Dolphin Prisons

Ric O'Barry described, during day 2 of his Taiji dolphin trip, the revulsion he experienced while visiting the Taiji Whaling Museum. Here, despite what the name implies, houses live captive dolphins, deprived of any stimulus, normal social contact and any semblance of a natural, living environment. It's a sterile, sonic hell, with dolphins floating listlessly on the surface. Says Ric: "It is easy to feel sympathy for the thousands of dolphins that have been butchered under the most barbaric conditions imaginable, but I wonder if they are not the lucky ones who died quickly, rather than be brutally ripped away from their families to die a lingering death in a small tank."

I wonder, what would I choose? A slow, agonizing death, or a barbaric demise, all at the hands of my "so-called" friends? After all, man and dolphin have shared an almost magical friendship for centuries. Now, dolphins have been pitted against the very species they repeatedly reach out to in goodwill. Just last week I read of yet another, documented incident of a dolphin pushing a surfer to the shore, and out of rough surf.

Is it truly their smile that has both created a love affair, and a hate fest? Do humans ultimately destroy all that is wonderful and good? How can we ever hope for redemption in the eyes of these sentient creatures, when we have done nothing to earn their trust and respect?

Until now...

We put our hope in Ric O'Barry, and the Save Japan Dolphins Coalition to END this madness, this year, this killing season. We can also take an active role to bring about the end of the Taiji dolphin slaughter. Take a moment to read the "Yoga For Dolphins" post. Visit Save Japan Dolphins and make a contribution to this campaign.

And so importantly, don't visit a dolphinarium.