Howard, a bottle nose dolphin caught off the coast of florida, is being kept alone in the West Edmonton malls tiny concrete 'dolphin lagoon'. By signing this petition, you are telling WEM to not only send Howard to a better facility, but not to get more animals, dolphins or otherwise, to replace him.
Howard was one of four dolphins captured in 1985 in Florida waters for the West Edmontons Malls Dolphin Lagoon. Mavis, Maria and Gary are now dead. So are all five babies born to Mavis and Maria.
Several years ago, after years of controversy, Hansen acknowledged that capturing dolphins in the wild was a mistake. Following one meeting between mall management and Zoocheck, Hansen committed to not to replacing the four dolphins after their demise.
Says Julie Woodyer, Zoochecks Marine Mammal Campaign Coordinator: Last week I was told very clearly that the mall refuses to meet with us to discuss Howard. Since Mavis death in July 2003, Howard has been languishing alone in the malls pool while mall officials have been dragging their feet on making a decision about Howards future. I am concerned that the mall may be hiding something by not meeting with us, especially after rumors last month indicating the mall owners may be considering bringing in more dolphins.
Adds Pat Tohill, WSPAs spokesperson in Canada: A shopping mall is no place for dolphins. These highly social, highly intelligent, fast-moving deep-diving predators have complex needs and social structures. These dolphins should never have been brought into the mall the first place. Now that all of Howards pool mates are deceased the mall must stick to their agreement not to replace the dolphins and move Howard to a better facility in the company of other dolphins.
The groups are asking the mall to phase out the dolphin exhibit and search for a more suitable home for Howard. V4A director Tove Reece suggests that Floridas Dolphin
Research Center (DRC), which the mall has strong connections to, would be a more suitable home for Howard should the mall choose to send him to a well-earned retirement.
Says Reece, While no captive situation can ever truly meet a dolphins needs, the Dolphin Research Center would at least be an improvement over the mall. Keeping dolphins in a noisy shopping mall was a crazy idea to begin with." Subsequent to their capture on May 6th, 1985, Howard and his three companions were held at the DRC while the malls dolphin pool was being built. The DRC would be a huge improvement over Howards current situation, explains Reece. At least there the dolphins are kept in ocean pens with access to other dolphins.
Zoochecks calls to the DRC went unanswered until today. According to Woodyer, We spoke with the Dolphin Research Center today and they said theyd be thrilled to provide a permanent home for Howard. Now its up to the mall. They can either retire Howard to a natural sea pen in Florida, in the same region where he was born, or they can get more dolphins and start the controversy all over again.
