Captive dolphins move from Finland to Greece

Four dolphins (Veera, Delfi, Leevi and Eevertti) held at a marine park in Finland, were moved over the weekend to a new home in Greece. 

The dolphins were relocated after the Särkänniemi Theme Park announced its decision to shut its doors last October, citing a change in public attitudes towards captive dolphin shows as the reason for reduced public attendance and profits.

The dolphins’ new home is the Attica Zoological Park in Greece – a zoo that reported five dolphin deaths between 2010 and 2015. 

In June 2016, the Ministry of Environment in Greece approved the expansion of Attica Zoological Park (including the dolphinarium), despite the fact that the Greek minister had pledged to pass a law banning whale and dolphin captivity in the country. The Greek Law 4039/2012, passed in 2012, already forbids the use of animals in performance; however, this law has gone unenforced by the Ministry.