Don’t you just love spring break? It gives families from up north the opportunity to visit, eager to soak up our generous sunshine and contagious dolphin smiles. For our staff, spring also means travel – to our nation’s capitol for the annual meeting of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums. Okay, we know what you’re thinking – how can anyone look forward to meetings? Well, we think you’ll understand our excitement after you see some of the important work we accomplish at these meetings, work that reaches beyond our lagoon to protect wild dolphins everywhere. Check it out!
Don’t Feed Wild Dolphins
(www.dontfeedwilddolphins.org; www.nmfs.noaa.gov/pr/education/protectdolphins.htm) – The Dolphin Connection is proud to have joined forces with NOAA Fisheries Service, the Marine Mammal Commission, and several Alliance colleagues to sponsor a campaign which reminds people that feeding wild dolphins is not only illegal, it is harmful to dolphins, causing them to beg for food from humans which puts them at greater risk of being injured by boats, becoming entangled in fishing gear, or ingesting dangerous items like fishing hooks and contaminated food. We continue to promote this important message at home in our daily classroom sessions, making sure our guests understand that the activities they enjoy with our dolphin family would be harmful to their wild counterparts. Our dolphins as ambassadors – how cool is that?
Protecting Migrating Whales and Dolphins
On behalf of its members, the Alliance has signed an important cooperative agreement with the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species to help protect dolphins and whales as they migrate across the globe. Did you know that many species of marine mammals migrate to colder waters to find food and prefer to give birth in warmer areas? Well, these migrations can cover thousands of miles and can cause unique problems as the animals move through different areas of the world, with differing laws and regulations. As part of the United Nations, CMS works to establish international agreements to promote conservation efforts all along the migratory paths. Dolphins and whales in the United Nations – who would have ever have imagined?
Protesting the Japanese Drive Fisheries
Many people are understandably concerned about the inhumane killing of dolphins that occurs during the Japanese drive fisheries, and we absolutely agree. Sharing a deep love and respect for these amazing animals, we do not in any way support, fund, or acquire animals from the Japanese drive fisheries. That’s precisely why the Dolphin Connection, along with all Alliance members, took a stand to condemn this practice. We have urged the U.S. government to work with Japan to bring this killing to an end. If you share our concerns and want to help stop the slaughter of dolphins and whales in Japan, please write to the Prime Minister of Japan at www.kantei.go,jp/foreign/forms/comment.html and the Japanese Ambassador in Washington, D.C. at jicc@embjapan.org. Become conservation partners with us – now that would truly be fantastic!
So come on down and enjoy the beauty of spring in our breathtaking islands – relax by the pool, soak up the sun, and enjoy a hug and a kiss from our wonderful dolphin family if you’d like. You can rest assured that while you’re having fun, we are keeping busy behind the scenes, attempting in our own small way to be a positive influence to the world on behalf of all dolphins and the oceans they call home.
