A PLEA TO THE ANGUILLA GOVERNMENT TO SAVE THE DOLPHINS!

To Whom It May Concern:

I believe that you have been contacted regarding the plight of the dolphins currently being held at Dolphin Fantaseas on the British island of Anguilla. Pictures were posted on the blog http://corruptionfreeanguilla.blogspot.com/ dated December 11, 2007 showing scum on the water, algae in the pens and low water levels at Dolphin Fantaseas.

Myself, along with others, made a plea to the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation to look into this. I have attached their reply.

Please note that in this reply there is NO comment made on the conditions of the pens documented on photographs dated December 11 or how they came to be in such a state. Actually, as you will read in their reply "Anguilla's Government Veterinarian" states he was there a month ago and found the water conditions to be good. There is no explanation at all about the seemingly upgraded conditions of the pens found by the veterinarian, it is obvious the water level was raised. (as you can read from the above blog algae is still an issue). Also, there is no mention of any follow up in any public way to keep those concerned apprised of the situation.

So the veterinarian states that a month ago there was no problem, and there is no problem now, totally ignoring photographic evidence of a problem. Then the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation proceeds to attack those of us who have taken the plight of the dolphins on, accusing us of being "individuals or groups of individuals who wish for an animal to suffer and die in order to attract public attention" and saying that we are posting " irresponsible press releases, newspaper articles".

It is obvious from the tone of this release from the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation that they and the government have no plans to force Dolphin Fantaseas into public discussion or public accountability. This is obviously not the response of an animal welfare group.

Is there nothing we can do? What can only be called "empty" reply is extremely concerning. I am sure they just want this issue to go away which is why they have turned against those of us who made the plight of the dolphins public.

I am posting this inquiry on the site: http://www.squidoo.com/SAVE-THE-ANGUILLA-DOLPHINS and look forward to your reply which will also be posted on the same website.

HELP!

Chief Minister
Osbourne Fleming
c/o Permanent Secretary
Merwyn Rogers
Chief Ministers Office
PO BOX 60, The valley
Anguilla
British West Indies

21 January 2008

Dear Honorable Minister Fleming

I am writing on behalf of WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society to express our grave concerns at reports of the conditions in which the captive bottlenose dolphins owned by Dolphin Discovery are languishing in Anguilla. Reports suggest that due to the closure of the Meads Bay facility and the failure of Dolphin Discovery to secure a new facility for the dolphins, the current facility has fallen into disrepair with little or no staff available to look after the dolphins.

WDCS is an international charity and now has more than 80,000 members and supporters. WDCS is dedicated to the conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises (collectively known as cetaceans), and is at the forefront of efforts to provide a secure future for these highly intelligent and sentient mammals. We have funded research into the captivity debate over the past decade and we are an internationally-respected resource on this issue.

It has been reported to us that conditions at the current facility in Meads Bay are very poor. We are extremely concerned about the welfare of the dolphins kept there. Reports include lack of water filtration; excessive algal growth and 'scum' on the surface of the water; as well as the lack of adequate staff to look after and take care of the day-to-day needs of the animals as well as any emergencies that may arise. As reports about the number of dolphins being held at Meads Bay fluctuate, we are also very concerned that some of the dolphins held by Dolphin Discovery in Anguilla may have died.

We believe that there are currently seven dolphins being held in the Meads Bay facility, all of which have been imported from Cuba. I would be very grateful if you could confirm the following:

The current number of dolphins held at Meads Bay and their current status of health and wellbeing;
If a recent export of any of the dolphins held in Anguilla has occurred to a facility on Tortola;
If an adequate number of staff have been retained to provide for the health and welfare of the dolphins at Meads Bay.

We believe that the dolphins are being held in violation of Anguilla's Animal Welfare Act (1977) which states that prosecution will occur if, according to 2. (1) "any person(a) shall cause any unnecessary suffering, or, being the owner, permit any unnecessary suffering to be so caused to any animal" and (2) "For the purposes of this section, an owner shall be deemed to have permitted cruelty if he shall have failed to exercise reasonable care and supervision in respect of the protection of the animal therefrom," and encourage the authorities in Anguilla to seriously consider the repatriation of the dolphins to their country of origin - which we believe to be Cuba - for rehabilitation and release back into the wild.

