Lives of Wild Dolphins CC from Marine Mammal Project on YouTube.
While there are now many videos and books about the abuse of dolphins and whales in small concrete tanks doing tricks for dead fish, the richness and importance of life in the wild for these intelligent beings has been lacking.
Once you see dolphins and orcas in the wild, you understand why putting them in captivity for our entertainment is dead wrong.
Today, the International Marine Mammal Project of Earth Island Institute releases a new video, “The Lives of Wild Dolphins”, to show just how amazing dolphins and whales are in the wild and what they lose when they are cruelly captured and confined to captivity.
The International Marine Mammal Project is releasing the video to coincide with this year’s Empty the Tanks Day on Saturday, May 12th. Demonstrations will be taking place all around the world against keeping dolphins and whales in captivity. Check the Facebook Page for Empty the Tanks events in your city.
“There is no need to imprison these sentient animals for entertainment and monetary reasons. The future of our world should be in eco-tourism. We should be teaching people of all ages to respect wildlife and the wild spaces they come from. Don't support captivity, respect wild animals and #emptythetanks." - Rachel Carbary, Executive Director, Empty the Tanks
“The video is wonderful and well done! Whales should no longer have to perform for their supper and our entertainment.” – Charles Vinick, Executive Director, Whale Sanctuary Project
“I am so proud that when I was in the House of Representatives, we protected the dolphin, and the results are breathtaking.” – Senator Barbara Boxer
It's time for dolphins held captive in tanks to be retired to seaside sanctuaries where they aren’t forced to perform and can live out their lives in an ocean home with as much room as possible. The International Marine Mammal Project is working with the Whale Sanctuary Project to build the first cold water retirement seaside sanctuary for orcas, beluga whales, and other cold-water dolphins now kept in small tanks.
The time to act is now, because orcas and other dolphins are still being captured around the world for display in captivity. And because we now understand just how magnificent dolphins really are.
IMMP would like to thank all the world-class filmmakers for their donations of video footage for “The Lives of Wild Dolphins.” We’d also like to thank Jim Knowlton of Blue Ocean Productions for editing and producing this outstanding video. Click here for a full credit list.
Credit for the header image is Jamien Hudson; credit for social media image is Daniel Christiansen.
We encourage you to join Empty the Tanks demonstrations, Saturday May 12th, in your area – visit their Facebook Page to get details and times for events in your area.
Please share our video with your friends and family on social media. We need to spread the word about ending the captivity of dolphins and whales, so they can be free and wild in the ocean.