Swimming with Dolphins
 

I'm going to Hawaii (10 days Maui, 2 days Oahu) for my honeymoon in March and really want to swim with dolphins. I've read that there is an aquarium in Oahu that offers it but it is quite pricey and they don't guarantee the dolphins will cooperate. Does anyone know of any other place where I can do this in Hawaii? Thanks!

Here is a link to dolphin quest for the Kahala Mandarin Oriental on Oahu.
http://www.dolphinquest.org/destinations/oahu/
:S-
Suggest donning flame resistant apparel as some fodorites object to interspecies interaction.

Given that dolphins are, after all, animals, I can't imgine anyone could *guarantee* their cooperation with some silly human.

Dolphins are trained by food depravation. If they are hungry, they will cooperate, just to get fed. NOT because they enjoy being penned up and being fed dead fish to do a few tricks and 'swim with you'. This is a very cruel industry. I wish you would reconsider.
You do know that OVER half of all dolphins captured for 'swim parks' that survive their violent capture will die within 90 days, right?
You do know that every seven years, half of all dolphins in captivity, whether captured or born in captivity die from capture shock, pneumonia, interstinal disease, ulcers, chlorine poisoning and other stress related illnesses, right? You do know that some even commit suicide, right? They hold their breaths until they suffocate because they can no longer stand the stress of capture confinment and doing tricks to get fed.
Please do some research. If you really love dolphins, you won't pay money to swim with them and keep this horrible industry alive so that more will be captured and die.

JohnD is right, there have been plenty of heated debates about this in the past.

I believe that people can make up their own minds (whether in my opinion it happens to be the wrong decision they come to!). Unfortunately, I don't know anything about doing this in Hawaii but I found the attached link quite interesting reading when some of my friends wanted to do this:

http://www.dolphinproject.org/index.cfm

I am no greenpeace fanatic, but the first time I saw one of those swim with dolphins set ups in the Caribbean I was disgusted beyond words.
These programs are just plain cruel.
Dolphins are beautiful, gentle, highly intelligent animals and if you are insightful you'll see exactly what all the fuss is about.
You don't have to look very far benerath the circus veneer to figure out what's really going on with these dolphins.

I would ask you to please reconsider the dolphin swim. They are incredibly cruel. I did it once and was sorry ever since. No matter how clean or nice it looks, more than half of the dolphins die within 60 to 90 days of capture.
In order to make an informed decision, please visit:

http://dolphinproject.org/

http://www.hsus.org/ace/11727

(The second site is the Humane Society of the United States' position on SWTD programs.)

While I have heard horror stories about the dolphin swims in the Carribean, and I would never consider participating in one there, I think that most would agree that the experience for humans and dolphins are quite different in Hawaii. My son participated in a dolphin encounter at the Hilton Waikaloa village. I recall that the dolphins were long term residence. It was very well supervised with many trainers in the water and a lecture prior to entering the water about appropriate behavior. The dolphin encounter at Florida's Seaworld also has a good reputation. The fact that the facility in Oahu can't guarantee cooperation seems to be a very positive thing. If the dolphin doesn't want to participate, he won't and that is okay.

A related link considering the above:
http://www.susanscott.net/OceanWatch2000/apr17-00.html

Consider this one. When on Kona several years ago we went out on a sailboat with several other couples. During the sail we had some dolphins come up beside the boat. We were in about 200 feet of water. The captain encouraged us to don snorkel gear and go for a swim. A short while later (while looking into the depths) we saw a number of dolphin headed right for us. I had an underwater camera and took many pictures. Two came right to me (wearing a half wet suit) and hung up on either side of me. The one on the left came close and nudged me. It turned out to be the most exciting thing that has happened to me on several trips to Hawaii. I am hoping to repeat this adventure another year. This was positively not a "forced" action for the dolphins -- they were completely wild and we were in open ocean and it was their choice. What a thrill!

DawnCt,
There is no way to tell if a dolphin is a 'long time residence' in any park, because when they die, they often give the replacement the same name. They can't be telling people that the dolphins die, so this is a 'new' one, can they? Fact is dolphins in the wild can live to be 40-45 years old. A report at www.captivitystinks.org shows that of the 31 dolphins they have had at the Dolphin Research Center in Florida, only 8 lived to be 18 years old, 3 lived to 10 years, 7 lived to 5 years and 13 lived less than one year. The experience for the humans and dolphins is no better in Hawaii.
And no matter how many trainers they have, the dolphins are STILL captive, are still trained by food depravation and suffer the same fate as all mammals in captivity. Same with Florida. Of course they will give a lecture about appropriate behavior, etc, as they are wild animals and are VERY strong. None the less, accidents do happen. There was a recent article of a woman in a swim program in Cancun that was hurt by a dolphin penning her up against the pool's wall. I'm very happy your son had a good experience, but was it worth the animals death? I think not.