We believe that these bottlenose dolphins may be suffering unnecessarily and respectfully request that the Anguilla Government take immediate action to remedy the situation. If you would like any further help or advice please do not hesitate to contact me.

Yours sincerely

Laura Stansfield
Captivity and Rescue Officer
WDCS, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Email: laura.stansfield@wdcs.org

Thanks to the blog An American living in SXM

Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
International Marine Trainers Association
Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums

Visit the Dolphin Discovery website

Contact the owners of Dolphin Fantaseas directly

I have a website that is dedicated to reaching many about the plight of the dolphins on Anguilla that have been "abandoned" by your company on the island. The conditions in which they are now living is not acceptable as I am sure you must know. Please take a look at the pictures on my website. There are many people up in arms about this and currently writing the government of Anguilla and various other organizations to request that something be done for them. Will you please tell me/us of your plans for the dolphins on Anguilla? I will post both this inquiry and your reply here: http://www.squidoo.com/SAVE-THE-ANGUILLA-DOLPHINS

Thank you

Contact Merwyn Rogers (PS Chief Minister's Office) with regards to questions or comments concerning the Ministry of Home Affairs, Natural Resources, Lands & Physical Planning or for other related issues.

Dear Mr/Ms Rogers
You must be aware of the conditions under which the dolphins on Anguilla are forced to live. This have recently come to light to the dismay of many on the island, in the US and in England. Can you tell me/us what the government plans to do for these animals? If they have been abandoned by Dolphin Discovery as has been asserted is it not now the responsibility of the Government of Anguilla to step in to see they get the proper care they require? If the Government of Anguilla will not step in will they force Dolphin Discovery to clean up the pens the dolphins now live in ASAP? I am sure that there are many legalities that I/we are unaware of, but as you can see by the pictures on my website http://www.squidoo.com/SAVE-THE-ANGUILLA-DOLPHINS now is NOT the time to deal with the legalities. The pens in which these dolphins are being kept must be made clean ASAP. The health of the dolphins must come before anything else. I look forward to your reply, which I will post on my website alongside this inquiry.

If you are not the correct Government contact please let me know who I should be writing to about this urgent issue.

Sincerely,

The Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation has done amazing things over the years to better the lives of dogs and cats on the island. Hopefully they will use their knowledge and resources to help the dolphins.

Please contact the Anguilla Animal Rescue Fund and express your concern for the dolphins.

Dear AARF Members and Supporters,

Please take a moment to read the statement issued today by the Executive Board of the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation concerning the situation at the Dolphin Pool located at Meads Bay in Anguilla. We would like to stress that this is AARF's statement on the report of cruelty only and that we in no way support captive dolphin facilities.

CRUELTY REPORT FINDINGS
OF THE CONDITIONS AT THE DOPHIN POOL
MEADS BAY, ANGUILLA.

December 18, 2007

AARF has been approached by several people concerning the recent pictures and captions on the Corruption Free Anguilla website labelled, "The Present State of the Dolphinarium", which depicts deplorable conditions at the closed site in Meads Bay where the dolphins are being held until they are transferred to a new facility.

We are a volunteer organisation which directs all of its resources and energy into working on the problems of abandoned puppies and kittens, spay and neuter projects and the education of the public in responsible pet care. If we receive a report of malicious treatment to an animal we make every effort to ensure that it is addressed by the appropriate government department. At this present time we do not have the authority to act on any reports of animal cruelty or other issues that an animal control officer should address.

