Imprisoned Dolphins Released
Update: Tom and Misha were released back into the ocean earlier this month and within hours were already chasing and hunting fish together and socializing with other wild dolphins. Born Free kept their release on May 9 a secret to avoid human interference with Tom’s and Misha’s progress, but satellite transmitters on their dorsal fins show that since their release, the dolphins have already traveled hundreds of miles and are healthy and eating well.
Two dolphins who were formerly held captive for four years as part of a swim-with-dolphins program will finally be released back into their native habitat later this spring.
Freedom Stolen
Captured and imprisoned in a tiny tank in Hisaronu, Turkey, bottlenose dolphins Tom and Misha were denied everything natural to them and forced to perform for a constant barrage of tourists. Their future seemed bleak until the Born Free Foundation, a British organization that campaigns in behalf of animals in zoos and aquariums, embarked on a mission to win their freedom. With the help of PETA Germany, which posted an action alert on its website, wrote to Hisaronu’s mayor, and coordinated actions with Turkish animal rights groups, Born Free got Tom and Misha released to a marine reserve in the Mediterranean Sea and began preparing them for life in the ocean.
Freedom Restored
Because of the stress of intensive confinement, the dolphins were weak, underweight, and lethargic when they arrived at the reserve. But after two years of nurturing, they are healthier and stronger and, most importantly, are starting to catch fish on their own, a sign that they are nearly ready to be released on schedule in late spring. Once again, they will be able to swim for up to 100 miles a day and use their sonar to explore the ocean.
If you love dolphins, please don’t pay for them to be imprisoned and tormented in swim-with-dolphins exhibitions. By contrast, programs like the one at the Florida Keys’ John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park allow you to interact with dolphins in their home—on their terms.
