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Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry 2 Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry Foreword 3 Executive summary 4 Introduction 8 Dolphin suffering for entertainment 9 Inadequate captive environments 9 Intelligence 10 Behaviour and stress 11 Education and conservation claims 12 Live capture damaging wild populations 14 Veterinary concerns 14 Mortality and longevity concerns 17 Human-dolphin interactions 17 Growing governmental awareness 19 The global dolphin entertainment industry 20 Scale and character of the industry 20 Animals as assets: Corporate stakes in dolphinaria 31 Financial and industry partners 31 Expansion and diversification 33 Industry trend 33 Consumer motivations, behaviour and attitudes 34 Dolphinarium markets 34 Visitor profile and motivations 35 Behaviours 35 Attitudes and perceptions 36 The role of the travel industry 37 Solutions 39 Positive progress 39 The future of dolphin venues without dolphins 40 People power and the travel industrys responsibility 41 Responsible alternatives for travellers 43 Conclusion 45 Acknowledgements 46 Appendix 1 47 References 61 Contents Cover: Tourists looking at captive dolphins at SeaWorld San Antonio, USA. Photo credit: World Animal Protection. 3 Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry Twenty-seven years ago, I received my PhD after spending five astonishing years in the field with wild orcas in British Columbia. Within a few months, I joined the staff of a non-profit animal protection organisation to run its new campaign to end the captive display of orcas, pilot whales, false killer whales and belugas. These are the larger small cetaceans most typically held in zoos, aquaria, marine theme parks and dolphinaria. I began with what I felt were realistic expectations. I believed that, by the time I retired, I could help to move the needle a bit toward ending cetacean display. I knew that keeping these socially complex, intelligent and wide-ranging marine predators in small enclosures for human entertainment was ethically wrong and made it my lifes work to support this position with solid scientific evidence. Despite this powerful sense of purpose, my rational side convinced me that I could not expect to see much shifting of the paradigm within my lifetime. Captive cetacean performances were still a much-loved staple of theme parks and dolphinaria worldwide 26 years ago even only 10 years ago. I could make a difference, but my common sense told me my victories would be few and, perhaps, imperceptible to most. The feature film Free Willy gave the anti-captivity campaign a boost in 1993 my first year on the job but the momentum didnt seem to last. I realise now that the movies true impact was delayed. The young children who made Free Willy a sleeper hit that summer grew up to be the 20-somethings who watched another film a documentary on CNN 20 years later. Blackfish was more than a hit it was a phenomenon. I am convinced it pushed western society past the tipping point on the subject of captive cetaceans. I now believe the exploitation of at least some cetacean species will end before I do. This report by World Animal Protection provides information that, despite my lengthy tenure working on this campaign, I did not know before. I have always approached this issue as a biologist I know cetaceans and have always focussed on scientific arguments. This report expounds on the businesses that display these amazing beings. It offers detailed information on dolphinaria and their visitors: the Who, What, Where, Why and, perhaps most revealingly, the How Much, ie, how much money is at stake. The welfare of the marine mammals in their care logically cannot be the primary concern of for-profit companies that consider fines for regulatory violations a (minor) cost of doing (millions of dollars worth of) business. This report is timely the more people learn, from all angles, about dolphinarium businesses, the better able they will be to assess the industrys marketing versus its reality. It is targeted toward the tourism providers who promote this industry without perhaps realising the full scope of the suffering it inflicts on cetaceans. I hope it opens eyes. It should prove a valuable tool in moving the needle ever closer to these tanks are empty. Naomi A. Rose, PhD, marine mammal scientist, Animal Welfare Institute Foreword ! 4!Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry ! ! ! ! This report outlines the massive scale and profitability of the multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry. It highlights the industrys links with the corporate investment industry and the suffering of more than 3,000 dolphins for the money that is made from their labour. From being captured in the wild, to having to undergo captive breeding, to being forced to live in inhumane barren tanks, dolphins suffer at every stage of their captivity. Dolphin venues make false or wildly exaggerated claims regarding their benefits to conservation, education and research, fooling the public into accepting the inhumanity of cetacean captivity. Through desktop and in-country research carried out in 2018, World Animal Protection examined the scale and character of the dolphin entertainment industry. We identified 355 publicly accessible facilities across 58 countries worldwide that keep dolphins or other cetaceans in captivity. Of these facilities, 336 keep dolphins. Our research shows that of the 3,603 cetaceans identified at those facilities, eight out of 10 (3,029) are dolphins, and 87% of those are bottlenose dolphins. Over 60% of all captive dolphins worldwide are kept by just five countries: China (23%), Japan (16%), the USA (13%), Mexico (8%) and Russia (5%). However, if looking at geographic regions, the Mexico, Caribbean, Bahamas and Bermuda region accounts for almost one in five captive dolphins globally, and is therefore another hotspot for the industry. We found that 93% of dolphin facilities worldwide offer shows with dolphins, while 66% offer swimming with dolphins, 75% offer selfies, and 23% offer dolphin-assisted therapy. The tricks performed during shows include dolphins pulling their trainers through the water by their fins, and trainers surfing on the dolphins back or being propelled out of the water by the dolphins snout. Often, dolphins are made to leave the water to spin in circles, or wear hats or oversized glasses and all to music as loud as 110 dB. This is similar to the volume of a rock concert. In light of these activities, the claims by dolphin facilities that they serve an educational purpose for families is highly questionable. Executive summary The term dolphin does not refer to a specific species and sometimes leads to confusion. The orca, the pilot whale, the false killer whale, the spotted dolphin, the bottlenose dolphin and the melon-headed whale all belong to the Delphinidae family. This report has focused its research on smaller species that have dolphin in their common name. These include the bottlenose dolphin, the white-sided dolphin, spinner and spotted dolphins, the Irrawaddy dolphin, Commersons dolphin, Rissos dolphin, the rough- toothed dolphin and others. Unless otherwise specified, this report uses the term dolphin to refer to these species and not the entire Delphinidae family. 5 Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry Inhumane confinement 66% of dolphins at 233 of the venues identified in our research are kept in concrete tanks. Of those, 95 venues use only indoor tanks, which means 575 dolphins are kept in conditions where they never experience sunlight or weather. In the wild, bottlenose dolphins often have home ranges exceeding 100 sq km, with some populations home ranges in excess of 400 sq km. In captivity, this study found that the average size of the largest primary tank used at dolphin facilities is just 444 sq m. This means that most dolphins only have a space slightly larger than a theatre screen. Thats over 200,000 times smaller than their natural home range. Sea pens are usually larger, but even the average sea pen size is about 77,000 times smaller than a dolphins home range in the wild. Even the largest sea pen identified in this research is 12,000 times smaller than a dolphins natural home range. The profitability of dolphins Our research shows the average global price for dolphinaria entry tickets is 34 USD per adult, with higher average prices between 50 and 74 USD in some regions, including North America and the Caribbean. Entry prices do not usually include any dolphin interactions, which cost over three times as much as the entry ticket on average. The average price for the most expensive dolphin activity at each venue usually a swim-with experience is 178 USD per person in a group. Activity prices, however, can cost up to 1,000 USD for more individualised packages. A single dolphin can generate between 400,000 and 2 million USD per year for a venue, depending on the frequency of use. This means that all captive dolphins in the tourism industry annually generate between 1.1 and 5.5 billion USD. Add to that additional income channels through merchandise, food and accommodation, and the revenue is even greater. It is literally a multi-billion dollar industry and all on the back of the suffering of wild animals. Companies associating with cruelty Our financial research into selected large-sized dolphinaria across the world reveals a complex network of corporations behind this profit- driven industry. Many dolphinaria are part of larger international conglomerates, which often own dozens of dolphinaria and water parks globally. There is massive international financial backing behind dolphinaria, including from banks, private equity firms and investment companies all motivated by profit maximisation. Dolphinaria closely align themselves with their industry partners and their association with major brands adds social