This morning, one of our executive officers acting as an independent observer, accompanied Anguilla's Government Veterinarian, on an unscheduled, impromptu visit to the dolphin site. Dr. Vanterpool had visited the facility earlier in the month and reported to us at that time, that the water was seen to be clean, no chemicals were in use, the water circulating system was working, and the staff of four [4] that were left behind to "care-take" the dolphins and maintain the pool after the facility closed, were still there. But, and we stress, most important of all, the dolphins appeared to be in great shape and extremely well cared for.

Today we discovered clean pens, clear water, four staff members and eight dolphins in good physical shape.

Admittedly, the surrounding areas of the facility appear to be run-down and not well maintained, but perhaps this is due to the fact that they are in the process of moving and closed to the public, and we assume this is where most of the photographs displayed on the web-site were taken.

The Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation does not support dolphin attractions in any way whatsoever. However, we cannot condone irresponsible press releases, newspaper articles, or individuals or groups of individuals who wish for an animal to suffer and die in order to attract public attention.

I was appalled by this response given under the name of the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation, which was obviously written by the Government. This is absolutely NOT a response from an animal welfare organization. It was nice though, of AARF to lend the Government it's name and letterhead.

Any animal welfare group would have first THANKED Don for his blog, his concern for the dolphins and for bringing to their attention the plight of the dolphins. Then they would have reported the ENTIRE TRUTH. They would have mentioned the original pictures showed scum on the surface of the water, an unacceptable amount of algae and the water level unacceptably low. They would have said on their visit they found the water clean and the dolphins appearing well cared for. They would have admitted that it's obvious there have been improvements made in the conditions of Dolphin Fantaseas since the pictures of December 11th. They would have provided pictures.

They would have assured the public that they would continue to monitor this situation until the dolphins are relocated, and that they would do so on a public forum. Gee, since Don has this great blog and brought the story to the forefront perhaps they could have suggested they'd keep Don apprised of developments so that he can keep those concerned in the loop.

Instead they have chosen to try to quiet the story and discredit Don and others who were trying to bring the plight of these animals to the public eye. I don't know what the veterinarian saw a month ago, but the water wasn't "clean" on December 11th as evidenced by the scum floating on the top. But, I guess that the veterinarian and AARF think that the public are dumb enough to disregard something clearly shown in a picture. Also, who are these "individuals who wish for an animal to die and suffer in order to attract public attention"? Could I be one because I made a web page about this plight?

I know from reading your blog Don that the citizens of Anguilla appreciate what you do. So do I and many like me. It's a shame but a fact of life that Governments all over the world, big and small, are rife with corruption on all levels. We can only do so much.

I plan to keep my web page up until all the dolphins have been removed from Meads Bay. This reply under the name of Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation totally ignores the concerns of the public and does nothing to explain the reasons for the conditions of the pens clearly seen on the photos of December 11th, how they came to be clean, and one that offers no follow up to make sure conditions remain clean until the dolphins are relocated. It is obviously written from a political point of view.

I think that tone of the reply speaks for itself and based on this I will continue to urge outside agencies to become involved. Obviously there must be someone who does not have a stake financially or politically overseeing Dolphin Fantaseas until the dolphins can be safely relocated.

Dolphin Fantaseas is an Anguilla-based company that was founded in 1998 under the name Dolphin Lagoon Inc. Apparently the name was changed when the owner -- Graham Simpson -- realized that the concrete holding tank would not pass as a real lagoon. The company is geared up to broker captive dolphin for other facilities in the Caribbean and, in January 2001, received six wild-caught Cuban dolphins to accomplish this goal.

When Dolphin Lagoon changed its name to Dolphin Fantaseas, four "marine mammal experts" were hired. According to Chris Heslop - - public relations spokesperson of Dolphin Fantaseas -- the marine mammal experts are from the United States and have worked at captivity facilities including Sea World and Dolphin Quest.

Dolphin Quest is owned by the infamous dolphin captor Dr. Jay Sweeney. Dr. Sweeney is featured in A Fall From Freedom -- a TV Documentary produced by The Marine Mammal Fund -- and, according to information we have received, has taken part in the drive fisheries in Japan. In sereral fishing villages of Japan, dolphins are driven ashore and then hacked to death by fisherman. The world was shocked by the TV footage showing the entire bay red with blood as the dolphins were brutally massacred. It is believed that Dr. Sweeney brokered some of the surviving dolphins for captive dolphin swim programs in Japan and other countries.

