There is finally new information from environmentalists in Japan about the plight of Honey, a bottlenose dolphin left behind in Inubosaki Marine Park when the park closed down. Many were concerned with the health and future of Honey, as well as a number of penguins and other animals also left behind.
The owner of the marine park, who disappeared when the park closed, has apparently sold the park to a new owner, and the park is expected to re-open, with Honey and the penguins, sometime in June. The sale was only recently consumated.
It is not clear when or if Honey will get a tank mate(s) at this time. Nor is it clear if her small pool will be enlarged.
Apparently, the new owners had put in a down payment for the park last year and continued negotiations into this year. The new owners also paid for the care of Honey and the penguins during the protracted negotiations.
It would be best if Honey were transferred to another facility where there are other dolphins, but that does not appear to be planned by the new owners. Hopefully, steps will be taken to clean Honey’s pool and deal with any health issues.
In an ideal world, Honey and other dolphins in parks would be retired to seaside sanctuaries, but in Japan, there is no movement for such a conclusion. Dolphins are supplied from the wild to parks throughout Japan from the brutal Taiji dolphin drive hunts. If a dolphin dies, the companies simply ask the Taiji hunters for another one.
There are more than 100 dolphin facilities throughout Japan with live dolphins. Some are simple floating net pens in a harbor where you pay to have a “dolphin encounter.” Others are larger marine parks like SeaWorld.
All should be closed down, but that is unlikely to happen anytime soon.
Supporters of the Change.org petition for Honey plan to remove it by April 17th, so go there to sign on now.
Photo of Captive Bottlenose Dolphins by Mark J. Palmer/Earth Island Institute.
