Japan Drive Fisheries

Many of you have seen the movie The Cove or the new series Blood Dolphins, both of which aired this past weekend on Animal Planet. Some of you have contacted us with questions about claims made by the shows that dolphins are captured in Japan and sent to marine mammal parks and facilities around the world. Dolphin Research Center is happy to answer your questions.

Dolphin Research Center and all of the 44 members of the Alliance of Marine Mammal Parks and Aquariums condemn the mass killings of dolphins in the Japanese drive fisheries. For many years, we have educated visitors from around the world about the drive fisheries, calling on the Japanese to end this centuries-old practice.

DRC does not support the Taiji, Japan, drive fishery in any way. We do not have or take animals from the drive.

Not a single dolphin from Japan lives here or at any marine mammal park or aquarium in the United States, nor at any other Alliance member facility.

No dolphins have been captured from the wild to live at United States parks since the late 1980s.

Misinformation in The Cove and Blood Dolphins (A new series by Ric O’Barry) and in comments by the shows' principals makes it seem that dolphins captured in the Japan drive fisheries are sold to facilities in this country and around the world. That is not true. Continuing to mislead the public undermines the filmmakers’ credibility and does nothing to further the purpose of ending the Japanese dolphin killings.

We and other Alliance member zoos, aquariums and marine parks are widely and rightly recognized by the public and by governments worldwide for our important and long-standing contributions to marine education, to the protection of ocean wildlife and habitats, and to the rescue and rehabilitation of injured and stranded marine mammals, sea turtles and other animals. The American public continued to show its support for the good work done by zoos and aquariums, and the dedicated and caring professionals who work with these animals, with more than 140 million visits in the last year alone.

Thank you!

Cuteness Counts

If we could bottle Florida Keys Sunshine and sell it, we'd all be wealthy as royalty. Instead, we'll celebrate that we live on these beautiful, sun-drenched islands, surrounded by clean (oil-free), gorgeous water. Plus, those of us who work at or visit Dolphin Research Center are greeted by dolphins -- including these two cuties.


Delta turns nine months old this month. He's a handsome boy with a lot of charm.


Luna is almost seven months old. She'll melt your heart!

Do you have vacation plans for a last trip before the kids go back to school? How about visiting the Florida Keys and Dolphin Research Center. Delta, Luna, and all of the dolphins, sea lions and humans would love to see you.

Risk of Oil Impacting Keys now VERY Very Low!

Oil Response Chief: Risk Now ‘Very, Very Low’ for Oil to Travel to Keys Via Loop Current;Risk ‘Will Go to Zero Once Well is Killed’

The head of the U.S. Government's response effort to mitigate the Transocean/BP oil spill said that with the oil leak capped there is now little chance of oil remnants reaching the Florida Keys and the South Florida mainland.

When the well is permanently sealed there will no longer be any danger of oil impacts to the region, said retired U.S. Coast Guard Admiral Thad Allen during a news briefing in New Orleans Thursday.

Allen responded to South Florida “Sun Sentinel” reporter David Fleshler’s questions regarding future threats to the Keys and South Florida:

“Once the well is killed we will have secured the source of oil in relation to the (Transocean/BP) Macando well,” Allen said. “For the past several months there has been an eddy (Eddy Franklin) that has broken off from the Loop Current between the wellhead and where the current comes north and turns towards the Straits of Florida.

“So (that) eddy has created a hydraulic barrier between the wellhead and the Loop Current, and the chances that oil will become entrained in the Loop Current are very, very low and will go to zero as we continue to control the leakage at the well with the cap and ultimately kill it,” he said.

Allen said that even with all the oil that gushed between April 20 and July 15, he does not expect significant oil remnants to reach the Keys or South Florida.

“The recent storm, tropical depression Bonnie, drove most of the oil to the northwest,” he said. “This is all moving in the opposite direction where oil would need to be to enter the Loop Current.”

Allen’s comments are being carried in a Quicktime video file on the Florida Keys website at http://www.fla-keys.com/news/news.cfm?sid=7845 or via links off the website’s home page at http://www.fla-keys.com.

All of us are delighted to hear this news and know that our beloved dolphins and their island home will continue to be safe. We join everyone in hoping that the clean-up efforts in the affected areas are successful and that the long-term impacts of oil in those areas can be reduced. We applaud the efforts of all of the Gulf Coast residents who have worked so hard to take care of wildlife and the environment.

Beautiful Start to a Great Week

Bright sunshine and beautiful dolphins. What a great Monday!


Talon helped a guest cool off during a Dolphin Encounter.


Awwww. How's that for some dolphin affection between Santini and Calusa?

These photographs were taken today, July 26th at Dolphin Research Center.

Scene in the Florida Keys!

We just have to share a cool new video shot over the weekend in the Florida Keys, and a terrific new ad. Check them out!



You can view additional videos, shot in recent weeks, at www.fla-keys.com.

No doubt about it. We live in paradise!

DRC Wishes Everyone a Fabulous Weekend!

Another great day, heading into a beautiful, oil-free weekend in the fabulous Florida Keys. The threat of impact from the oil spill remains very low and that makes all of us smile!


Aleta wishes all of you a wonderful weekend and hopes you come to visit soon!


Rainbow, or one of our other dolphin artists, will be happy to collaborate with you on a one-of-a-kind DolphinArt T-shirt!

These photos were taken today, July 9, 2010, at Dolphin Research Center.

A Beautiful View!

Beautiful dolphins. People having a great time. No oil or tar balls in sight. That's Dolphin Research Center today!

All of the above pictures were taken on July 6, 2010.