In January 2001, Dolphin Fantaseas obtained a permit to capture up to 12 dolphins annually in Antiguan waters. The permit, issued by Prime Minister Lester Bird, was given to a person named John Mezzanotte. It was granted without any population study of the wild dolphins in the area.

In May 2001, the company tried to set up a captive dolphin swim program at Prospect Reef of Tortola, British Virgin Islands, as the first step in their scheme to broker captive dolphins to some of the many hotels and resorts in the Caribbean.

For reasons unknown to us, the authorities of Tortola chose to obtain their dolphins from "Dolphins Plus," a captive dolphin facility in the Florida Key, USA. The dolphins arrived in Tortola in September 2001.

October 26 2001 Dolphin Fantaseas sent three dolphins -- two males and a female -- to Antigua to be used in dolphin swim program in Meads Bay.

November 11 2001, Richard O'Barry was denied entrance in Antigua by the Antiguan Immigration Office. Prior to the incident, The Environmental Awareness Group (EAG) and the Antigua Barbuda Independent Tourism Promotion Corporation (ABITPC) of Antigua had arranged for Richard O'Barry to give an educational public lecture about dolphins in Antigua November 13 2001. Richard O'Barry was planning to give a slide presentation of dolphin rescue and release efforts. He was also going to address the various negative aspects of keeping dolphins in captivity. However, when he was about to board the American Airlines (AA) flight to Antigua November 11, he was pulled aside by an American Airline supervisor who informed him that AA had received information from the Immigration office in Antigua that he was not welcome in Antigua and for that reason they could not let him board the plane. The AA supervisor also told O'Barry that if he boarded another plane to Antigua he would face arrest and deportation upon arrival in Antigua. O'Barry asked if the Immigration office in Antigua had given any reason as to why he was not welcome, and the answer was no.

In December 2001, the government of Antigua sent out a news release, announcing the opening of Dolphin Fantaseas on their island.

In August 2002 we received information that Dolphin Fantaseas has gone into a joint venture with a local company in St. Lucia called Minvielle & Chastenet. They have applied for a permit to open yet another captive dolphin facility, this time in St. Lucia. If approved the (US $1 million) facility would be developed and operated by Dolphin Fantaseas. The new dolphin facility will target land and cruise ship visitors.

According to the information we have received, a permit is also being sought to capture wild dolphins in St. Lucia's territorial waters even though St. Lucia has signed and ratified the SPAW Protocol. Dolphin Fantaseas is requesting permission to capture the first 6 dolphins needed for this facility. To our knowledge, the only thing holding up this permit is whether or not the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) is approved.

As can be seen from the above, Dolphin Fantaseas poses a serious threat to the welfare of dolphins in that the company is causing an increase in the violent captures, lifelong confinement, and commercial exploitation of dolphins. As a direct result of the activities carried out by Dolphin Fantaseas, many more dolphins will be captured from the wild and brokered through the company to be exploited at the many hotels and resorts in the Caribbean.

Why is Dolphin Fantaseas seeking to create this seemingly uncontrollable spreading of captive dolphin facilities in the Caribbean?

If you look at the website of Dolphin Fantaseas you will see that their alleged main purpose is to "give people the opportunity to gain an understanding of this fascinating mammal." I would like to comment on this statement:

The key to understanding why captivity of dolphins is wrong is understanding what dolphins are like in nature. With this in mind, please consider this:

In nature dolphins enjoy the ability to move freely. Their streamlined bodies and smooth skin enable them to gain fast speed, and bottlenose dolphins are always on the move, swimming up to 40 miles a day. They can hold their breath for as long as 20 minutes and dive to depths of more than 1,640 feet.

