Top animal welfare group criticises dolphinarium

A major animal welfare organisation has criticised plans for a dolphinarium in Dubai and called on the authorities to abandon the proposals.

The Humane Society International said keeping dolphins in captivity is cruel and makes the animals die younger.

In a letter to Dubai Municipality, Dr Naomi Rose from the organisation said dolphinaria even if they use captive-bred dolphins encourage the capture of wild animals.

"The HSI strongly urges Dubai authorities to reject plans to build a dolphinarium in Dubai.

"Confining dolphins in a desert environment, especially if it will be in concrete tanks with artificial seawater, is very likely to lead to suffering and high dolphin mortality.

"In addition, exhibiting captive dolphins in an area where marine wildlife swims freely in local waters makes little sense.

"The Gulf has many species of marine mammals. Dubai should focus on ecotourism opportunities and other educational issues and recreational activities designed to highlight its own natural resources," she said in the letter.

Rose said that dolphinaria that breed dolphins to supply other facilities will eventually need to replenish stock by catching wild animals.

She added there was no evidence that having captive dolphins on display makes audiences more committed to conservation.

In fact, she said displays with captive animals can encourage the public to harass populations of wild dolphins.

"In the case of direct interaction with captive dolphins, familiarity appears to breed contempt for them as independent creatures rather than respect," she added.

Dubai Municipality said the three animals that will be on show are third-generation captive bottlenose dolphins from Ukraine aged 15, 17 and 19.

Rose said Ukraine trades in Black Sea bottlenose dolphins, actions she claimed "undermine conservation efforts".

"If Dubai truly wants to serve local and international society well, it will refrain from participating in what can only be viewed as exploitative commerce," she said.

Rose has sent her letter to Dubai Municipality and several officials at environmental agencies and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

As reported in Gulf News, building work on Dubai Marine World, the Dubai Creek Park centre where the dolphinarium will be based, has begun and is due to last another nine months.

The marine world will also house a fish farm, a coral reef aquarium and an alligator centre.

Salah Al Qaiwani, head of Dubai Municipality's investment section, said he had not seen the letter but added that legal and technical specialists were looking into concerns raised by campaigners previously.

He said pollution was a bigger threat than dolphinaria to wild dolphin populations.

"It looks very clear to us, there is no problem with what we are doing," he said.