The Indo-Pacific Humpback Dolphins - most of them originallly caught from the wild - are still having to entertain the public as can be seen here. Although brochures advertising the shows make mention of coming to see them in their `natural environment', in their natural environment they would not be forced to perform tricks in order to get food.
One of the feats that they have been trained to do is to heave their bodies up on to the stage, completely out of the water, and even wag their tails once they are up there. Surely this is not something the dolphins do in their natural environment?
Visitors are also allowed to touch the dolphins or have a polaroid picture taken with them while the patient creatures remain still.
The SPCA strongly objects to the dolphins being used in this manner under the title of `delightful and educational activities' . We ask the public not to support such shows which have minimal educational value.
saw this article on the spca website and felt tt they are being overly fanatic abt protecting animals?
this seems to me like quite an emotive arguement.
im sure the sentosa brochures meant "natural environment" as in the ENVIRONMENT ONLY.
the dolphines are in their natural environment arent they?
they are not being ill treated while tricks are being taught to them. (i hope)
and the dolphins are not forced to perform tricks to get food as written in the passage above.
it's not as if they are fed only when they perform tricks.
the food are given to them as rewards.
and im sure they have proper meals thruout the day.
tts so much better than dolphins dying out there when they canot find food rite? or got caught in nets.
the dolphins at sentosa are so much luckier.
i suggest spcc write and complain abt the zoos too then.
cos sealions arent supp to play with a ball and clap their flippers.
dont visitors get to pat ah meng and take polariod pictures with it while ah meng remains still?
oh and the mandai zoo is ever so proud of recreating a "natural environment" for the animals there arent they?
hey dolphine lagoon, maybe u guys shld extend ur briefing abt dolphins to say 1 hr?
den it wld be more educational.
yaya im being emotive here too.
