MYTH...
Dolphins in aquariums do not live as long as dolphins in the wild.
FACT…
Bottlenose dolphins under human care have a better chance of being healthy
and studies indicate that they live as long or longer as animals in the
wild. Any statement to the contrary is a misstatement of published data.
FACT…
The truth is that dolphins do very well when they are in the care of modern
aquariums. They breed successfully, form complex social groups and exhibit
excellent mental and physical health.
Dolphins under human care consume high-quality nutritional food, receive medical attention whenever needed and are kept free of debilitating parasites. This is in stark contrast to the predators, disease, pollution, well-documented commercial fishing and recreational dangers, and other stress they face at sea, resulting in thousands of deaths each year.
Today dolphins live long, healthy lives in aquariums because of medical advances made possible by public display. These advances have been essential in treating sick and injured wild animals as well as assisting and managing endangered species.
MYTH...
Dolphins cannot turn off their sonar and their own sonar is stressful to
them in aquarium homes.
FACT…
Echolocation has been researched extensively and evidence clearly indicates
that dolphins and whales can use their sonar at will, turning it on and
off, and adjusting its intensity as needed.
FACT…
Dolphins use their sonar to produce sound and bounce it off objects which
the animals then interpret. This echolocation is used to search for food,
escape predators, navigate, stay with their pod, acoustically communicate
with each other, and define the forms that make up their environment.
Dolphins and whales can also fine tune their sonar, adjusting frequency and amplitude of their signals. They can also echolocate loudly, quietly or not at all, as they so choose. Dolphins do periodically go silent, especially while resting.
Studies with trained dolphins have been vital in understanding the nature of acoustic behavior. For example, it was found that dolphins can detect driftnets with their sonar. Ironically, the problem is to get dolphins to turn on their sonar to find and avoid these deadly nets.
MYTH...
Marine mammals are housed in enclosures of inappropriate size.
FACT…
Dolphin Encounter’s facilities meet and exceed standards for oceanariums,
standards which assure that the animals have the ability to perform the
full extent of their natural behaviors
FACT…
The success of breeding programs internationally is another clear indicator
that marine mammals live in enclosures of appropriate size as is longevity
data which indicates that the lifespans of dolphins and whales is very
similar and even exceeds those in the wild.
Some dolphins in the wild do swim vast distances, necessitated by their search for food, escape from predators and need for climates favorable for calving. Species like the bottlenose dolphin actually prefer protected and food-rich environs, leaving only for the purposes described above.
FACT…
Regardless of pool size, our dolphins voluntarily gate from one pool to
the next. In fact, gating for a dolphin is primarily determined not by
pool size but by who is in each pool concerned and what they get to do
in that pool, play, toys, exercise, etc.
In the Bahamas, the Department of Fisheries mandates pool sizes for dolphins to enable the animals to be comfortable, safe and healthy. The $4 million expansion of our facilities was done to meet the changing needs of our naturally growing dolphin pod.
MYTH...
Marine mammals in aquariums would adjust easily if released into the wild.
FACT…
Releasing an animal into the wild is a carefully made decision of which
few marine mammals would make good candidates and even less would survive.
FACT…
The decision to release any marine mammal into the wild is based on three
important factors; the animal’s health, the animal’s ability
to survive, and the impact the animal will have on the wild population.
Each decision must provide for the protection of both the released dolphin
and for the ecological stability of the habitat selected for release.
Marine Mammal experts believe that regardless of the level of preparation,
less than one third of dolphins released survive the first year, and that
for some programs, less than 1% survive at all.
Close to 1500 marine mammals have been successfully rescued,
rehabilitated and released in the past five years through the efforts of
voluntary stranding networks maintained throughout the U.S. by aquariums,
zoos, and marine life parks. The success with stranded animals is not a
valid argument for the release of animals in marine mammal facilities.
The stranded animals were experienced at sea and capable of surviving when
returned to the wild.
MYTH...
Training is only used to teach animals to perform tricks.
FACT…
Animal training is the foundation of marine mammal care upon which our
relationship with the animals is built and the means to providing each
animal with a long, healthy lifestyle.
FACT…
Participation by an animal in any training program, project or show is
voluntary. Presentations such as programs at Dolphin Encounters demonstrate
their physical capabilities, adaptation, ecological importance as well
as how well the animals are cared for.
An important aspect of training marine mammals is conditioning the animals
to voluntarily participate in physical exams which daily include checking
their eyes, mouth, blowhole, fins, body and tail, and routine collection
of blood, blowhole and fecal samples as well as ultrasound exams for monitoring
pregnancies in females.