CAMPAIGNS

SUFFERING, NOT SMILING
The Truth About Captive Dolphins

Campaign Introduction
In 2003, ACRES launched the "Suffering, not Smiling" campaign to raise awareness on the plight of captive dolphins and to urge Singaporeans not to support marine parks and dolphinariums that keep dolphins in captivity.

The campaign is based on scientific and factual evidence that captivity is detrimental to the welfare of dolphins and that that research, conservation and education in dolphinariums and marine parks have minimal benefits to wild dolphins.

In particular, ACRES expressed serious concerns over the plight of the Indo-Pacific humpbacked or “pink dolphins” (Sousa chinensis) currently held in captivity at Dolphin Lagoon by Underwater World Singapore (UWS).

Dolphin Lagoon is operated by Underwater World Singapore which is owned by the Haw Par Corporation.

At the time of an investigation by ACRES in 2003, the dolphins at Dolphin Lagoon were living in wholly inappropriate conditions and made to perform unnatural circus-style tricks for the public. In 2003, ACRES gathered evidence that food deprivation was used as a training method. In 2003, the shy dolphins were also documented being used in “petting sessions” and “swim with the dolphin sessions” with the public.

At Dolphin Lagoon a female dolphin called Namtam died of acute gastritis, a stress-related disease, in 2001. On March 5th 2001 it was reported that “Namtam went into shock, lost consciousness and died” (The Straits Times, 28 March 2001). Jumbo, a male dolphin at Dolphin Lagoon, has been observed showing signs of mental and physical stress.

Besides the welfare concerns, ACRES also uncovered undisputable proof that four of the dolphins at Dolphin Lagoon (including Namtam, the dolphin who died) were in fact caught from the wild in Thailand, not captive bred as previously claimed. This has serious implications for the survival of this critically-endangered species in the wild.

The “Suffering not Smiling” campaign called for the following:

For Underwater World Singapore to:
End the use of dolphins in animal shows at Dolphin Lagoon.
End the petting and Swim-with-Dolphin sessions at Dolphin Lagoon.
Stop the further imports of dolphins to the Dolphin Lagoon.
Begin research on the rehabilitation of the Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins and eventually release the Indo- Pacific humpbacked dolphins from the Dolphin Lagoon back into the wild.

Members of the public and local and international animal welfare and conservation organisations signed a petition calling for the above.

Overall, another main objective of the campaign was to prevent the establishment of new dolphinariums in Singapore.

This campaign was supported by the World Society for the Protection of Animals (WSPA). WSPA is an international organization working in 142 countries with a network of more than 600 member societies. WSPA has representation at United Nations (UN), Council of Europe (CoE) and works in co-operation with the World Health Organisation.

For more on dolphins in captivity click here.

The campaign
Over the past few years, ACRES has received strong public support for the ‘Suffering, not Smiling' campaign.

Through the ongoing ‘Suffering, not Smiling' campaign roadshow, which has so far travelled to fourteen different venues in Singapore, ACRES has created much needed awareness on the plight of dolphins in captivity.

In 2003, a total of 8399 people signed the petition supporting the campaign and calling for Underwater World Singapore to take the measures outlines above. This high number of petition signatures clearly shows strong public support to end the abuse of dolphins.

Forty-four international animal welfare and conservation groups also signed the petition. This petition was presented to the Haw Par Corporation, which owns Dolphin Lagoon.

Local celebrities Steph Song, Corrine Adrienne, Nadya Hutagalung, Wendy Jacobs and Adrian Pang supported the ‘Suffering, not Smiling' campaign.

Steph Song, local celebrity and star of drama series Heartlanders said: “Dolphins are not designed to be entertainers. They are amazing animals and seeing an amazing animal should not be as easy as buying a ticket to the movies; it devalues what they are. Keeping them in captivity is inhumane.”

ACRES published a campaign report on the captive dolphin industry entitled “Suffering not Smiling: The truth about captive dolphins.”

The full report can be downloaded here.

Current situation
ACRES hoped that the undisputable proof that four of the six dolphins at Dolphin Lagoon had been wild caught and were not captive bred as claimed by Underwater World would ensure that the three remaining wild-caught dolphins would be confiscated by the authorities and hopefully released back to the wild.

Unfortunately, this did not happen and to date all of the dolphins remain at Dolphin Lagoon.

However, ACRES continues with the public awareness campaign, urging the public not to support marine parks and dolphinariums which hold marine mammals, not only in Singapore but also in other countries. ACRES continues to call for the three remaining wild dolphins at UWS to be released back to the wild where they belong.

Welfare concerns for the dolphins at Dolphin Lagoon.
Public safety issues at Dolphin Lagoon.
Misleading the public about dolphin behaviour.
Evidence that the dolphins were wild caught.
Will the dolphins survive if released?
Discussions with Haw Par.
What happens to the dolphins now?


Help us campaign against the captive dolphin industry.


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