"Dolphinarium plans create major protest"

[cheers]

Public safety is paramount!!  It is mostly children that love the idea of 'Swimming with dolphins'!  How would parents feel if they knew the facts after their child got sick or had a chemical reaction or was even attacked by one of the dolphins? - I would not let any person, let alone a child enter that 'Pond'.
People must be advised of these lack of standards before they buy a ticket! (Hope it never happens) As far as I can see the advice now must come from hotels/rentals/bars/retaurants etc etc. when asked to they must point out the dangers.  But as an earlier post said a bar 200m away didn't even know it was there?
Anything else we can do Judith?  Anymore people we can contact?

[peecee]

Would agree with Judith and Cheers. The environment, size of pool, conditions etc will undoubtably stress the Dolphins and, IMO, make it rather dangerous to 'swim' with them (one of the reasons their teeth are filed?) I'm not saying they would bite but being butted by one of them could/would cause damage especially to a child.  Even the most placid of animals can snap if upset.
Perhaps this would be the way to go now?
The pool is going to be finished no matter what so perhaps we could concentrate on it being left empty?  Concentrating on those who will issue the licences etc?

[cheers]

Just got this off FB:
Just been 'voyeuring' on the Caliş forum (am not a member) - comments re: public safety. Just thought I'd chip in that a couple of weeks ago I watched a doc. on nat. geo. wild about captive dolphins (male & female) attacking people who were swimming with them. One of the main reasons for the attacks was because the p...oor frustrated creatures were making sexual overtures towards their 'guests' but didn't get the desired response.....Wonder how many dads would be happy to let their daughters (or sons) in the water if they were aware of that!!!!!!
Another reason for the 'Pond' not to open!!

[heather07]

Recieved a reply from Born Free Zoo Check team
(Edited to relevant bits)

Dear Heather,

Thank you very much for taking the time to contact the Born Free Foundation with your concerns regarding the new dolphinarium being built in Hisaronu, Turkey. Please accept my apologies for the delay in replying to you.

Travellers' reports enable us to prioritise our actions.

On issues regarding whales and dolphins, Born Free works closely with the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS). Together we are working to try and address the issues affecting dolphins in captivity and urge for these facilities to be phased out, so news of this new dolphinarium being built in Hisaronu was very sad indeed. It's heartening to know that many residents and regular holiday makers to the area feel so strongly about this issue. Sadly, dolphinariums which offer ‘swim with' activities are big business and bring in a lot of revenue, so they can be very hard to tackle. We have written to express our concerns to the Governor of Mugla and the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment etc, as have other organisations, including WDCS. Born Free is also in discussion with our contacts in the travel industry as some of them have also expressed their concerns re this new facility.

Once again many thanks for contacting us and for the information you have provided. It will take all our combined efforts to bring about the changes we seek. Together we can make the world a better place for wild animals!

Sarah Jefferson

Zoo Check Assistant

Born Free Foundation

Tel: +44 (0)1403 240170

Fax: +44 (0)1403 327838

Email: sarahj@bornfree.org.uk

Web: www.bornfree.org.uk

[Rosy]

Have just received a request to sign a petition to prevent whaling becoming legal by the Avaaz organisation so have e mailed them to ask for their support for this campaign. Hope this is useful.

[peecee]

Following on from my last post I can't help but feel that we now need to 'target' those who will have influence over the opening of this pool.  Time is running out at it seems to me we've lost steam.  Problem is that I've lost the plot as to who is whom?
Who will issue these certificates, who has/can influence these people?  Is it the Governor, the WWF etc. etc
It must be very close to them opening and putting the Dolphins in.  Can anyone supply a list of who is influential, who we need to contact etc.?
Then, if we start contacting them en masse (bombarding is the word I think!) then perhaps, we can stop it.
Cheers and Nichola, you seem to be on the ball, can you help direct us?

[peecee]

Sorry for posting back to back but IMO one of the main issues that needs to be emphasised is safety.  They are big, strong animals that could, if unhappy or provoked, kill.  I'm not saying they would!

[cheers]

Its a big task Peecee but will make a start on info which is on TripAdvisor first.  If anyone else can help please do!:D
Don't know how many are still valid tho'
the e mail address for Olu Deniz Beldiye Başkan,Kerramettin Yilmaz,is
baskan@oludeniz.bel.tr
Fax-0090 616 6387
Olu Deniz and Hisarönü come under the province of Mugla so here is the e mail address and details for the Mugla Vali(Province Governor) who is called Dr.Ahmet Altiparmak
mugla@icisleri.gov.tr
Fax-0090 252 214 3188
These are all the members of parliament for the area
ali.arslan@tbmm.gov.tr
gurolergin@tbmm.gov.tr
yuksel.ozden@tbmm.gov..tr
fevzi.topuz@bmm.gov.tr
Hurriyet Daily News,editor in chief,David Judson
david.judson@hurriyet.com.tr
Todayszaman,Chief exectutive Officer,Ekrem Dumanli
e.dumanlitodayszaman.com

turkeytourism@redmintcomms.co.uk
rebecca@redmintcomms.co.uk

Dr. Ahmet Altiparmak mugla@icisleri.gov.tr

WDCS, Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society
cathy.williamson@wdcs.org

FETAV website http://fetav.com/en

Thomas Cook-thomascook.com or 0871 895 0038
First Choice-pressoffice@firstchoice.co.uk
Thomsons-24-7@thomson.co.uk or 0844 871 0878
monarch(Cosmos)-monarch.co.uk

the address for the Mugla Province Agriculture and Rural Affairs.
The top man is Ahmet Dalli
Fax- 0090 252 214 1242
e mail info@mugla-tarim.gov.tr

mehdieker@tarim.gov.tr

cites@cevreorman.gov.tr

Will stop for now as feeling tooooo sad!![!][!][!]

[nichola]

Peecee - been meaning to go through all the different topics on this and pull together a current list but have been a bit distracted recently.

Next week I will sit down with Judith and go through all her contacts (she has some that haven't been listed) and any from these topics and put a current list together and maybe recommended action.

I am hoping as well to find out what happened with the David Bellamy meeting as have been left out of the loop on this while she has been in the UK. I do know this was discussed with him but what he said and if he was interested in getting involved I do not know...

We may also write something for Fethiye Times. I talked to them and they will print if we write it.

The work does go on but I do agree we need to re focus and not forget our aim to stop this...

[cheers]

Don't know if I posted this reply on here - as Peecee has said there is no single place anyone can go to get the relevant information.
Got the following reply from the Turkish Embassy in London:
Would you please contact Ministry of Environment as this is the related body for the issues like your concerns mentioned in your e-mail. T.C. Cevre ve Orman BakanligiDoga Koruma ve Milli Parklar Genel Müdür...lügü (Republic of Turkey Ministry of Environment and ForestyGeneral Directorate of Nature Conservation and National Parks) Address: Sogutozu Caddesi No:14/E06560 Bestepe-AnkaraTurkey Fax: + 90 312 207 59 59 E-mail: cites@cevreorman.gov.tr Sincerely yours, Mert SunarFirst Economic Counsellor Turkish EmbassyOffice of the Economic Counsellor43 Belgrave SquareLondon SW1X 8PASee More
One more to e mail if I missed it