BAN THE IMPORT OF ALL DOLPHINS TO THAILAND

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BAN THE IMPORT OF ALL DOLPHINS TO THAILAND

Deputy Director General for Fisheries. Mr.Surajit Intarachit Director General Department of Fisheries Mr.Niwat Sutemechaikul (Director General Department of Fisheries) Permanent Secretary of MoNRE Ms. Mingquan Wichayarungsrit

The beautiful island of Phuket draws holiday visitors from all four corners of the world. They come for the beauty that is Thailand, a country rich in natural biodiversity.

It seems very unfortunate that rather than continue to strive and develop towards a sustainable and responsible future, Phuket is taking a step backwards by allowing a dolphin park (prison) to open on the island. This will leave a black mark on Phuket with regards to animal rights, and responsible eco conscious tourism for our beautiful Island.

The Oscar-winning movie ‘The Cove’ shocked the world as it exposed the dark side of the captive dolphin industry. The film exposes a small group of fishermen in the coastal town of Taiji in Japan. Each year they drive thousands of dolphins into a small cove and close off the exit with a net. Dolphin trainers from marine parks similar to this one proposed in Phuket, then select the dolphins that they wish to purchase and bring into a life of captivity. After selection, the rest of the dolphins are slaughtered. Often this numbers into the hundreds, and the water in cove runs red with blood.

The movie was a wake up call to people globally, and many countries have since passed new laws and closed down captive dolphin parks, making the responsible choice to no longer imprison these sentient intelligent beings.

Petition by

Ric O'Barry

Miami, Florida

Sponsored by

Dolphin Project

To: Deputy Director General for Fisheries. Mr.Surajit Intarachit Director General Department of Fisheries Mr.Niwat Sutemechaikul (Director General Department of Fisheries) Permanent Secretary of MoNRE Ms. Mingquan Wichayarungsrit
From: [Your Name]

Stop the Nemo Dolphinarium

At a time when the rest of the world is moving away from holding dolphins in captivity, it will be a major set back for Phuket and Thailand if you allow this venue to open. This will look very bad in the eyes of the international community. We know how to be conscious citizens here who protect wildlife. We have the Gibbon Rehabilitation Centre, the Santuary for Elephants up North....it is now up to you, to make the choice on how you wish to show the world how you care for cetaceans. These animals die in captivity. It robs them of all their natural behaviour, and rips them from their families and social groups. They swim up to 100 miles a day in the wild, hunting and playing. How can a facility like Nemo Dolphinarium create a similar environment to the ocean? It is impossible and it is immoral.

To add to the issue of having a dolphin prison in Phuket, the five female Pacific bottlenose dolphins that are allegedly coming from the Ukraine to Phuket for Nemo Dolphinarium, originated from the Taiji slaughter.

Phuket should not have any connection with the slaughter in Taiji or the captive dolphin industry. Instead Phuket should take the opportunity to allow visitors the unique chance to experience these beautiful animals in the wild that frequent the waters around Phuket! WAZA (World Association of Zoos and Aquariums) recently told JAZA (Jaapns same organisation) that they would be removed from the WAZA list should they continue to take dolphins from the barbaric drive hunts of Japan. Nearly all of the Japanese Dolphinariums have agreed to NOT take dolphins from the drive hunts. This is a huge victory, and if Thailand goes against this, will eventually have WAZA putting the same pressure on them. This is very bad publicity for Thailand should it go ahead.

It is illegal to capture dolphins within Thai waters, why then is it allowed to import dolphins from other countries? Please consider a complete ban on all dolphin imports to Thailand. Thailand should become the leading voice in Asia banning this and actually creating a Dolphinaria Free Thailand. India have passed a law stating that dolphins are "non human persons" and it is punishable by law to kill them or take them for captivity. This is how Thailand should be precieved.

We urge you to create legislation to ban the import of dolphins to Thailand.

Many Thanks.