Action Alert

[Guest guest]

TAIWAN ACTION ALERT.

 

We have good reason to believe that Hualien Ocean Park (HOP) in Taiwan has

bought 24 to 26 dolphins from the infamous Taiji dolphin drives. We think that

nine of the dolphins from the original shipment of 20 died in the holding pools.

Others have died since the original shipment from Japan. Unfortunately, these

dolphin deaths have been kept quiet by the local government and the amusement

park. The local media is not reporting this tragedy, either. There seems to be a

media blackout on dolphin stories that might embarrass the amusement park that

advertises in the local media. Apparently, the local media does not want to

embarrass their " client. " It seems that the head of Taiwan's conservation task

force is not taking his job very seriously, for some reason. He needs to know

that there is an international marine mammal protection community that knows and

cares about these animals. That's why we need your help in contacting him. If

the Taiwan government sees that the world is watching, maybe justice will

prevail.

 

We are asking concerned NGOs to please take a minute to write a short note to

Mr. Kuo-Yun Fang, Chief of Taiwan's Conservation Task Force. Please ask him to

respond to the international request for the 2002 - 2005 COA approval and export

papers for dolphins that have entered Hualien Ocean Park.

 

Please also ask him the following questions:

 

1. Who is the dolphin supplier for this privately owned dolphinarium?

 

2. Were any of the dolphins that are being held, or have been held at Hualien

Ocean Park in the past, taken from Taiwanese waters? If the answer is " no, "

would Mr.Fang be willing to provide the necessary documentation for evidence of

their origin?

 

3. In addition, we would like to ask the Taiwan government to give permission

for Lee-Ann Ford, President and Founder of Linking Individuals for Nature

Conservation (LINC), to enter Hualien Ocean Park to inspect the dolphins. Ms.

Ford is representing our coalition of international marine mammal protection

NGOs. The inspection would serve the purpose of estimating whether or not

Hualien Ocean Park meets the internationally accepted standards for captive

marine mammals.

 

PLEASE WRITE TO: Mr. Fang at: kyfang

 

Please CC Lee-Ann Ford at: Lincngo

 

Thank you,

 

Richard O'Barry

Marine Mammal Specialist

One Voice-France

Miami Florida Office

305-6684834

ricobarry

www.onevoice-ear.org

www.savetaijidolphins.org

www.dolphinproject.org