8 Misconceptions That Make Us Think Dolphin Shows Are Great Entertainment

The average lifespan of dolphins in the wild is 20 to 30 years, but in tanks and aquariums this lifespan is cut in half. Also, some animals can only live in the pool for a few years. Without the public knowing what is happening, many of those who die are replaced by “new ones”. After all, “the show must go on”. Several countries have banned dolphinarium activities, while in others this entertainment is considered normal. But often visitors simply don’t understand what really goes on behind the scenes at these attractions.

O awesome.club decided to find out what attracts visitors and what are the arguments used by advertisements and trainers to awaken the public’s interest. In addition, we compare this information with what actually happens to dolphins, belugas, orcas and other inhabitants of similar entertainment establishments. Maybe many things we found are impactful for you.

This statement mainly applies to bottlenose dolphins (or bottlenose dolphins), which are the most frequently used in entertainment shows. However, his “smile” is nothing more than the anatomical structure of the jawswhich creates the illusion of an always cheerful and friendly creature.

Indeed, dolphins do not like to entertain the public. They “smile” when they are satisfied, as well as when they feel very bad. After all, they just don’t know how to show that they are unhappy.

Skin Ulcers: See the ulcerated skin on Ula’s right pectoral fin.

For the disinfection of swimming pools, various chlorine-containing chemicals are usually used. By entering the water and interacting with the waste of marine inhabitants, they become compounds that poison animalscause various diseases and reduce your immunity.

If the chlorine concentration is too high, the water corrodes the eyes of the inhabitants of the pool. Animals literally go blind. This is why dolphins often swim with eyes closed, and sometimes it seems that they simply blink with joy. However, the chemical content may be insufficient to fight harmful bacteria, which is why the animals’ skin is covered with wounds that do not heal.

Dolphins move using echolocation. In small pools, the reflection of sound waves from the walls can seriously harm the animal’s psyche. If we add to this the loud music of the performance, the screams and applause, as well as the combination of other factors that affect these animals in captivity, it is obvious that they suffer constant stress.

Dolphins are wild mammals and their behavior can be unpredictable. Not only are they and the coaches at risk, so is the public. That is why in parks where these animals are shown, they are often used. antidepressants and tranquilizers🇧🇷 But sometimes it is not possible to prevent attacks.

In the wild, dolphins and orcas swim about 160 km a day and dive to great depths. No matter how large the artificial reservoirs in the largest aquariums may seem, the animals have access to less than 1% of the space they normally require for their existence in the natural environment. For these curious and intelligent creatures, the reservoir represents no incentive.

As a result, the animals are forced to swim in a circular fashion, which poses the threat of developing stereotyped behavior. Meaningless repetitive movements and “rituals” cause several psychological problems in dolphins. There were several cases where they started to self-mutilate🇧🇷

Long-term scientific studies have confirmed that the dolphin brain actually has a very sophisticated structure. In these animals, self-knowledge is present and they have amazing cognitive abilities. Their intelligence and complex behavior are not a myth.

However, the stunts they do in dolphinariums are based on motivation for food. In general, the daily food intake is divided into several servings, depending on the number of performances or training sessions, and animals are not fed before shows. In other words, they understand that, if they don’t stick to the program, they will simply go hungry. Incidentally, the quality of the presentations often leaves much to be desired because the inhabitants of the pools receive frozen food, such as dead fish, something they would never eat in their natural environment.

In the wild, dolphins spend most of their time and energy seeking and maintaining relationships. They live in groups, families. For these creatures, socialization is the most important part of a happy life. Keeping them in an enclosed space with others is like putting a person in a room with strangers they are forced to interact with. Forced loneliness destroys the animal’s psyche.

The trainer who prepared dolphins to film the popular television series flipper had to reconsider its position on captive keeping after one of her animals died of stress in her arms🇧🇷 These cases often make trainers decide to leave their work and start protecting the animals, opposing their capture and commercial exploitation. They often help reveal more details about the cetacean’s life in captivity.

As already mentioned, not even the largest reservoir is able to recreate the natural habitats of animals.
In the case of mobile dolphinariums, this is even more relevant, as they cause more stress and damage.
to the animals. During each transfer, they stay an average of 5 to 8 days in dark tanks, whose dimensions for transportation are usually not much larger than its own size. Also, they usually share the space with 2 or 3 other individuals at the same time.

Interestingly, this also increases the health risk for visitors to a mobile aquarium. The microflora of animals in captivity is especially dangerous for humans. Bacteria and pathogens can be easily transmitted through touch, for example, when taking a photo with one of these animals — or even through splashed water (the quality of which in mobile dolphinariums is much worse), when observing the spectacle from the front row.

Dolphin therapy often includes swimming with animals and, on certain occasions, various educational exercises, in a program that involves several sessions. Dolphins are actively involved in the promotion and advertising of this service, especially for children who need treatment — it is not uncommon for the application to be made up to six months in advance.

Studies that show the benefits of dolphin therapy often do not take into account that
its possible effect is short-lived and similar to placebo. Most of the time it is related to the emotion produced by the trip, new environments, attention and special expectations, as well as the action of the “smile” of the dolphins and their friendliness. One of the arguments against therapy with these cetaceans is their sporadic attacks during activities like this.

There are many documentaries that reveal the secrets of this business. For example, the Oscar-winning film, the cove🇧🇷 However, even after seeing it, there are those who claim that if all the animals are released, they will soon die.

Therefore, nothing will change if people continue to visit aquariums with these animals. Despite the risks, it is possible to adapt cetaceans after captivity to their natural environment, although in reality it is difficult and requires a lot of effort and time. Probably not worth looking for an excuse to buy a ticket to such an attraction. Share this article with those who don’t know about it yet.

Have you ever been to dolphin shows? Would you like to go back after reading this post?