Update: June 2002

Last month, WSPA reported that Cayman officials had granted the initial permits to open two dolphin swim facilities on the Islands. In response to our action alert, WSPA supporters from around the world bombarded the Caymans government with letters of protest. WSPA also formed an international coalition of animal welfare organizations and celebrities to join forces against the plan and call for dolphin protection (for details, see the coalition's Appeal for Dolphin Protection). Though the past administration failed to act, we are renewing our efforts now that a new Governor has taken office. Whether this is your first letter of protest - or your tenth - now, more than ever, your faxes and emails can make a difference(see letter writing section below).

Keep the Caymans Dolphin Friendly!

May 2002

The Cayman Islands are renowned for being a tropical paradise, beckoning sun worshippers, adventure seekers, and compassionate individuals looking for an eco-friendly vacation spot. But a proposal to open a dolphin swim program there threatens to tarnish the islands' pristine reputation and has raised concerns among animal advocates worldwide.

WSPA has learned that Caymans officials are contemplating a plan to import 16 dolphins for two proposed dolphinaria, the first of their kind in the islands. On the surface, swim-with-dolphin programs seem to provide a natural match between the human desire to get "up close and personal" with nature and the innate sociability and playfulness of dolphins. Sadly, the truth is that nearly every natural instinct the dolphin has is suppressed when forced to live in captivity. Captive dolphins are ripped from the seas and all that's familiar; they can no longer bond with their pod members, swim for long distances, hunt for live fish, or use their highly adapted sonar.

Moreover, indications are that the 16 dolphins, which would come from a resort in Honduras, were initially taken from the wild. Dolphin captures are notoriously violent and often result in injured or dead animals. Speedboats chase down a fleeing pod and drag a few frightened dolphins, usually young females, from their families and ocean home. Certainly, these are not images Cayman officials would want to associate with their island.