Dolphin Hurt at SeaWorld
While a tour group was feeding the dolphins before the park opened, they saw a dolphin lying hurt, injured, and bleeding on the concrete floor beside a pool. The dolphin was performing a trick when he crashed into another dolphin and was thrown from the tank. This video of the struggling dolphin further exemplifies the many harmful possibilities that result from keeping dolphins captive and forcing them to do silly routines. Not only that, SeaWorld does not have enough trained employees to provide immediate help for situations like these. The man in the video was correct...aw poor guy indeed.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/08/01/seaworld-dolphin-hurt_n_3689746.html
A Star Commits Suicide
Kathy was one of the dolphins that played the role of "Flipper" in a 1964 TV series. Her trainer, Richard O'Barry, experienced her death as she took her last breath in his arms. Her death was a suicide as a result of the stress she faced from living in a tank. The noises emitted from the tank cleaning systems, the large crowd of people surrounding the tanks, and not being fed until it was time to perform her routines are only a few possible reasons for her depression.
In an interview with Frontline, Richard O'Barry states,
"But you probably know that dolphins and whales are not automatic air breathers. Every breath they take is a conscious effort. So they can end their life whenever they want to and that’s what Cathy did. She chose to not take that next breath and you have to call that suicide, self-induced asphyxiation in a steel tank at the … Aquarium...And so she swam over and looked me right in the eye, took a breath, and just held it. Just held it. Well so I grabbed her like this and she sank to the bottom of the tank. I let her go and she sank. I jumped in and pulled her to the surface. She committed suicide. The tank – the tank is a bad thing. It’s the killing tanks."
http://challengeoppression.com/2011/03/19/stories-of-captivity-knuts-death-and-flippers-suicide/
Dixie's Stillborn Infant
Dixie is a dolphin that lives a miserable life in a tiny tank as part of SeaWorld's Dolphin Cove swim-with program. She became pregnant and went into labor, but gave birth to a stillborn infant. Discovery Cove knew that Dixie's time of labor was approaching, but failed to call for a veterinarian during or after the birth. No veterinarian was present to check up on her. SeaWorld is responsible for providing captive dolphins with the prenatal care necessary, especially after claiming to be a "dolphin nursery." Their lack of care and their unresponsiveness towards Dixie's pregnancy makes it evident that aquarium parks are often irresponsible and uncaring towards dolphins in need.
http://www.care2.com/causes/sea-world-3-dolphin-deaths-in-3-weeks-what-can-be-done.html
The reality will break your heart
These stories show a glimpse of what terrible tragedies can occur as a result of keeping dolphins in captivity.
BEHIND-THE-SCENES
True stories on dolphins in captivity
