Dolphin shows make people, especially children, happy. But actually, dolphin shows mean miserable life for dolphins because they are removed from their natural habitat which is the ocean and separated from their families.
In Japan, the annual dolphin hunt in the village of Taiji, made infamous by an award-winning documentary The Cove, starts September 1 to March of next year. It is authorized by the government.
An article in Al Jazeera says, “During these six month-long hunting seasons, dolphin hunters utilize drive hunt techniques to herd large numbers of dolphins to shore, resulting in their capture or death.”
The article also says “Dolphins form strong family bonds, moving together to protect the young and old who cannot swim fast enough when chased by hunters. Dolphins are also generally gentle and do not attack humans even to defend themselves. This makes it easy for hunters to catch entire pods.”
On Sept. 1, Filipino marine wildlife advocates, fisherfolk and environment activists, in solidarity with Japanese people staged a protest rally in front of the Japanese Embassy in Manila to protest the Taiji dolphin hunt and the dumping of the Fukushima radioactive wastewater dumping into the Pacific Ocean.
The rallyists dramatized their protest by wearing dolphin costumes and mock anti-radiation gear.