Captive dolphin shows are now banned in India. The country says that dolphins should be treated as "non-human persons" and not be forced to perform for the amusement of humans. There are no facilities in India that currently showcase dolphins for entertainment.
Geo Beats reports that in the 1990s attempts were made to open a dolphin aquarium when four bottle nose dolphins were taken captive. Unfortunately, the plan failed when the four dolphins died.
According to alrasub.com, the Ministry of Environment and Forests in India has banned "any person/persons, organizations, government agencies, private or public enterprises that involves import [or] capture of cetacean species to establish for commercial entertainment, private or public exhibition and interaction purposes whatsoever."
India is now the fourth country to ban dolphin shows. Costa Rica, Hungary and Chile all ban the use of dolphins for public entertainment. The UK and Brazil have also offered legislation to ban cetacean (whale and dolphin) performing shows.
India's Ministry of Environment and Forests believes that whales and dolphins are too intelligent to be forced to perform for the amusement of people. In a statement released explaining India's decision to ban dolphin shows the Ministry said,
"Whereas cetaceans in general are highly intelligent and sensitive, and various scientists who have researched dolphin behavior have suggested that the unusually high intelligence; as compared to other animals means that dolphin should be seen as "non-human persons" and as such should have their own specific rights and is morally unacceptable to keep them captive for entertainment purpose."
India is the first high profile country to ban dolphin shows. Many hope that the U.S. will follow suit and close down one of its most famous attractions, Sea World.
According to Sea World's mission statement, the goal of the organization is to protect, research and preserve wildlife species.
But there are animal rights groups in the U.S., like PETA, that believe Sea World is too cooperate and are keeping their animals as "slaves," making them preform for humans and live in small tanks.
Due to Sea World's large commercial success, it is unlikely that the U.S. will make any move to shut it down. Despite the gruesome death of one of Sea World's trainers in 2010, thousands of people still flock to the aquarium each year to see the spectacular animals preform.
(Below is footage of a dolphin show found on YouTube)
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