Mexican Dolphins Set Free!

For the very first time in the history of the Mexican dolphin captivity industry, six bottlenose dolphins that were illegally captured earlier this year were released into the Gulf of Mexico at their capture site. WDCS welcomes this action as a significant step towards a real and visible commitment to dolphin protection in Mexico, and consistent with the provisions of marine mammal protective legislation which bans capture and trade in dolphins in Mexico.

Under a permit given for scientific purposes, 10 bottlenose dolphins were captured in May 2007 for a dolphin assisted therapy facility in Mexico City. The legality of the captures was then challenged by Mexican non-governmental organization COMARINO (Conservacion de Mamiferos Marinos de Mexico), resulting in the confiscation and release of six dolphins. Further confiscations have occurred and will result in subsequent releases.

This is the very first time that captured dolphins have been released in Mexico, which is not only good news for dolphins, but also an excellent precedent for Mexican environmental law. WDCS thanks COMARINO for its excellent investigative and legal work for the protection of dolphins in Mexico, and the commitment of the Mexican government to upholding the important marine mammal provisions within its national Wildlife Act.

Click here to see images of the release.

Please send a note of thanks to President Calderon of Mexico for returning these dolphins to the sea, where they belong, and for upholding the letter of the law in Mexico! A sample letter is provided below:

Mr. Felipe Calderon Hinojosa
Presidente Constitucional de los Estados Unidos Mexicanos
felipe.calderon@presidencia.gob.mx

Dear President Calderon:

I write to thank and congratulate you for your recent efforts on behalf of the dolphins in Mexico, and for upholding the law against their capture, import and export. Your actions send an important and laudable message to the rest of the world, and for those countries working to improve protections for whales and dolphins. Dolphins belong in the wild, and I thank you for taking this important step towards the prevention of illegal captures and trade in wild dolphins.

Yours sincerely,