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We're at COP28 to Save the Whale, Save the World.

We’re at COP28 to save the whale, save the world

Ed Goodall Ed is WDC's head of intergovernmental engagement. He meets with world leaders to...
Gray whales from drone.

We’re taking steps to uncover the mysteries of whales

Vicki James Vicki is WDC's protected areas coordinator, she helps to create safe ocean spaces...
We must protect our non-human allies. Image: Tom Brakefield, aurore murguet, johan63

We’re urging governments to protect all of our climate heroes – CITES

Katie Hunter Katie supports WDC's engagement in intergovernmental conversations and is working to end captivity...
The Natütama Foundation are dedicated to protecting endangered river dolphins. Image: Natutama

Guardians of the Amazon: protecting the endangered river dolphins

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Amazon river dolphins. Image: Fernando Trujillo/Fundacion Omacha

Amazon tragedy as endangered river dolphins die in hot water

Ali Wood Ali is WDC's education projects coordinator. She is the editor of Splash! and KIDZONE,...
Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin © Mike Bossley/WDC

WDC in Japan – Part 3: Restoring freedom to dolphins in South Korea

Katrin Matthes Katrin is WDC's communications and campaigns officer for policy & communication in Germany...
Wintery scene in Iceland

Seeking sanctuary – Iceland’s complex relationship with whales

Hayley Flanagan Hayley is WDC's engagement officer, specialising in creating brilliant content for our website...
Whaling ship Hvalur 8 arrives at the whaling station with two fin whales

A summer of hope and heartbreak for whales in Icelandic waters

Luke McMillan Luke is WDC's Head of hunting and captivity. Now that the 2023 whaling season...

Call on Antigua and Barbuda to ban dolphin captivity!

Unlike many other countries in the Caribbean, the dual-island nation Antigua and Barbuda has no captive dolphins. This was not the case several years ago, when a captive dolphin facility operated at Marina Bay in Antigua. It opened in 2001, run by Dolphin Fantaseas, displaying three bottlenose dolphins that had been captured in Cuban waters. In June 2004, the facility was taken over by Dolphin Discovery, a Mexican-based company that operates a number of swim-with-the-dolphins attractions in the Caribbean and further dolphins were imported from Mexico, reportedly also originating from the wild in Cuba.

When the facility was inspected in September 2004, nine dolphins were found living in deplorable conditions. The enclosure was only eight feet deep at its deepest end. The dolphins had no access to shade from the sun and many had unusually dark skin, as a result of sunburn. The facility had also caused numerous environmental problems to the local area. The natural water flow from an adjacent salt pond was restricted by the facility which intentionally obstructed the drainage when it built the facility. As a result, the pond overflowed when heavy rain set in, affecting businesses and private property in the area with contaminated water. Dolphin Discovery were repeatedly asked to move the dolphins to another location in Antigua, but these requests were ignored.

The facility finally closed later that year, with the animals moved to the Dolphin Discovery facility in Tortola in November 2004. Dolphin Discovery was denied a permit to return to Antigua & Barbuda in April 2005.

Now, another captive dolphin chain, Dolphin Cove, has expressed an interest in developing a facility in Antigua and this has been met with a flurry of opposition, including the development of a petition, calling on the government to implement legislation to ban dolphin captivity in the country. Please support this campaign as WDC is doing, and add your signature of support.