UPDATED August 24,2010

The cruel and violent killing of dolphins – and the sight these animals in captivity – shocks and angers us. News reports of dolphins and marine mammals being subjected to cruelty have raised a lot of interest and dismay in the world.

You can tell a great deal about a community or a culture by looking at the way it treats animals in its surroundings. The Oscar winning documentary The Cove highlighted some very gruesome practices around dolphin capture and slaughter at a  Japanese fishing town and brought it to the center of international attention.

While shocking news of dolphin killings will grab the headlines, it’s also important to remember that there are many other dangers to dolphins – such as indiscriminate fishing practices and pollution.

Get informed, tell friends and family, get involved

Here is a listing of organisations working to save dolphins and marine mammals for concerned individuals to find further info and get involved in their own way. While we can’t all stand on picket lines or make compelling documentary films, we can support those groups devoted to protecting marine mammals such as dolphins, whales and porpoises. Campaigns depend on individuals to make them a success so I hope you find the info handy and useful (and this is definitely NOT an exhaustive or definitive list so if you know of more organisations, please publicise them).

Dolphins in Japan

Save Japan Dolphins
For the latest and info on actions you can take. There is a pledge on swimming with dolphins and captive dolphin shows.

Dolphins in captivity

A cruel aspect of the dolphin hunt highlighted in The Cove is the trade in captured dolphins. It may seem like good ole family fun to take the kids to a dolphin show but the dolphins suffer greatly as a result. Similarly, there are “dolphinariums” where paying customers can swim or snorkel with captured dolphins. The animals may appear content but research has shown that captivity has detrimental effects on their health and welfare.

Marine Connections – a UK-based charity working for the welfare of dolphins and whales. They have a campaign on captured marine mammals:

Born Free Foundation – an international animal welfare organisation based in the UK – has an informative page on captive dolphins

Humane Society USA’s page on marine mammals in captivity

Marine mammal protection and seafood/preventing by-catch deaths

It’s not just the outright killing but also bycatch (the untargeted and unintentional marine life caught by commercial fishers) to which dolphins fall victim.

Greenpeace’s page on bycatch at sea

Wildlife Trust (UK) has a campaign on dolphin entanglement deaths.

Earth Trust (US) has a project on driftnetting.

Other marine mammal information and campaigns

World Wildlife Fund Protecting river dolphins in South America:

Ocean Conservation Society (US-based) – researching and educating about marine life

Organisation Cetacea (ORCA) – UK-based charity promoting conservation of the marine environment through research, partnership and education

Petitions

There are many online. Have a look through Facebook or Twitter.

Here is a fairly well-subscribed one in called “Stop the Dolphin and Whale Slaughter in Taiji, Japan”

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