Report on Captive Dolphins in Mexico & the Dominican Republic.

<strong>Report</strong> on Captive Dolphinsin Mexico and Dominican RepublicReferencesAcasuso Signoret, Francisco (1981). <strong>Report</strong>e de los HallazgosPatológicos en diez delfines (Tursiops truncatus). Tesis paraobtener el Título de Medico Veterinario Zootecnista. Fac. deVeterinaria. UNAM, Mexico.Norma Oficial Mexicana. NOM-EM-135-SEMARNAT-2004. Para laregulación de la captura para investigación, transporte, exhibición,manejo y manutención de mamíferos marinos en cautiverio.Domestic LawsMexico has banned captures and imports recently,but there is not a good control of the husbandry ofcaptive dolphins. The regulation 81 for captive handlingwas weakened when the industry started participatingmassively. Many important measures were deletedsuch as sanctuary and buffer zones, or the strictregulation of person per dolphin in interactive SWTD.Dolphin Assisted Therapy (DAT) is occurring in a clearlyillegal way with no one to stop it. Health authoritieshave declared it is not considered a health therapy,whilst environmental offices give the DAT permits. Thiscontradiction should be resolved by a decree from theHealth Ministry to prohibit Dolphins Assisted Therapy,due to the myths involved and the risks of damage andzoonosis for participants. The Environmental Ministryshould stop invading competencies by avoidinggetting involved in health issues.The regulation on captive dolphins should be revisedand important issues such as the prohibition oftraveling shows with marine mammals must berecognized again by General Wild Life Law.Areas of refuge, sanctuaries, and buffer zones shouldbe implemented both in Mexico and DominicanRepublic.The regulation of SWTD programs must be reinforcedwith a serious review of how many people can be withdolphins per session, and how many sessions can adolphin work.Measures to avoid boring and stereotypical behaviorsshould be implemented in all facilities, such asenvironmental enrichment, change of the square andgeometric shapes for pens, soil, toys, and challengessimilar to those in the wild. There should at least beone enclosure big enough so dolphins can swim longand fast.All of these programs are regular now in zoos, and yetlacking in dolphinaria. Companies make much moreprofit than zoos, so this kind of programs should becompulsory by law, both in Mexico and DominicanRepublic.In the same way and according to the knowledgeemerging from science, concrete tanks are the worstfacilities for dolphins. These facilities should be closedand sea pens should be larger and have effectivecontingency measures.Both in Mexico and Dominican Republic, loss anddeath of dolphins due to hurricanes and bad handlinghas been registered. Environmental authorities shouldestablish legal contingency measures for caretakersto undertake as a matter of responsibility for theanimals.Alaniz Yolanda, Rojas Laura (2007). DELFINARIOS. Mexico: AGTEditor-Comarino.Codigo Penal Federal. Art. 420Constitución Política de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos.Couquiad, Laurence (2005). A survey of environments of cetaceanin human care. Aquatic Mammals.Decreto Nacional de Aplicación de la Convencion CITES No1288-04. October 1st, 2004.Diario Oficial de la Federación (DOF).Diario Oficial de la Federación, August 27, 2004.Dirección de Biodiversidad y Vida Silvestre. Informe sobre delfines.Secretaria de Estado de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales.Data obtained trough the Office of Access of information and theLaw of Transparency (March 19, 2009).Frohoff, T.G. (2000). Behavioral Indicators of stress in odontocetesduring interactions with humans - A preliminary review anddiscussion. International Whaling Commission Scientific CommitteeSC/52/WW2.FUNDEMAR (2008). Los Delfines En Cautiverio En RepúblicaDominicana. Informe borrador.Ley General de Eqiilibrio Ecologico y la Proteccion al Ambiente.Ley General de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales. Ley 64-00.Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. August 18, 2000Reeves, R.R. Smith. B.D., E.A. and Norbartolo di Sciara, G. (2003).Dolphins, Whales and Porpoises, 2002-2010. Conservation Actionfor the World Cetaceans. IUCN/SSC Cetacean Specialist Group,IUCN, Switzerland and UK (p.139).Reglamento sobre la tenecia, manejo y exhibicion de especies demamiferos marinos en la Republica Dominicana. January 22nd,2008.Rose, Naomi, Farinato (2009). The Case Against Marine Mammalsin Captivity.SISI. SEMARNAT. Folio 137608. January 2009.UNEP (DEC)/CAR IG.17/INF.5 Legal Assessment of “Compatibility”issues between the Protocol Concerning Specially ProtectedAreas and Wildlife (SPAW) to the Cartagena Convention and theConvention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES).Internet References< www.biodiv.org>Ley General de Vida Silvestre.Marino, Lori and Lilienfield, S. (1998). Dolphin Assisted Therapy:flawed data, flawed conclusions.Anthrozoos, 11 (4), 194-2000.NORMA Oficial Mexicana NOM-059-ECOL-2001, Protecciónambiental-Especies nativas de México de flora y fauna silvestres-Categorías de riesgo y especificaciones para su inclusión, exclusióno cambio-Lista de especies en riesgo.81 Diario Oficial de la Federación, August 27, 2004. Norma Oficial Mexicana. NOM-EM-135-SEMARNAT-2004. Para la regulación de la captura para investigación, transporte, exhibición, manejoy manutención de mamíferos marinos en cautiverio.48CHAPTER 4: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONSCHAPTER 4: CONCLUSIONS AND RECOMMENDATIONS49