licence and a sense of acceptability to their inhumane treatment of dolphins. Travel agencies, associations, tour operators and booking platforms are all essential contributors to the dolphin industry and add significantly to this social licence. We found that one in four tourists visited a dolphin venue because it was part of their tour package or it was suggested to them by their holiday company. The swim-with-dolphin industry in the Caribbean has arguably been fuelled by major cruise lines wanting to give their guests memorable, exotic experiences. Similarly, many trips sold by international travel companies include dolphin activities. During our research, we reviewed the travel products sold by 31 of the leading travel companies to see if they included any of the top ten largest dolphin facilities that we identified. We found that two out of three companies offer at least one of the ten largest dolphin facilities in their products. Some offer up to eight. Expedia Group was one of the companies that offered not only the most of the top ten dolphin facilities, but also many more. 32 dolphin facilities across many countries were offered by one or multiple companies belonging to Expedia Group. Therefore, Expedia Groups ticket sales to these facilities alone is enough to support the keeping of over 500 dolphins in inhumane conditions. They are a significant driver of the dolphin industry. Positively, 11 companies did not sell any of the top ten dolphin facilities, and a few of these companies have developed progressive policies that avoid all or at least the worst captive wildlife activities. Recent additions to the list of progressive travel companies are B, Virgin Holidays and British Airways Holidays who, in 2019, all announced policies of not selling or promoting captive dolphin and whale attractions. ! 6!Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry ! ! !Consumer attitudes to dolphinaria By commissioning consumer surveys, World Animal Protection has gained valuable insight into the global popularity and acceptability of dolphin entertainment. After visiting a zoo or aquarium and viewing wild animals in their natural habitat, watching a dolphin show is the third most common activity involving wild animals. One survey showed that 17% of respondents had been to see a dolphin show in the past three years. In the four key regions of Mexico, the USA, Spain and the Caribbean, the USA was the most visited country by travellers participating in dolphin experiences. 60% had visited a US dolphin venue in the past four years. Close to half of the respondents chose to visit these markets specifically to have a dolphin experience. Our research shows that for over half of those travellers visiting dolphin venues, their motivation to visit arose from a love for dolphins. This demonstrates that although the vast majority of visitors (69%) are university educated, there is a clear lack of understanding around dolphin needs and how life in captivity compromises those needs. The dolphins smile (a result of the shape of its jaw, not its emotional state) paints a skewed picture of life in captivity and contributes to the myth that captive dolphins enjoy a happy life. ! The acceptability of dolphin entertainment Our survey revealed high levels of acceptability of dolphin attractions. Some 55% of respondents said they didnt see anything wrong with going to a dolphin show. Acceptability decreases, however, when the level of interaction increases. Swimming with dolphins, kissing or touching them, and riding or being pulled by them are seen as being less acceptable than taking dolphin selfies and feeding them. Despite the current high levels of acceptability of dolphin entertainment, when the perceptions of respondents were examined more closely, concerns about welfare were raised. 52% of respondents believe dolphins suffer physically and emotionally in captivity and 47% believe that no dolphin would perform tricks or give rides and kisses to people willingly. Most importantly, 80% of respondents said they would prefer to see dolphins in the wild if they had the chance. Tellingly, one in four visitors said that seeing dolphins in an enclosure felt wrong, and that all dolphin venues should be closed. ! 7!Behind the smile The multi-billion dollar dolphin entertainment industry ! ! ! Solutions Its a tragic reality that, for the majority of captive dolphins, seaside sanctuaries or releases into the wild are unlikely to be viable solutions. A lack of funding and a lack of suitable geographic areas, plus the unsuitability of captive-bred dolphins for release are all significant barriers to successful seaside sanctuaries. This makes it even more important that we see an end to captive breeding and wild capture, given the fundamental welfare problems associated with cetacean captivity. Only these measures will ensure that the current generation of captive dolphins will be the
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