Ukraine is building new dolphinariums even as India bans them

The government of India has set a positive precedent recently by banning keeping dolphins in water parks. More precisely, Indian Minister of Environment and Forests banned the use of dolphins in marine circuses and recommended all state governments to reject any proposal to establish a dolphinarium, which would come from any individual or organization, and involve the use of these cetaceans in entertainment business, for public or private view and for any other interaction. Some publications even stated that the government of India recognized the dolphins as “persons.” Environmentalists throughout the world have embraced the ban with enthusiasm, because it is a powerful argument for putting pressure on their own governments. Unfortunately, the situation with the protection of dolphins in Ukraine is disappointing. We are a leading nation by the number of dolphinariums.

The Day asked ecologist, activist of the National Ecological Centre of Ukraine and of the Nature Conservation Team Kateryna Polianska to comment on the industry’s prospects in Ukraine. “A few years ago, there was an attempt to recognize that dolphins had some rights in Ukraine, but it failed. Our fight is very hard. For example, a court has recently ordered a Kyiv dolphinarium to be closed, but the facility is still functioning, even after the 30-day grace period ended,” Polianska said. “This is a very profitable industry, and the businesses’ owners disregard dolphins’ listing as threatened species as well as protections provided to them by the laws of Ukraine ‘On the Red List of Threatened Species,’ ‘On the Protection of Animals from Cruel Treatment,’ and ‘On Fauna.’ The dolphinariums do not follow special rules on keeping dolphins in captivity either. Unfortunately, the number of dolphinariums in Ukraine has been growing in the recent years, reaching 20 by now, despite the environmental NGOs’ best efforts. Despite our appeals to the prosecutor’s office and to the environmental inspection, dolphins are not released. We are even receiving complaints from international environmental organization, for our dolphins are being sold in other European countries. No dolphinarium in Ukraine provides appropriate conditions for animals, and their treatment there is really cruel. These highly sentient beings are used simply as an income source. We see dolphin therapy ads, but scientists have proved that in confined spaces such as provided in our dolphinariums, these animals do not use ultrasound, even though it can help sick people. I think the dolphins’ situation in Ukraine may change only when a significant public pressure appears. My guess is that our country’s association with the EU (where dolphinariums’ numbers gradually decrease) will facilitate the efforts of local environmentalists.”