The more we learn about marine mammals, the more troubling it becomes to keep these complex, intelligent creatures in tanks and pens. It’s time to see the situation from the animals’ point of view and reconsider whether it's right to confine them for our amusement.
Dolphins are long-lived, wide-ranging predators who are self-aware and capable of abstract thinking. When captured from the wild for public display, they are removed violently and traumatically from their social units. Japan's drive fishery is particularly cruel.
HSI is working to educate the public about the threats posed to the conservation and welfare of marine mammals by the practice of exhibiting them for entertainment. We work with governments, media, local activists, and the general public to change the perception of captive marine mammals. You can help: Don't swim with dolphins, and think twice before attending a marine mammal show.
News & Events
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August 20, 2010
Annual Japan Dolphin Drives Imminent
As September 1, 2010 approached, Japanese fishermen were gearing up for another drive fishery slaughter of dolphins.
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August 18, 2010
Solomons Dolphin Saga Continues
Capture of live dolphins for trade continues in the Solomon Islands while under review by the Animals Committee of CITES.
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April 22, 2010
Do Zoos and Aquariums Provide Effective Conservation Education to the Public?
A study entitled "Do Zoos and Aquariums Promote Attitude Change in Visitors? A Critical Evaluation of the American Zoo and Aquarium Study" by Dr. Lori Marino and colleagues critiques a 2007 study by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums (AZA) entitled "Why Zoos and Aquariums Matter: Assessing the Impact of a Visit to a Zoo or Aquarium."
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February 1, 2010
Hector's Dolphin: Still Declining
Though better protected than in the past, New Zealand's Hector's dolphin is still declining.



