Channel NewsAsia - Wednesday, February 17
SINGAPORE :
Eighteen dolphins — enroute to the Marine Life Park at Resorts
World Sentosa (RWS) — are reportedly stranded in the
Philippines.
According to the Philippine Daily Inquirer, the bottlenose
dolphins are now at the Ocean Adventure marine park at Subic
Bay.
The February 5 report said that the marine mammals, imported
from the Solomon Islands, were to have been sent to Singapore by
the end of last year. But they are still in the care of Subic Bay
Marine Exploratorium, the company contracted to train them.
The delay, according to the report, is because the facilities to
house them in Singapore are not finished. When contacted, RWS
spokesman Robin Goh told MediaCorp that "construction of the Marine
Life Park is on schedule and is slated for an opening after
2010".
Bottlenose dolphins, one of the most common in the world, are
listed in Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in
Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) and their trade
is regulated. Activists have questioned the need to import wild
dolphins. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals
(SPCA) has posted the Philippine newspaper report on its Facebook
page.
Executive officer Deirdre Moss said the society "objects to the
keeping of dolphins in captivity, as they are usually caught/kept
for the purpose of training to entertain/amuse the public" and in
doing so, they are "also forced to adapt to an alternative
lifestyle in a man—made structure".
Mr Goh said animals acquired for its Marine Life Park are in
accordance with the Cites agreement. "In the meantime, the dolphins
are in good hands and being looked after according to international
standards," he added.
— TODAY/il