JohnD,
I found many things about Susan's article disturbing.
First, she is comparing dolphins to domesticated dogs. Dolphins are NOT domesticated animals. Even if they are born in the parks, they are still born with the same physiological characteristics as those of their wild co-species. Confinment violates a dolphin's most fundamental behavioral requirements, regardless of whether the dolphin was captured from the wild or born in captivity.
Second, the dolphins smile cannot be changed. That is the way they are, but look behind the dolphin smile and they are not happy in captivity.
She says she watched them in their pool, barely moving. Of course! What else can they do? In the wild they swim many, many miles each day, exploring their world, playing, and feeding. Where can they go in their 'pool' that has already been explored a hundred times and nothing changes. They can't even feed themselves, as the only time they are fed is when they are 'rewarded' for doing their tricks. That is why the dolphins got so excited when the trainers come around. They are looking for FOOD, not friendship.
As far as rest periods, that is a mandatory rule brought on by government, not by the parks. The fact is, the 'playtime' is stressful for the dolphins so the parks in the US HAVE to give the dolphins at least a two hour rest period per day. Unfortunately, other countries don't have these regulations. Most likely, the dolphins that seemed to want to get out and play were just still hungry.

Reply to Ally,
I suspect this is a waste of time and apologize as it is unrelated to travel, but I think intelligent animals can adapt to their environment and am not convinced that dolphins in the wild are so much better off with propellors, sharks, parasites, and disease to contend with, especially when I think about the wild dogs or malnourished and diseased cats I have adopted and <i>increased</i> the lifespan of. Also, I do not think it is fair to lump all organizations involved with human&amp;animal interactions into a simple black and white issue. :?

Believe me animals DO NOT need human intervention to ensure their survival......all humans ever end up doing is creating the imbalance of most species.

I used to work at DolphinQuest - trust me, the last thing they care about is the wellbeing of these helpless creatures. Sadly, anyone that supports rodeos, the circus, and captive dolphin shows doesn't really give a damn about any of these creatures that have been subjected to a cruel and sad existence merely for the entertainment of selfish humans and their SPOILED brats!!!!

Dolphins in these so called swim programs also are exposed to human germs and diseases which shorten their life spans. And why would Hawaii be any different than the Carribean? They are exploiting animals just like the Carribean and making a profit off of their misery.

Another thing which I totally don't get is Greyhound racing. I watched a National Geographic special on Greyhounds the other day and was appalled at the conidtions they were kept in and bred, not to mention the fact that if they don't win money they are euthanised. They showed healthy 2 year old greyhounds being put to sleep because they weren't fast enough, then they were thrown onto the bed of a truck filled with dead dogs. Turned my stomach.

JohnD,
Adopting a wild dog or cat IS making their life better. Taking a free ranging wild animal from the wild is not. Marine parks maintain that they enhance the lives of marine mammals in captivity by protecting them from the rigors of the natural environment. The truth is that marine mammals have evolved physically and behaviorally to survive these rigors. For example, nearly every kind of marine mammal, from sea lions to dolphins, travel large distances daily in search of food. In captivity, natural feeding and foraging patterns are completely lost. Stereotyped behaviors, such as pacing and self-mutilation, and abnormal aggression toward conspecifics and humans frequently develop in predators denied the opportunity to forage. Other natural behaviors, such as those associated with dominance, mating and maternal care are altered significantly in captivity. Captive marine mammals gradually experience the atrophy of many natural behaviors. Viewing captive animals gives people a false picture of the animals 'natural' life. Worse yet, it desensitizes people to captivities inherent cruelties. For virtually all of the captive marine mammal population, the world is a tiny enclosure and life is devoid of naturalness.
As for disease, the dolphins in these parks do not have a 'natural' LIVE fish diet. Their food has to be heavily fortified with vitamins and antibiotics. These antibiotics can cause a fungus growth (just as some antibiotics can cause a yeast infection in women) that will literally rot the dolphin from inside-out. That would never happen in the wild. Sharks are a natural predators, but the only other real problems that free marine mammals have are pollution and tuna nets. Both of which are caused by man. Taking a few of these mammals and putting them in captivity is NOT going to help with these problems.

As far as dolphins are concerned, no 'dolphin swim' will ever compare to seeing them in the wild. I've seen them by the thousands and it is a thrill every time.

