Sweden is one of 15 EU countries that still has dolphinariums, enterprises that exhibit dolphins or small whales for profit. Kolmården Marineworld is the last remaining dolphinarium in Sweden, they have currently 8 bottlenose dolphins in captivity. In the pool where they keep the dolphins they use chlorine to make it comfortable for people who swims with dolphins, chlorine is not at all good for the dolphins health, it can damage their skin and also in some cases make them completely blind. Since the dolphinarium opened up in 1965, around 60 dolphins has died in captivity at Kolmården Marineworld, most of them at young age, some of them only days after birth. Kolmården Marineworld is a part of Kolmården Wildlife Park, one of the largest and most visited zoos in Europe.
Captivity is a terrible thing for dolphins and whales. Instead of inhabiting vast stretches of ocean, they are confined to tiny concrete tanks, living bleak lives. Unsurprisingly, they suffer from physical and stress-related illnesses and often don't live very long.
Aquariums that exhibit cetaceans are little more than modern-day circuses, exploiting intelligent animals for commercial gain and the cruelty is inexcusable. Making dolphins perform tricks for a paying audience does nothing to help their conservation, quite the reverse in fact, since many of these dolphins are taken from the wild.
Ask Kolmården Marine World, Östergötland County and Sweden to take the lead on animal welfare in Europe by closing the only remaining dolphinarium in Sweden and releasing the few captive dolphins.
A video from a dolphin show at Kolmården Marineworld, notice how they use the dolphins as surfboards at 08:09
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B9HeniuZw8s&feature=related Show your disgust at the Kolmården Wildlife Park facebook page:
http://www.facebook.com/Kolmarden?sk=wall&filter=12