show....purely for entertainment and profit.

Sue, actually, it was me that said they were raised in captivity...and I really didn't mean "raised" in captivity. I was trying to make the point that they were not born in captivity, but will live the rest of their lives in captivity...I was in a hurry when I wrote that and didn't really explain my point very well. Yes, it is a fact that these dolphins are taken from their natural environments and extorted for entertainment purposes. This is y primary objection to the captive Dolphins for the "Swim with the Dolphin" programs...not to mention the inadequate and sometimes abusive treatment that receive.

 

[betsyinczm]

To the person who posted earlier about there being no documentation of any injuries or deaths during the "saving" of the captive dolphins. I beg to differ. In the first newspaper I bought after Wilma hit us, there was a front page article WITH photos saying "DEAD DOLPHINS"........don't remember which paper it was in (Por Esto maybe?) and not sure how far their archives go back, but it was either the Monday or Tuesday edition after Wilma.

And while on the subject of captive sea critters........is anyone here aware of what is going on with the new "Sting Ray City" (or shall I say Cozumel's new "Sting Ray Prison"???? because SRC in the Cayman Islands does not imprison the rays as is planned for Cozumel) There are many already in pens off of Melgar south of town----------I have not been to see them and refuse to ever do so.......I don't want any of the street cleaners to have to clean my vomit off the sidewalk!!..........sorry to vent, but this is very emotional to me as well.

Betsy

 

[dtdiver]

remember they are mammals with a larger brain than we have.

they are sentient social animals as we are. they are captured in the wild and separated from their families and pods. they mourn the loss of family and are self aware.

and kept in captivity purely for the entertainment of humans.

they are "trained" by bribing with food and "punished" by withholding food.

if they weren't in captivity they wouldn't need "saving" in a hotel pool.

the spread of "dolphinariums" is a travesity and they should be limited.

dave

 

[Christi]

To the person who posted earlier about there being no documentation of any injuries or deaths during the "saving" of the captive dolphins. I beg to differ. In the first newspaper I bought after Wilma hit us, there was a front page article WITH photos saying "DEAD DOLPHINS"........don't remember which paper it was in (Por Esto maybe?) and not sure how far their archives go back, but it was either the Monday or Tuesday edition after Wilma.

Hey Bets! Yeh, I remember that article. I know there is documentation out there about Dolphins dying...but I just don't have time to look up the articles right now. When I have time I will find several and keep them bookmarked under my "Why You Shouldn't Swimm with the Dolphins" folder...haha!

And while on the subject of captive sea critters........is anyone here aware of what is going on with the new "Sting Ray City" (or shall I say Cozumel's new "Sting Ray Prison"???? because SRC in the Cayman Islands does not imprison the rays as is planned for Cozumel) There are many already in pens off of Melgar south of town----------I have not been to see them and refuse to ever do so.......I don't want any of the street cleaners to have to clean my vomit off the sidewalk!!..........sorry to vent, but this is very emotional to me as well.

Betsy

I am SICK to my stomach, literally about the Stingray prison here. It's a PEN about the size of my backyard where tey expect to keep stingrays closed in.

The owners of this place actually told someone I know that they had to stay OUT of their water....this was even before they had any stingrays or a fence there. I spitefully swam through "their" water one mornig after my walk! It's truly disgusting and I will discourage promoting or participating this place every chance I get....but of course they are catering to the cruise ship passengers, so the ships are going to sell the heck out of it I'm sure!