Sea World theme park could be BANNED from breeding dolphins in captivity if government folds to pressure from animal activists
- Sea World on the Gold Coast could be banned from keeping dolphins at the park
- Animal activists on Tuesday launched a petition to ban breeding in captivity
- They claimed nothing about the captive environment supports conservation
Sea World on the Gold Coast could be banned from keeping dolphins in captivity after animal activists launched a public petition this week.
World Animal Protection on Tuesday launched a petition to ban the marine park from breeding in captivity, which it claims goes against the basic tenet of conservation.
Senior campaign manager for World Animal Protection Ben Pearson told 9News there's nothing about the program that supports the idea of conservation.
Sea World on the Gold Coast could be banned from keeping dolphins in captivity after animal activists launched a public petition this week
World Animal Protection on Tuesday launched a petition to ban the marine park from breeding dolphins in captivity, which it claims goes against the basic tenet of conservation
'We want these dolphins at Sea World to be the last generation kept captive in Queensland,' Mr Pearson said.
One of the biggest issues with breeding animals in captivity is that you can't then release them into the wild, the animal activist said.
He said if Sea World was rescuing injured dolphins and rehabilitating them and letting them go it would be acceptable, but breeding in captivity is not doing that.
Sea World is one of only two remaining venues on the Gold Coast that keep dolphins in captivity - the other being Dolphin Marine Magic in Coffs Harbour.
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Mr Pearson said the venue needs to start viewing their business from a sea sanctuary point of view that focuses on rescue and rehabilitation.
According to the online petition, there are currently more than 30 dolphins at Sea World, most of which were born and bred there.
Given that dolphins can live up to 50 years and swim hundreds of square kilometres, it can be a very boring life for those enclosed at Sea World, the petition stated.
'Join us and call on the Queensland Government to ban breeding at Sea World, and begin work on a sea sanctuary for the dolphins who can't be released into the wild.'
According to the World Animal Protection petition, there are currently more than 30 dolphins at Sea World, most of which were born and bred there
But Sea World has defended its dolphin breeding program, saying the operation has a conservation key objective first and foremost.
A Sea World spokesperson told the publication the company is proud of its world class facilities and the role it plays in conservation and education.
'All of the breeding at Sea World is done as part of a managed breeding program and is done naturally,' the spokesperson said.
The marine park also stated the dolphins live in social groups so they have plenty of opportunity to play and interact with each other.
Senior campaign manager for World Animal Protection Ben Pearson said there's nothing about breeding in captivity that supports the idea of conservation
Sea World is one of only two remaining venues on the Gold Coast that keep dolphins in captivity - the other being Dolphin Marine Magic in Coffs Harbour
But Mr Pearson denied Sea World's enclosures were adequate when it comes to meeting the basic needs of the animals.
'In the wild, a bottlenose would swim 100kms a day, it can dive 450 meters. They have a rich marine environment. There is no way a small concrete pool in Sea World can in any way replicate that, he said.
While the petition has already amassed more than 5,500 signatures since yesterday, the Queensland government told the publication it supports Sea World.
Sea World is approved to hold dolphins and breed in captivity, providing they do not exceed a certain number, Minister for Agriculture and Fisheries Mark Furner said.
