(PH) Traveling dolphin/sea lion show arrives for mall performances

[Guest guest]

Dolphin show starts today

Inquirer

November 29, 2006

 

TWO dolphins and two sea lions flew in from Indonesia on Monday night to star in

a series of shows that start today at a specially constructed venue in SM Mall

of Asia.

 

Yes, they flew—in special bags or hammocks, it turns out (they’re mammals; they

can stay out of water for up to three days, we are told). Then they were

transported straight to the Aquatorium for just over a full day's " rest " before

" The Wonderful World of Dolphins with the Sea Lions " commences.

 

The series goes on for 40 days (until Jan. 7, 2007) with five shows daily—11

a.m., 2 p.m., 4 p.m., 6 p.m. and 8 p.m.

 

Some more dolphin facts:

 

1) They can swim and sleep at the same time. For eight hours, their entire brain

is wide awake. Then the left hemisphere sleeps for the next eight hours while

the right stays up. Then the two sides switch. Thus, they stay alert for

predators.

 

2) Bottle-nosed dolphins—such as the ones performing here this season—are the

most common and famous specie of this intelligent cetacean. They are very

energetic and are never too shy to approach boats and swimmers.

 

3) Dolphins are very sociable animals and live in groups or pods of up to a

dozen individuals. In areas where food is abundant, the pods combine to form

huge superpods. They are known to " look after " pod-mates who get injured.

 

4) They are equipped with sonar, which allows them to detect underwater sound

even 15 miles away! They " talk " to each other with a variety of sounds like

clicks, squeals, and whistles. They also use ultrasonic sound to find objects, a

skill known as " echolocation. "

 

5) They are capable of imitation and memorization and can remember specific

tones better than humans!

 

The Aquatorium, just a stone's throw away from the Mall of Asia, is 12 feet wide

and 8 feet deep. The show promoters, Movers and Shakers, carry a permit from the

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora

(CITES).

 

Tickets prices are at P300 and P400. Call 551-8825, 416-2628 or (0916) 984-5255.

 

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Animal activists picket dolphin show in Metrowalk Pasig

Bayanihan

Sunday, December 09 2007

 

" Same cruel show. Different venue. "

 

Animal rights group gave this shout to the public on Sunday as they picketed the

Indonesian-based traveling dolphin show now at a new venue -– Metrowalk in Pasig

City.

 

Philippine Animal Welfare Society (PAWS) director Anna Cabrera said they are

extremely disappointed that Movers and Shakers is doing the same cruel show

again.

 

" We thought that they were sincere when they talked to us last year about not

doing this show again. However, we are glad that the SM Group of Companies has

kept its promise of not supporting such shows. This just shows that more and

more companies and mall owners are being enlightened about the inherent cruelty

of dolphin shows, " she said.

 

Cabrera lamented that traveling dolphin shows, compared to larger ocean parks,

are smaller and are actually temporary facilities where marine mammals, usually

dolphins and sea lions, perform for a time after which they are moved to their

next show location. The repeated transport of dolphins and other aquatic animals

are particularly stressful as these animals have to be immobilized for the

entire duration of the travel.

 

Earth Island Institute-Philippines (EII-Phils.) coordinator Trixie Concepcion

said that it is up to the enlightened citizenry to show that they will not

tolerate animal cruelty.

 

" We urged all animal loving Filipinos, specially those who really care for

dolphins, not to watch this show, " Concepcion said.

 

Concepcion added that their protest comes at a very opportune time as it is a

day before the International Human Rights Day.

 

" We want to enlighten everyone that animals also have the right not to be

subjected to any cruel treatment, just like humans, " she said.

 

To show the cruel side of such traveling dolphin shows, both EII and PAWS held a

mock dolphin show depicting how dolphins are starved in order to obey their

trainers and how they go blind after years of swimming in chlorinated water.

 

Toni Rose Gaida, PAWS Celebrity Volunteer said, " I am shocked to learn how

dolphins are treated in these shows. It pains me to know that they are taken

away from their families and made to perform unnatural acts for shallow

entertainment. People must understand that these animals have feelings, too. As

such, I am giving my full support to animal welfare groups and their advocacy

against dolphin shows. "

 

Gaida added, " As a part of the entertainment industry myself, I do hope that the

Philippines will join the ranks of countries that have already abandoned cruelty

in their entertainment industry. "

 

http://www.bayanihan.org/html/article.php/20071209142208502

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Animal rights groups rap Pasig dolphin show

Kristine L. Alave

Inquirer

12/09/2007

 

MANILA, Philippines--SEVERAL animal rights groups banded together Sunday and

called for a boycott of the traveling dolphin show at Metrowalk Shopping Center

in Pasig City, decrying what they called the inhumane treatment of its four show

animals.

 

About 25 members of the Philippine Animal Welfare Society, Earth Island

Institute-Philippines, Kalikasan Society and Agham held a mock dolphin show near

the gates of the Wonderful World of Dolphins to illustrate how the dolphins were

starved during their training.

 

The organizers of the show, however, insisted that their dolphins, Tooty and

Fruity, and sea lions, Jello and Jumbo, were well cared for.

 

Gogoy Avelino, an officer of producer Movers and Shakers Inc., said the dolphins

were bred in captivity and, if released in the ocean, would not survive. He said

they were fed regularly, given vitamins and received medical care.

 

Avelino said the show had a permit from the United Nations Convention on

International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Flora and Fauna.

 

He said that since he started bringing the show to the Philippines in the '80s,

no dolphin or sea lion has been hurt.

 

But Trixie Concepcion, EEI-Philippines coordinator, said the group learned

dolphins like those in the show were taken from the waters of Indonesia. She

said they were starved when they were taught tricks and then rewarded with food

when they learned the routines.

 

The group said traveling dolphin shows were smaller operations compared to ocean

parks and had inferior facilities. The pools were shallower and the water dirty

and chlorinated, causing blindness to saltwater creatures, they said.

 

Traveling and performing for crowds cause the animals much stress, the group

said in a statement.

 

They called on the public not to watch the show.

 

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