Types of Facilities to Avoid

SWIM-WITH-THE-DOLPHIN (SWTD) PROGRAMS

Swim-with-the-dolphin (SWTD) programs occur all around the world and in environments ranging from ocean sea pens to concrete tanks. SWTD programs supposedly provide people with educational, recreational and therapeutic benefits; however we believe SWTD programs are extremely dangerous for both the animals and people involved.

Dolphins that are forced to interact with humans are at risk of physical and mental damage. There have been cases of dolphins trying to avoid swimmers, a clear indicator of stress. Stress caused by imposed social structures, handling, and confinement has been identified as a major factor in health problems and even death of captive marine mammals. Sadly, there have also been many cases of people placing foreign objects (e.g., inappropriate food items, glass, stones, etc.) in the mouths of dolphins. Even just wearing jewelry or sunscreen can damage dolphins’ skin, which could ultimately lead to infections.

SWTD programs exist all over the world, which is a major concern because regulations are often absent and conditions poor in most locations, particularly in the Caribbean and Central America. In some captive facilities outside of the U.S., there have been reports of pregnant females being overworked, animals kept in extremely small pools and fed rotten fish, and pools surrounded by jagged metal fences or near sewage outfalls, and animals dying from disease and malnutrition (4).

People participating in (and paying for) captive dolphin attractions are directly supporting the industry, which ultimately results in further exploitation, injury, and death of whales and dolphins all around the world.

People are also at risk when allowed direct contact with marine mammals. Risks include disease, injury, and even death. The diseases that people can contract are difficult to diagnose and treat, such as skin rashes and respiratory diseases. Marine mammals are wild animals, meaning they can be unpredictable and aggressive. Due to their powerful jaws and sharp teeth, incredible size and strength, and ability to be violent, it is not surprising that captive animals have been aggressive towards humans who these animals are forced to interact with. For example, between 1989 and 1994, NMFS determined that dozens of people sustained injuries from SWTD activities, including lacerations, broken bones, a cracked sternum, bites, bruises, and shock. However, without regulations currently in place for SWTD programs, facility operators are not required to report injuries making it very difficult to determine exactly how many people are injured each year in the U.S.


DOLPHIN ASSISTED THERAPY

Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) is an offshoot of SWTD programs. DAT is where people, especially children, suffering from chronic mental or physical disabilities (e.g., Down's syndrome, cerebral palsy, cancer, head/spinal injuries, and autism) swim and interact with dolphins in hope of a "healing" experience. However, there is no evidence that interacting with dolphins has any positive therapeutic effect (5).

Considering no therapeutic benefits of DAT has been proven and the therapy can cost several thousand dollars, it seems as though the industry has taken advantage of vulnerable people willing to do anything to help ill loved ones.

Read more about DAT:

Dolphin-Assisted Therapy: More Flawed Data and More Flawed Conclusions (PDF, 134KB)

PETTING POOLS

A petting pool is a human-dolphin interaction program where people are allowed to lean over a pool to touch and/or feed various marine mammals (dolphins, sea lions, beluga whales, and even orcas!). Even though people are not allowed to swim with the animals in petting pools, these programs are just as inhumane and dangerous. Petting pools pose many of the same problems as SWTD programs, such as controlling guests’ behavior, lack of refuge for the animals, inability for the animals to choose the level of interaction, stress imposed from human interactions, captive environment, noise, etc., the potential for injury to animals or humans involved, and the propagation of the misconception that feeding and touching dolphins is acceptable (and legal) in the wild. Another problem specific to petting pools is the inability for the facility to control food consumption (quantity and foreign body ingestion).

Read more about Petting Pools:

Biting the hand that feeds: the case against dolphin petting pools (PDF, 731 KB)

OCEANARIA, DOLPHINARIA, AND THEME PARKS

While most people are familiar with the term aquarium (facility where aquatic organism are kept and exhibited), many are not clear about the differences between oceanaria, dolphinaria, and theme parks. A “theme park” is the broadest term and refers to a facility with rides and a particular theme (sometimes broken up into different sections within the park). Theme parks don’t always have an ocean theme or have live marine mammal exhibits (e.g., Six Flags Theme Park). Oceanaria are theme parks with a marine focus (e.g., Sea World). Dolphinaria are aquaria specifically for dolphins and can be found within oceanaria. Some oceanaria require separate admission to their dolphinaria. Theme parks with a marine theme (and housing captive marine mammals), oceanaria with captive marine mammals, and dolphinaria should all be avoided.