World’s Last Remaining Traveling Dolphin Circus in Indonesia
Animal Equality is urging supporters to join the global protest against the last traveling dolphin circuses on earth.
Indonesia is the last country in the world where dolphins are used in traveling circus shows. Over 26 dolphins are held captive in small, plastic pools and hauled around the towns on the Indonesian island of Java. The continuous transportation of these sensitive and intelligent animals is causing such stress that many die.
Along with the dolphins, other animals such as baby sun bears, small-clawed otters, yellow-crested cockatoos and an orang-utan are forced to endure life in the circuses.
The organization Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) in Indonesia has been campaigning since 2009 to close the circuses after finding out that there have been deaths of a number of dolphins during performances and are organizing a worldwide day of action for Indonesia dolphins on March 10th 2012. Exactly a year after the day that the first dolphins should have been relocated to rehabilitation facilities.
The circus owners have repeatedly threatened activists, yet their fight continues to end this abuse. For information on how to organize or attend a demonstration at your nearest Embassy, email [email protected].
Three separate companies operate traveling dolphin shows on Java: Wersut Seguni Indonesia (WSI), Taman Safari Indonesia and Ancol. Most of the animals held captive are constantly ‘on the road’ but WSI also has a holding facility where more dolphins are kept to replace the animals that die. The owner of the travel show also sells dolphins to other commercial institutions throughout Indonesia.
Investigations have shown that the dolphins are caught from the sea. The forestry department in Indonesia has requested help from JAAN to rehabilitate and release the captive dolphins and set up a sea pen for the rehabilitation of the captive dolphins. However, the sea pen was constructed and the first dolphins were supposed to be relocated on March 10, 2011, but the operation was canceled by the Indonesian Forestry Department one hour prior to departure. It is believed that the influential circus owners have pressured the Government officials into taking no action. Since then the program has been on-hold and the Forestry Department keeps promising to release the dolphins. But as yet, nothing has been done to release the dolphins from their life of misery.
Animal Equality wants to see an end to the exploitation of dolphins and all other animals in zoos, marine parks, and circuses. We urge you to boycott any facility that holds animals captive and portrays them as clowns. Contrary to claims by the industry, dolphins and other animals do not enjoy performing, they want to be at home in their natural environment with others of their own kind.
What Else Can You Do:
• Send an email or letter (Please send a copy of all correspondence to [email protected]):
– The Indonesian Ambassador, His Excellency Mr. Yuri Octavian Thamrin [email protected]
The following Government officials in Indonesia:
Sekretaris Jenderal, Forestry Department
[email protected]
[email protected]
Inspector General Forestry Department
[email protected]
Governor of Jakarta
[email protected]
Director General Forestry Department
[email protected]
Minister of Forestry Department
[email protected]
