Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium Terrible publicity - dolphin photo

[devilfish]

The 'Wildlife Photographer of the Year' Exhibition, held by the Natural History Museum in London (with BBC Wildlife Magazine and in association with Veolia Environnement) is a very prestigious exhibition, and always a pleasure to visit. It has been highly recommended on here several times.

This week I visited the exhibition at the Natural History Museum in Tring, and one of the photos surprised me. This photo by Huang-Ju Chen was taken at a large Japanese aquarium:

The dolphin show - Huang-Ju Chen - Veolia Environnement Wildlife Photographer of the Year

A quick internet search will bring up many similar photos.

The aquarium's name isn't mentioned online but I'm sure I saw it in the exhibition. I wouldn't like to post it unless someone else can confirm.

In a country which is a leader in marine animal husbandry, I was surprised to see such practices continuing. Does anyone know if this is a regular/accepted occurrence? Does it happen anywhere else?

 

[ocean_boy]

This is a common practice in some aquariums, especially in Asia. It might be done in other places but I'm not sure. This practice along with scuba diving while the animals are there, are generally used when there is no other pool available or when the animals can't leave the pool for any other reason.

Both methods are dangerous for the animals. Cleaning the empty pool while the dolphins are still in there can damage the animals' health if it's done for an extended period of time. It's not good for them to be unsupported for a long time because of the pressure that is created on their bodies and their skin might dried out. There are less problems if it's done in a short period of time, sometimes they are taken out of the water for a check up or for medical procedures.

However, I'm sure that it is very stressful for the animals whether if it's done during a long or short time. So, I think that every tank should have al least a secundary pool in order to avoid emptying the pool with the animals in it, and I think that animals should only be taken out of the water just when is stricly necessary.

 

[Chlidonias]

The aquarium's name isn't mentioned online but I'm sure I saw it in the exhibition. I wouldn't like to post it unless someone else can confirm.

this link says it is the Okinawa Churami Aquarium: STOMP - Singapore Seen - Tanks at overseas aquariums drained and cleaned -- with dolphins still inside (another similar photo on there from Taiwan).

The guy from The Cove says it happens at all of Japan's parks (he gives a figure of 51 parks): Heartbreaking Images of Dolphins in Drained Aquariums the Result of ?Routine? Practice, Says Ric O?Barry - Yahoo! News

 

[John Dineley]

The guy from The Cove says it happens at all of Japan's parks (he gives a figure of 51 parks): Heartbreaking Images of Dolphins in Drained Aquariums the Result of ?Routine? Practice, Says Ric O?Barry - Yahoo! News

I doubt if the practice of draining pools and leaving animals unattended is common in all 51 aquaria in Japan. They do have some rather good state-of-art aquariums and a number have multi-pool set-ups like Port Nagoya Aquarium and large life support water treatment systems (see picture below). Moreover, some facilities are sea-pens so draining those would be impossible.

I really would take anything that animal-rights activist Ric O’Barry says with caution. He made lots of claims in the film The Cove which have been revealed as dubious or misleading. See comments and videos HERE.

 

[Chlidonias]

I doubt if the practice of draining pools and leaving animals unattended is common in all 51 aquaria in Japan. They do have some rather good state-of-art aquariums and a number have multi-pool set-ups like Port Nagoya Aquarium and large life support water treatment systems (see picture below). Moreover, some facilities are sea-pens so draining those would be impossible.

I really would take anything that animal-rights activist Ric O’Barry says with caution. He made lots of claims in the film The Cove which have been revealed as dubious or misleading. See comments and videos HERE.

I treat with caution anything the animal rights brigade say

(My turn of phrase "the guy from The Cove", rather than using his actual name, was intended to convey that obliquely )

 

[devilfish]

I doubt if the practice of draining pools and leaving animals unattended is common in all 51 aquaria in Japan. They do have some rather good state-of-art aquariums and a number have multi-pool set-ups

I also read that the photo was taken at Okinawa Churaumi, which is why I expected that it would be one of those with a better arrangement. I understand that this sort of thing might happen in a dolphin circus, but even at one(/several??) of the world's top aquaria?
How are activists fixated on Morgan the orca in Tenerife, or Singapore's dolphins, when this is apparently quite common practice?

 

[Vulpes]

I also read that the photo was taken at Okinawa Churaumi, which is why I expected that it would be one of those with a better arrangement. I understand that this sort of thing might happen in a dolphin circus, but even at one(/several??) of the world's top aquaria?
How are activists fixated on Morgan the orca in Tenerife, or Singapore's dolphins, when this is apparently quite common practice?

Because Orcas make them more money through donations!