email print        

Tourism Minister: Cayman's Environment Won't Be Impacted by Captive Dolphin Facilities

Obsessed tourist 'marries' Israeli dolphin; 'I'm not a pervert'

Florida's Famed 'Beggar' The Dolphin Found Dead; 'A Local Icon And Tourist Attraction For Over Two Decades'

Scientists: 'Dolphin Speaker' To Enhance Study Of Dolphin Vocalizations And Acoustics

Hero Dolphin Seen Trying To Rescue Filipino Fisherman From Drowning; Survivor Swears Off Dolphin Meat

Scientists 'tailing' Spiny Lobster Larvae To Protect Them; 'Larval Lobster Credits' A 'Viable Cooperative Management Strategy'

Researchers Developing Techniques For Tuna Aquaculture In U.S.; 'There Is A Lot Of Commercial Potential'

Spanish Researchers Sequence The Genome Of Global Deep Ocean; 'No Country Has This Kind Of Samples On A Global Scale'

Study Questions Iron Seeding For Ocean C02 Sequestration; Phytoplankton 'Hogging The Food'

Campaigners Warn Tourists: Scotland Home To Mass Seal Shootings; 'Seal Management In Progress'

Guinness: India Park Home to World's Largest Crocodile; 23 Feet

Freak! Malaysian Fisherman Reels in Shark with 'Webbed Feet'

Bahamas Police: Photos Of Man's Remains Eaten By Shark Offer Few Clues; Warning: Extremely Graphic Pictures

Researchers Developing Techniques For Tuna Aquaculture In U.S.; 'There Is A Lot Of Commercial Potential'

Scientists 'tailing' Spiny Lobster Larvae To Protect Them; 'Larval Lobster Credits' A 'Viable Cooperative Management Strategy'

Strange Creature Found On Russian Coastline Baffles Locals - 445 comments

Freak! Malaysian Fisherman Reels in Shark with 'Webbed Feet' - 380 comments

Shark Attack Leaves Florida Student Scarred, Wounded; 'There Was Blood' - 293 comments

Guinness: India Park Home to World's Largest Crocodile; 23 Feet - 275 comments

1063-pound, 12-foot 6-inch Mako Shark Hooked off Florida Coast May Be World Record - 267 comments

Cayman Islands tourism minister Charles Clifford has said he expects some dolphin deaths at a new tourist park

GEORGE TOWN, Cayman Islands -- At least some of the dolphins slated for the Grand Cayman's proposed dolphin facilities in West Bay are expected to die.

Speaking to reporters at the weekly Cabinet press briefing, Tourism Minister Charles Clifford said attrition for all the life forms that are to be imported to the dolphin facility is anticipated and the Ministry is prepared to deal with that eventuality when it arises.

Mr. Clifford was responding to recent news that six quarantined sharks destined for the Botswain's beach predator tank display had died due to a mechanical malfunction two months ago.

"We do expect that some of the dolphins will die at the facility, just as they die in the wild. It will happen," he said.

The recent shark incident reflects the fears of dolphin advocate groups, who claim dolphin death rates, at six per cent in captive facilities, are similar to those in the wild, even though the animals' survival is no longer affected by natural threats and predators.

The sharks were in a quarantine facility at Boatswain's Beach. All fish undergo a 30–day quarantine period after arriving at the park.

They died when there was a malfunction in the life support system, causing a problem with water quality.

The sharks had been imported from Florida via air.

Since the deaths an expert has come to the Cayman Islands to help staff at Boatswain's Beach shore up the quarantine system.

Planning permission has been granted for the physical construction of two separate dolphin entertainment facilities in West Bay.

Dolphin Discovery (Cayman) Ltd. is a franchise with headquarters in Mexico and is to be located at the site of the old Turtle Farm in West Bay, as part of Boatswain's Beach, but privately run.

Dolphin Cove Cayman is associated with Dolphin Cove Jamaica and is to be located south of Calypso Grill in Batabano, West Bay, by the North Sound.

Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of UnderwaterTimes.com, its staff or its advertisers.

Reader Comments

1 person has commented so far. add your comment

I am very disappointed that the government of Cayman has approved a "dolphin tourist park". These dolphin like many others in captivity were a select few of the tens of thousands of dolphin that are slaughtered in Taiji, Japan. I urge all readers to visit www.savejapandolphins.org to learn the brutal nature by which these dolphin are captured by Japanese fisherman who divert migrating dolphins into coves where most (20,000-30,000 dolphin) are slaughtered, their mercury laden meat being sold in supermarkets in Japan. Several of these dolphin headed for West Bay in Grand Cayman, brought in by a company in Mexico will not just die, but commit suicide. (Dolphins some believe actually have an intelligence higher than humans.) So when visiting these two "dolphin tourist parks" in Cayman, please realize that thousands are dolphin are being slaugtered in the little fishing village of Taiji and in the Solomon Islands. The Dominican Republic cancelled the purchase of dolphins, realizing the nature by which they are captured. Please boycot the dolphin tourist parks in West Bay. The best place to see the dolphins is in the beautiful ocean surrounding your beautiful country.
   comment# 1   - Dr. Byron Tsusaki · Houston, Texas USA · Dec 20, 2007 @ 9:16pm