Jumping Tank

Do dolphins want to be in captivity? In an interview about the Taiji dolphin drives Fred Jacobs, Vice President, Communications SeaWorld  Parks & Entertainment, said "There was a time in our history when we took animals from this hunt, and of course we viewed it in a defensible way; they were the only animals that were going to survive. If you could ask these animals: "Who wants to volunteer to go to an aquarium?" I think that you'd have quite a few animals that would volunteer." Well Fred, true as that may be, we can not ask these animals this question. And its pretty clear that no one asked this Dolphin were it wanted to live....



 It clearly does not want to live in captivity. So much so, it risked its life to get out! I don't know what breaks my heart most about this video. The fact the animal was for some reason, upset enough to leave the confines of its "home" or the fact that all the other dolphins rush to the glass to see whats going on. You have to wonder what is going through their minds. Do you think they were worried or frightened about what had happened to their friend? Maybe they were happy he got out and was wondering why he was just laying there instead of swimming away to safety? Either way its clear that they they cared, because most of them stay with him at the glass the whole time.

And Mr. Jacobs, shame on you for even saying such a thing.  To suggest that these animals would volunteer to leave their families, as they are being slaughtered, just to come live in a concrete tank and eat dead fish for the rest of their lives, is sick. I think that you need to educate yourself on dolphins. Is that not what Seaworld is supposed to be doing, educating people on the animals they display?  You must have not payed attention when they talked about dolphins and their family bonds.

Fred Jacobs
Vice President, Communications
SeaWorld Parks & Entertainment
Phone: 407.226.5210
E-mail: Fred.Jacobs@SeaWorld.com