FYI
article from the Mugla news agency on 02 07 2010
http://www.haberajans.com/habereGit.php?haberUrl=http://www.haberler.com/yunuslar-rahat-ingilizler-rahatsiz-2120354-haberi/Basically this news item endeavours to refute much of the Sun's article and has a short video. The young lad from the dolphinarium states that contrary to what was said they have not yet obtained a licence to operate and they have just been training and getting the dolphins used to their new quarters. Keramettin states that according to the vets authorised by the Kaymakam (area governor) the dolphins are happy and healthy, although he has not yet received a written report to this effect.
Whilst the Sun article states they are in ‘a hotel swimming pool' ‘are being tortured' and ‘are depressed' this article states that this is not in fact the case. They have become used to their new environment and appear settled. The article (allegedly) stated they were for the amusement of tourists, but in fact they are to be used for therapeutic purposes. (yes I know, but don't attack the quoter!). The Russian owner goes on to suggest that the English are infuriated by/jealous of the closeness of the Russians to the Turks and that is why they make this exagerated type of news! (Well now we have heard it all!) ‘The hotel swimming pool' is in fact 11 x 22 metres and 4.5 metres deep, a depth well above world standards. (so this makes it alright then!?)
The article suggest that the dolphins suffered during transport and will suffer from surrounding noise levels, A Kuznetsov states this is simply not true! He goes on to suggest that 2 or 3 English people see this park area in Hisaronu as their village and want to control any other business done there. (hang on to the BP there is more) ‘and when you investigate this claim that over 7,000 have joined the protest, you can see it has been sourced by only 3 pc's' meaning only really about 3 folk are upset (well he did say this before the walk!). Kuznetov goes on to say ‘I have made a serious investment in tourism, this protest about the dolphins welfare is not really about them, it is about destroying my tourism business, I love my dolphins they are part of my family how could I hurt them?' then the article goes on about the therapy not entertainment argument, about waiting for licence to operate and about how it only took 2 days for the dolphins to settle down.
Keramettin states that when he gets clearance from the agriculture and environment department the council will issue a licence for the dolphinarium to trade - unfortunately he does refer to them as fish! And he goes on to say he is satisfied that these ‘fish' are healthy and happy.
article from the Hurriyet newspaper today
http://hurarsiv.hurriyet.com.tr/goster/ShowNew.aspx?id=15210907This article reports a ‘silent protest' to free the 2 male dolphins that had been brought to a park in Hisaronu and stated the nearly 1,000, people, mainly foreigners joined the protest asking for freedom for the dolphins. It recorded the ‘born free, live free' slogan on the t shirts and said that local businesses' supported the protest with banners and applause.
They reported a short row between Savaş Taşdemir a worker at the D park and Oktay Tirli from Tema, when S T reportedly said they were prepared to take the dolphins back to the sea if anything happened to them (not clear what was really meant). The article went on to report the address given by ªule Beder when she pleaded that folk did not believe the claim that any dolphins could possibly be happy in a concrete cage and more words to that effect. Then they reported the speech by Nigel Smith about dolphin's need to live in their natural environment and about the strength of feeling against this dolphinarium. The article concludes that the gendarmerie had no problems with this largely silent and peaceful protest and that after the press had been notified it dispersed without problem