I don't think anyone is making up the fact that keeping these wonderful beautiful amazing animals in captivity is shortening their lifespan. Believe it, don't support it. It is illegal in most states to have dolphins in captivity.

buckeymom, along with greyhounds, did you realize 50,000 thoroughbred race horses are put to death each year?

These are senseless horrible stupid cruel deaths.

SintraX,
I'm producing a documentary on captive dolphins. I would LOVE to film you about your experience with Dolphin Quest. Let me know if you'd be willing to participate. It's a Non-Profit, so I can't pay you, but we can mask your face out if you wanted to remain anonymous.

Buckeyemom, I TOTALLY agree about the Greyhounds. Despicable!

I didn't realize that many thoroughbreds were put down every year. I lived in Lexington, KY for a number of years and I know that that is big business down there and the smaller farms are getting gobbled up by huge conglormorates. Like the Greyhounds they can only adopt out so many. It's really a shame. I know the Amish here in Ohio buy a lot of the harness horses who can no longer race to use as buggy horses.

Reply to Ally,
I can agree that human activity poses the greatest immediate threat to dolphins, but also think that the limited number of dolphin interactions raise awareness (not many people have an opportunity to see a dolphin in the wild) and go farther at promoting concern for other life on the planet that would for example stop Flipper from ending up on a dinner plate <i>(still OK with some cultures and I would speculate a significant more number end up in nets than in dolphin interaction programs)</i> and may help prevent people from tossing mercury down the drain or in common refuse.

With regard to free ranging, I think a wild animal that had a choice of food nearby versus ranging and burning calories for food far away (&amp; perhaps less time for mating) does not make biological sense.

I am not informed of nutritional
differences between dead versus live fish but suggest pondering about how the live fish being eaten by the dolphin feels. :?

JohnD, that last remark about how live fish feel being eaten by dolphins is just silly. No one can prevent death, nor should anyone want to, and being eaten by something bigger than oneself is nature's balancing act in action. Dolphins eat fish and are in turn eaten by orcas--that's natural. Being kept in a tank and fed dead stuff and exposed to new germs--profoundly unnatural. Anyone who wants to swim with dolphins under those conditions has rocks in the head.

Reply to E,
By the same logic some (not myself) might argue that we should eat dolphins because we are smarter and can catch them.

JohnD, I disagree about people not being able to see dolphins in the wild. If you get to a place that has a dolphin swim, you are close enough to the ocean to see them.

I was walking down the beach the other morning and watched a pod that were about 100 yards from shore. The tourists didn't notice them I'm guessing because they didn't know to look.

You can also view them off piers.

JohnD,
There are over 2,000 captive dolphins in the world today, but the number is increasing yearly, because thousands of people go to see them and 'swim with them', all paying their money and making this a billion dollar industry. Does this raise awareness for the dolphins? No.
These parks say they provide valuable education and teach people respect for nature. But, the principle education componet at these parks comes from the 'shows' where the animals perform tricks. This so called education is often inaccurate, incomplete and misleading. Marine mammals cannot behave normally in a situation that deprives them of their natural habitat and social structure. Patrons witness and learn about abnormal behavior. The real message conveyed is not one of respect but rather that it's all right to abuse nature. They may tell you about the size of the animal, in weight and lenght. That's about it. They fail to mention the distances travelled and the depth they dive in the wild. They cannot mention these facts to you because you may wonder, for instance, that if Orcas (yes, Orcas are actually the largest dolphin, NOT whales) dive to depths of several hundred feet, you might wonder what they do in 20 or 30 feet deep pools.
Oceanariums argue they are a unique opportunity for the children to be in contact with Orcas and dolphins. Fact is, the only thing that those companies &quot;teach&quot; our children is the &quot;ability&quot; of humans to abuse wild animals just to obtain economical profit.
The future conservation of the marine mammal environment depends on the way we educate our children. We must teach them to respect nature of which we are a part and this concept cannot be learned from the contact with captive animals. Visiting a place where animals are enslaved and murdered just for amusement is not a positive learning experience for our children. There are more and more opportunities to see dolphins in the wild everyday, as people are finally being educated on the cruel aspect of captive dolphins. You CAN see them in the wild, as they really are, not as freaks we have created for profit.

Reply to Ally,
I respectfully disagree with your position. I do not honestly believe interacting with dolphins in the wild is a better option and have heard this kind of activity might potentially disrupt larger numbers of dolphins in their &quot;normal habitat&quot; over interacting with a limited number in a educational marine park.

Reply to GoTravel, I live along the mid-atlantic east coast, frequent the shore and have never seen a dolphin from the mainland, except when visiting Florida.

