Animal rights activist Rick O’Barry has posted an open letter to Disney executives, calling for a “proper retirement” for the dolphins scheduled to be relocated from Epcot’s The Seas.
Rick O’Barry calls for proper retirement from Dolphins at the Seas
The letter was shared as a blog post on the website of the Dolphin Project, a nonprofit organization dedicated to the welfare and conservation of dolphins around the world.
Addressed to Jeff Vahr, President of Walt Disney World Resort. Josh D’Amaro, Chairman, Disney Experience; Thomas Mazloum, President, New Experience Portfolio and Disney Signature Experiences. The letter reads:
Disney has been a pioneer in imagination, creativity and innovation for decades. From timeless movies to unforgettable theme park experiences, you’ve inspired generations to dream big, care for the world around them, and embrace progress. One area where Disney has consistently excelled is by introducing people, especially children, to the ocean and all its inhabitants through movies like The Little Mermaid, Finding Nemo, and Moana. is to encourage you to fall in love with.
These films fostered a deep appreciation and respect for the wonders of marine life in children and adults alike. With this in mind, we hope you’ve inspired hundreds of others by offering a proper retirement to the dolphins currently living in Epcot, rather than sending them to Epcot and relocating them to another marine park. I urge everyone to take this important step towards embracing our values. Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park.
Gulfarium has had at least six unreported dolphin deaths since opening, making the mortality rate one of the highest of any dolphinarium in the United States. We strongly believe that moving them there is the wrong choice for their physical, mental and emotional well-being. In contrast, sanctuaries provide dolphins with a true retirement, a safe space where they can spend the rest of their lives in a peaceful environment and act more in line with their natural instincts.
Since 2019, 13-year-old Izzy Megilly has started Save the Disney Dolphins (SADD), a movement to end Disney’s captive marine mammal program. In 2022, SADD partnered with the Dolphin Project to launch a petition calling for the retirement of Epcot’s captive dolphins, which garnered over 25,000 signatures. We are aware that we have taken steps to remove them from the attraction, but a change in location is not a change towards progress.
Walt Disney himself was known for his progressive ideas and forward-looking vision. His legacy of inspiring wonder and stewardship of the environment lives on today through Disney’s influence. By choosing to evacuate the Epcot dolphins to a sanctuary, Disney will not only be respecting the well-being of the mammals, but will also be making a bold and pioneering statement that will be remembered as a turning point in ocean conservation. .
By combining Disney’s resources with the Dolphin Project’s knowledge, passion, and expertise, together we can create a sanctuary that gives dolphins a second chance at life. The Uma Lumba Rehabilitation, Release and Retirement Center, located in western Bali, Indonesia, established by the Dolphin Project, is the first and only permanent dolphin rehabilitation, release and retirement facility for former active dolphins. This is the gold standard in dolphin captivity and provides a model that can be replicated in other parts of the world.
Together, we can set a powerful example of what true conservation looks like and give Epcot’s dolphins the retirement they deserve after years of performing for tourists. You can.
Thank you for your support.
Richard O’Barry
Dolphin Project Founder/Director
This open letter addresses recent news that the three male dolphins currently residing at EPCOT’s The Seas will be relocated to Gulfarium Marine Adventure Park in Fort Walton Beach, Florida, later this month. I am doing it. Disney said the decision was made after a “comprehensive evaluation of what is best for the dolphins as infrastructure at The Seas continues to evolve.”
Guests can see dolphins on the 2-hour backstage tour “Dolphins in Depth” until the offer ends on October 20, 2024.
Attached to the letter was a petition called “Save the Disney Dolphins” through the Action Network, sponsored by the Dolphin Project. As of publication, 26,385 signatures have been collected.
Richard (Rick) O’Barry is the founder and director of the Dolphin Project. He began his career in the 1960s as a dolphin trainer on the American television series Flipper, but became involved in animal activism after Kathy, the dolphin who played Flipper the most, died in his arms. . Together, O’Barry and the Dolphin Project aim to educate the public about dolphin captivity and, if possible, retire or release captive dolphins.
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Britt Tuttle
