Despite the outrage after the documentary The Cove was released, the dolphin hunts in Taiji still take place annually. Dolphins are sadly hunted for meat, but also to be kept captive in the entertainment and tourism industries. Dolphins are incredibly intelligent mammals. Among the many incredible things they can do, they recognize themselves in mirrors. They’re also very social and share close bonds with their pod members. However, this is in the wild. They shouldn’t be held captive in small pools, yet this is what happens in marine parks.

Places like Sea World and many cruise lines keep dolphins in captivity all for profit. Many facilities offer swimming with dolphins as an activity. It’s sadly a very popular tourist attraction as people are obsessed with posting cool and ‘exotic’ photos on social media.

In facilities like this, the tanks holding the dolphins are barely a fraction of the space they’d have in the ocean. They understandably become bored and frustrated. They can begin to display strange behavior like swimming in circles or lying motionless on the floor of their tanks for a long time. Some dolphins have even ended their own lives.

Pools are no place for a dolphin. They belong in the wild with their pods, not being forced to perform tricks or taking humans for a swim. If you agree, please sign this petition demanding an end to swim-with-the-dolphin programs!

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