Ölüdeniz to get its first dolphinarium

[c1]

has anyone a phote of the developement?

[Manzarali]

Newspapers receive thousands of emails daily, a great many from cranks.  If emails have been sent repeating some of the comments (and gross libels) made here then they would go into the waste bin.

A calmly worded email, inviting the newspaper to look at this site and Facebook etc (giving the e-addresses) so they may see for themselves how strong feeling is, will produce a response.

If someone has sent such an email then, if it is quoted here, it can be copied and sent out again under individuals' names.  Mass emailing is very effective, even when it is just a repeat of someone else's.  All newspapers of course, by no means just the Mirror.

A separate mass emailing can be made to Thompsons, Thomas Cook et al and that fact can be added to the emails to newspapers.  It gives the newspapers a "home" story, not just something in a relatively minor tourist resort two thousand miles away.

Remember too, newspapers check their information before reacting, that takes time.

[skipking]

When i have emailed to various newspapers etc i have forwarded the link to the original newspaper article,and the said facebook pages but as you say they probably receive so many emails in one day.
I have just emailed GMTV but again dont hold out much hope.
I think to be fair everybody is trying  but i worry we may be too late? Is there any more news on a peaceful protest that somebody mentioned?

[Scunner]

You can also join the Turkish protest Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/pages/YUNUS-PARKLARI-KAPATILSIN/340170370958?ref=nf

[heather07]

Done,  is that link on the other facwebook page?

[brianthegardener]

yes Heather

[cheers]

I have received a reply from Cathy Williamson at WDCS with the attached letter sent today!

 

Brookfield House
38 St. Paul Street
Chippenham SN15 1LJ
UK
Tel: + 44 1249 449 500
Fax: + 44 1249 449 501
www.wdcs.org
Registered Charity No. 1014705


Dr. Ahmet Altiparmak
Mugla Valiligi,
Mugla / Turkey
mugla@icisleri.gov.tr

cc: Ministry of Environment and Forestry, Environment Protection Authority, Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs

15th March 2010

Dear Dr. Altiparmak

I am writing on behalf of WDCS, the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society, to express our concerns at reports that a pool is proposed for construction at Hisarönü, Ölüdeniz in Turkey to hold two bottlenose dolphins. The proposed pool covers a tiny area less than the size of a swimming pool and is located adjacent to a noisy disco that will cause a great deal of disturbance to the animals. Reports also suggest that salt will be added to tap water for the dolphins to live in. This would be a wholly inadequate quality of water for them. We respectfully ask you not to allow the construction of this facility to go ahead.
 
WDCS is an international charity with offices in the UK, USA, Germany, Argentina and Australia and is the largest of its kind in the world. Established in 1987, it now has more than 80,000 members and supporters. WDCS is dedicated to the conservation and welfare of all whales, dolphins and porpoises and is at the forefront of efforts to provide a secure future for these enigmatic creatures. We have funded research into the captivity debate over the past decade and we are an internationally-respected resource on this issue.

The effects of captivity on dolphins
 
Confinement in captivity of dolphins and other cetaceans can alter their behaviour so radically that captives cannot depict a true sense of their species. Dolphins are free-living creatures used to travelling many tens of kilometres a day. In captivity they are forced into relative idleness in an artificial environment where their behaviour is controlled and subdued by humans. They are made to interact with species and individuals they would normally avoid in the wild and whose presence may cause them stress and discomfort and who may display aggression towards them or provoke aggressive behaviour in them. Such displays of character may also occur between dolphin and human visitor or trainer. Captive displays can never truly demonstrate the complex lives of whales and dolphins nor the natural environment they are designed to inhabit.
 
These facts are supported by the Australian Senate Select Committee on Animal Welfare, who, in their report of 1985, found that cetaceans in captivity suffered stress, behavioural abnormalities, high mortalities, decreased longevity and breeding problems.
 
Confinement in captivity can seriously compromise the welfare and survival of all types of cetacean. A study was undertaken for the International Marine Mammal Association in 1997 to compare the survival rates of captive and free-ranging cetacean species. This study revealed that the annual survival rate and calculated life expectancy of free-ranging bottlenose dolphins were significantly higher than those derived for captives, in each data set.  

Transportation risks health and welfare

The dolphins proposed for display at Hisarönü are currently held at Kaş and are proposed for seasonal transportation between the two facilities. Such transportation could seriously endanger the health and welfare of the dolphins concerned. A paper published by Marine Mammal Science in 1995 by Small and DeMaster  looked at the acclimation to captivity of bottlenose dolphins. The study showed that when transferred between two captive institutions, bottlenose dolphins acclimated in the same amount of time as when first transferred from the wild. Acclimation from the wild can result in stress-induced illness and even premature death. If dolphins are suffering similar ill-effects after being transferred between facilities, this suggests that transport is a real health concern.

Turkey, tourism and the need for strict legislation

Following an article in 2008 in the UK national newspaper, the Mirror, which raised concerns about conditions at another of Turkey's dolphinariums, this time at Balik, Europe's biggest tour operator, TUI, stopped sales of tickets to the dolphinarium to its customers. TUI has subsequently ceased ticket sales to two further dolphinaria in Antalya, again due to conditions at the facilities. We are concerned that conditions are similar in many Turkish dolphinaria and ask you to do all you can to address the welfare and conservation issues relating to the captivity of dolphins in Turkey by implementing strict legislation for the keeping of dolphins in captivity and preventing the establishment of a dolphinarium in Hisarönü .

Thank you very much for your time and consideration of these issues of importance to dolphin welfare and conservation.

Yours sincerely,

 

Cathy Williamson
Captivity Programme Manager
WDCS, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
Email: cathy.williamson@wdcs.org

[heather07]

I recieved that reply from WDCS, now deleted it as someone else has put one on.

save the bandwidth ....oh no I am now a serial protester

[one world]

got same reply too...

we could all re write personlised versions of the letter and FAX to mugla - clog up their fax machines and get them working overtime for a few days - not so easy to ignore as an email which can just be deleted.

I'm hoping that they have someone that can translate the English to Turksih though!

Oh! this is me Nichola not Dogan he's cooking dinner

[kaptainkrunchie]

Have just come past the Hole of Shame. Now the shuttering is in for the concrete the hole is substantially smaller than it appears on the previous pics. Even less room for the dolphins now.
Will try and get some new pics tomorrow.