I leave with this sad link concerning dolphin statistics:

http://www.ecocities.net/Article389.html

Curious; tjs522, still want to swim with the dolphins?

i second wuwuwu's question.
i'm also interested in finding out if everyone who's so strongly against swimming with dolphins are also strongly against zoos? same concept, no? and i'm not trying to make a point, i really want to know if people see a difference or not.
fyi, i've never swam with dolphins and not interested in doing so.

I'll bite on that question.
I'm very much against the dolphin programs for all the reasons cited above, and while zoos are (generally) much less harmful to the animals, I still have a hard time enjoying some parts of some zoos due to the captivity issues.
The zoos with free range areas (Wild Animal Park in San Diego for example) don't bother me much.
Zoos with obvious animal crowding bother me.
But in general, zoo operators are more easily scrutinized and the animals are better treated than in the dolphin programs.
There are always exceptions on both sides, of course.

RE: Seeing dolphins from shore. It IS possible. I'm looking at a pod in the waves right now from my desk (my office is on a bluff overlooking the beach in Santa Monica, CA). Ocean conditions may drive dolphins closer or farther from shore-- and right now, they're close (less than 100 yards from shore).

thank you tedturner...
i'm torn about the zoo thing. having lived in africa and done the safari thing, it's hard for me to do zoos (i refuse to do circus). i personally would not do zoos or aquariums but i have a young son and i want him to be educated about animals (since we're not in africa anymore, we can't do the &quot;au natural&quot; thing!).
so bottom line, i do feel hypocritical about complaining about one thing but doing something other that i think is pretty similar. we're splitting hairs, aren't we?

You can see dolphin pods almost every day off the shore in the Outer Banks. They follow the fish up and down the shoreline. I've also seen whales though much less frequently.

There are also a couple of local companies that do dolphin watching trips soundside in a flat bottom boat. That's a great way to see them up close and personal. Did you know that dophins can swin in water less than two feet deep?

Reply to obxgrl:
Thanks for the interesting dolphin swimming fact. I have been on about half a dozen whalewatches off Long Island and never seen a whale, or a dolphin, only a sunfish, which are very large unlike the kind you find in lakes. Since we started visiting Stellwagen Bank of Massachusetts, we have seen humpbacks on every outing, but I cannot recall seeing a dolphin. On our last whalewatching trip, I provided video to aid in the documentation/ID of a whale caught up in fishing gear. :S-

TedTurner....about the zoos....I couldn't have said it better myself. That is exactly how I feel about them.

JohnD,
We'll just have to agree to disagree!

Happy Holidays everyone!

Some of you may know I've done the dolphin swim at Discovery Cove. That was before I knew any better. I definitely would NOT do it again and ashamed to have participated. After we left Orlando we went to Sanibel. Dolphins everywhere! They even swim pretty close to you - atleast they did to us! Very cool and a much better experience for everyone involved.
Earlier this summer I saw them in Folly Beach which is just outside Charleston. Scared the heck out of me cause I was riding the waves and just happened to notice very quickly a fin sticking out of the water. Got out of the water so fast! Then realized it was a dolphin and felt stupid!
Dolphins don't belong in captivity.
As for zoos it really depends on the individual zoo. If they provide a nice sized, as natural as possible environment for the animals as possible and the animals are treated well then I'm ok with it. Not far from Charlotte there is a zoo in someones backyard that is deplorable.
Circus's are, of course, the worst. Just my opinion anyways...

JohnD, to clarify things, I wrote if you are close enough to a dolphin swim, you are close enough to get to a beach and see dolphin in the wild.

To my knowledge, dolphin swims tend to be near a warm water ocean (Orlando, the Keys) which dolphin being mammals, prefer swimming in.

I'm not sure how far north dolphins swim but I would bet not as far north as you are this time of year.

I saw six feeding this morning.

I've been swimming with sharks for almost 25yrs. Does that count? b(

Do you think tjs522 ran for cover never to return? I think of it this way-if a bunch of dolphins captured me and held me captive in their environment for their entertainment I probably would die sooner than later. I love to swim and snorkle but I wouldn't want to live there. All my choices &amp; freewill taken taken away ? Pretty cruel.
R5

Sounds like marriage to me? :-d

Kal...And I'm calling Mrs Kal right
now ! Naughty or nice ? HA!
R5

Well, I had reservations for Dolphin Quest when my friend and I go to Oahu in February, but I had no idea it was so bad for the dolphins. I am a HUFE animal lover and can't believe how misinformed I was. I have cancelled my reservations. Thanks for helping me avoid something I would never want to contribute to.