News Archives

August, 2003

Mexico says 'no' to more dolphins but captures continue in Solomon Islands

Dolphin advocates cheered the decision by Mexico's Secretary of the Environment, Victor Lichtinger, to ban any further imports of Solomon Island dolphins to his country. However, this vital step by Mexican authorities comes too late for the one dolphin that died six days after its arrival at Parque Nizuc in Cancun, Mexico. Now, the park reports another dolphin death and many more are ill. While WSPA is encouraged by Secretary Lichtinger's attention to this matter, there is still much cause for alarm. WSPA is urging the Secretary to take the additional steps necessary to protect the dolphins and continues to press CITES to investigate the matter.

Autopsies on the recently deceased dolphin are still being conducted, but many express concern that the dolphin may have died as the result of a virus transmitted by one of the new arrivals from the Solomon Islands. In a move that baffles experts, Parque Nizuc introduced the Solomons dolphins directly into Mexican waters, adjacent to a pen holding local species. Standard procedures - and Mexican environmental law - call for non-native species, such as the Solomon dolphins, to be quarantined for a period of time to determine if they carry any communicable diseases that could spread to the local wildlife and habitat. This breach of national law and the recent fatality led Secretary Lichtinger to order the temporary closure of a portion of the park's swim-with-dolphins program. Still, concern remains high for all of the dolphins.

WSPA staff recently visited the holding facility in Mexico where the dolphins are being housed. While touring the facility, our staff witnessed up to twelve of the remaining dolphins floating listlessly on the surface, their skin black from sunburn. Even more alarming was the fact that these dolphins were being removed from the water to be force-fed through a tube. - a sign of grave illness and perhaps imminent death.

Leah Garces, WSPA's Head of Campaigns, said, "We are delighted that Mexico is shutting the door on any further imports of dolphins from the Solomon Islands. The captures and subsequent trade should never have taken place and we are calling on officials to take immediate action to protect the welfare of these dolphins."

While WSPA continues to lobby Mexico for additional care and protection for these dolphins, the CITES Secretariat continues its investigation into the legality of these recent dolphin imports. Recent reports indicate that Parque Nizuc in Mexico may be looking to export some of the dolphins. In light of the legal questions still surrounding this operation and the poor conditions of the animals, WSPA considers such a move ill advised at best and grossly negligent and inhumane at the worst.

WSPA has been at the forefront of an international outcry over the recent capture and planned export of up to 200 dolphins in the Solomon Islands. Despite this raging controversy, dolphin captures and deaths continue in the Solomon Islands. Officials from New Zealand and Australia urged authorities in the Solomons to cease all dolphin captures, however, with no real power to execute these changes, their only recourse is to make diplomatic representations. WSPA will continue to put pressure on the Solomon Islands and Mexico until actions are taken to safeguard the dolphins affected by this "dollars for dolphins" scheme.