In captivity dolphins are restricted to the size of their tank or enclosure. Deprived of expressing their natural abilities they can only swim a few feet before a wall or a fence stops them.

In nature dolphins constantly explore their ocean environment by sending out bursts of sounds of many different frequencies. With reflected sound, called echolocation or sonar, dolphins can detect elements that are invisible for animals that are sight oriented, depending on reflected light for vision. The use of sonar is as important to dolphins as eyesight to humans. Dolphins rely on sonar in almost every aspect of their daily lives.

In captivity dolphins are severely restricted in using their sonar. They can't use it to catch live fish as they are fed dead fish as food rewards. They can't put it to full use to explore their underwater world because there isn't much to explore in a barren, concrete tank or a small cage in the sea. They certainly can't use it to navigate, because they aren't going anywhere. Sensory deprivation is one of the most damaging aspects of keeping dolphins in captivity.

In nature most dolphins spend their entire lives in the company of dolphins of their own kind, living in groups known as pods. Some pods consist of females and their offspring; others of young males who -- when they reach maturity -- leave their mother's pod to form their own. Dolphins are intelligent and social animals. Belonging to a pod is important to them because this is where they find safety, love, and companionship.

In captivity dolphins are forever separated from the pod they naturally belong to. Instead, they are forced to live in an artificial "pod," designed by humans for commercial reasons. During the capture, the strong social bonds that the dolphins have enjoyed and nurtured for years are abruptly and permanently destroyed.

The word "capture" clashes with the superficial surroundings of the captive dolphin swim program, and it is therefore understandable that Dolphin Fantaseas doesn't give the public the details about how their dolphins ended up in captivity. The truth is, the capture of dolphins is an extremely violent procedure. Different capture methods are used for different species of dolphins. One of the methods used to capture bottlenose dolphins -- the species that Dolphin Fantaseas uses -- is this: Pods of dolphins are chased to exhaustion, surrounded with a net and dragged onto the boat where the capture team searches through the terrified group for the specimen they want. The lucky ones are thrown overboard. Those selected are taken ashore. They will never see their ocean world and their pod again. In some incidents, dolphins have been separated from their calves, regardless of the fact that a bottlenose dolphin normally protects and remains with her calf for about five years. During this time they nurture a relationship characterized by profound affection. The violent and permanent separation no doubt represents a traumatic experience for both mother and calf, and it is hardly surprising that dolphins have died from capture shock.

In an article published in the St. Lucia Star September 25 2002, Dolphin Fantaseas boats that their company is "run by a group of people that have in excess of 80 years combined experience handling and caring for marine mammals." This statement is laughable at best. Dolphins, in comparison, have evolved over more than 50 million years! Having adapted perfectly to their vast marine environment, they hardly need to be captured, "cared for," and trained in how to be dolphins by so-called "experienced" staff members of Dolphin Fantaseas. On the contrary, the dolphin "care" that Dolphin Fantaseas can provide consists of a brutal capture, lifelong confinement, and hours of training in abnormal behaviors. These three aspects of dolphin captivity clearly violate a dolphin's most fundamental behavioral requirements. The dolphins held captive by Dolphin Fantaseas will never swim in a straight line for as long as they desire; nor will they ever be able to use their speed, intelligence, sonar, and sense of cooperation to catch live fish. They will never again experience what it means to be a real dolphin, in a dolphin's real world Visit here to continue

Please see this website for details. http://www.squidoo.com/SAVE-THE-ANGUILLA-DOLPHINS
As you can see these dolphins are living in deplorable conditions. I have written to Dolphin Discovery, Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation and to the Government of Anguilla. I have only heard back from the Anguilla Animal Rescue Foundation. I am hoping many others are also writing about this plight. Will you help?

Do you have a question concerning a business member of the AHTA? Use this information to contact us. We are here to answer your questions.

Trudy Nixon
Executive Director
Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association
ahta@anguillanet.com

Tourism Offices
P.O. Box 1020
Coronation Avenue
The Valley, Anguilla

Tel: 264 497 2944
Fax: 264 497 3091