We receive hundreds of letters from people all over the world, and some are worth sharing.

Carrie Warren, New York, USA, May 4 2000:

Dear Dolphin Project,

I am a 23-year-old college student from New York. I am currently working on a research project on the ethical stances of dolphins in captivity. I was instructed by my Ethics professor to access your website and must say that I am greatly disturbed. I have been captivated by the beauty and grace of dolphins since I was 8 years old. I visited Sea World in Orlando when I was 8, and from that point I have wanted to work as a trainer. I was under the impression that they ?acquired? their dolphins and other sea creatures from rescue programs. After reading your information on the capture of dolphins, I was sickened by the thought of these acts. The methods they use are unethical. I understand they are trying to acquire information on dolphins to understand their behavior, but to what extend are they willing to hurt in order to ?help.? I guess I just wanted to thank you for opening my eyes a little bit more to what is occurring. I plan on writing Sea World to see what they have to say in their defense. I never thought that doing my research project on this topic would sway the way I viewed captivity of dolphins. I guess I don?t understand why we need to research bottlenose dolphins to this extent when they are not endangered. Perhaps we as humans trying to ?help? will be the cause of the endangerment of this particular species. I thank you greatly.

Debi of Guthrie, Oklahoma, June 6 2000:

Dear Dolphin Project,

Mari, London, United Kingdom, July 5 2000:

Jeff, Cleveland, Ohio, USA, August 17 2000:

First let me say that I'm not a tree-hugger type. Don't get me wrong. I like trees, but there are legitimate reasons to harvest them. There are legitimate reasons for harvesting animals as well. However, I'm in wholehearted agreement with you about capturing or incarcerating any animal and reducing it to a performing clown just for our amusement. I caught some of what you had to say on a PBS Nature program and was thoroughly impressed at your turn around. It was like an awakening to what is really right and it kinda woke me up to the real truth about these creatures and in reality all captured wild animals that are forced to perform. It is unconscionable that we, the so called intellect elite, do this to these kind and wonderful creatures. I am in full support of your work and hope to some day shake your hand. Thanks for the wake up call.

Ida Brown, Toronto, Ontario, Canada, September 6 2000:

I have just finished reading 'Behind the Dolphin Smile' and can't wait to read 'To Free a Dolphin.' It brightens my heart to know that there are people out there that are doing all they can to try and free these beautiful, intelligent creatures. I have been an admirer of dolphins for about as long as I can remember. The more I find out about them, the more in awe I am of them. I firmly believe they are the most gentle, intelligent species on this planet, and it breaks my heart to see them in captivity. I have never gone to a ?Sea World? or ?Seaquarium? and never will, for the simple fact that I do not condone keeping these animals in captivity for such self-indulgent reasons as our entertainment. It is immoral, and I loathe those that keep this industry alive. I try to educate (to the best that I can) as many people as possible whenever the opportunity presents itself. I have recently gone to your website and will keep checking back to see what?s new. It?s a great website. I dearly hope that the day will come when the captivity of dolphins is a thing of the past, leaving the dolphins free to live their lives as they were meant to. I wish you good luck in your battles to free these amazing creatures.

Michelle, October 11 2000:

Meg Cason, USA, October 17 2000:

Dear Mr. O'Barry,

Carina Vonk, Holland, November 13 2000:

Tiffany Finley, Florida, USA, November 15 2000:

Elaine Smothers, United States, November 16 2000:

I'm 42 and grew up with the 'Flipper' series being the highlight of my TV viewing week. And I've been fascinated and 'in love' with dolphins ever since.
In 1991, I had the privilege of snorkeling with a pod of wild Atlantic Spotted Dolphins in the Bahamas, on a 1-week dive trip with the Dream Team. It was an experience I will never forget. I guess 'spiritual' would be the best word to describe it. Since then, I've had a very difficult time seeing dolphins in captivity. I'm an avid sea kayaker and nothing thrills me more than a visit from these gentle souls while I'm paddling, or a glimpse of them frolicking in the waves from a distance. They're always the highlight of my kayaking trips.

I found my first trip to Sea World extremely depressing. I wanted nothing more than to come back at night and free all the captive souls that were imprisoned there for people's 'entertainment.' Now I've read about a new facility called Discovery Cove where you can pay for a day of swimming with a captive dolphin. Where will it end? Having had the honor of meeting these wonderful creatures in their natural habitat, I know the pull and allure people feel in wanting to experience this in their 'own backyard,' so to speak. And that's why I'm so concerned that the captive dolphin industry will continue to thrive. I'm currently reading your books 'Behind the Dolphin Smile' and 'To Free A Dolphin.' I applaud your efforts to rescue, rehabilitate, and return these gentle souls to the life they were born to live, and pray that you will be successful in releasing many more in the years ahead. God bless you & the dolphins.

Claire McKeown, Thurso, Scotland, January 10 2001:

Dear Richard and Helene, I am hereby sending you a speech I gave at my school about zoos:

Mr. chairperson, Ladies and Gentlemen,

This week's motion is 'this house believes that zoos are immoral,' and this is true. How would you feel if a bunch of gorillas decided to shove you in a cage and throw fish, chips and coke at you? But, considering that this is not a debate about the wonderful health of British people, I won't get into that. Anyway, I am not particularly religious but I still think you shouldn't do things to others that you don't want done back to you. Would you like to get thrown into a cage at the zoo and be named 'Exhibit 1' or 'Pogo the human being'? I think not!

My uncle Richard used to be a dolphin trainer working for the Miami Seaquarium, he actually trained Flipper. But when a dolphin who he had been very fond of died , probably due to high stress levels, he realized he should be setting dolphins free, instead of teaching them to do silly, and practically impossible, tricks.

O.K. fair enough, zoos are good for endangered species, because they're protected, but -- and this is only my opinion -- I would rather die than live a sad boring life in a zoo.

When I was first taken to a zoo, I had no idea how cruel zoos were. I thought the animals were perfectly happy, and it never dawned on me that they weren't having half as good a time as I was. This gives you an idea how misunderstood zoos actually are. They aren't only cruel but also quite sneaky, as young children only know the good things about them.

One of the saddest things about zoos is that some animals are born in the zoo and die in the zoo. This is not right; they should begin and end life in their own environment. Not only are zookeepers evil, people who visit zoos are almost as bad. You probably disagree with this but think about it. Do the animals drop litter in their cages? The zoo-keepers? No, it's the visitors. If only the animals in zoos could lead a calm and peaceful life without weird creatures which speak some scary language harassing them and calling them strange names. And lives where they get the right food at the right time that suits them in stead of at the standard mushy-stuff eating time. Or where they can have lots of space to play and run about. But unfortunately this is impossible if you live in a zoo.

Anyone who has been to a zoo has to admit that the animals in the cages probably didn't look thrilled with their surroundings. They would be much happier in the jungle or the rainforest. So in that case why should they be in the zoo? We don't have to go and stand in some cage to be stared at when we would much rather be down the street or in bed.

I want to be a dolphin trainer and just wanted to say that not all dolphin trainers think it?s OK to capture dolphins. I could never capture a dolphin but once the dolphin has been captured, then I think it?s OK to keep it in captivity and train it to do various tricks. The dolphins that are living in captivity today are never going to go back to the sea, and someone has to train them. Being a dolphin trainer has always been my dream. For the dolphins that were born in captivity, they don?t know any better and there is no need to feel sorry for them.

Crystal Nordin, USA, November 4 2001:

My dream is to save the dolphins, and I?m really glad to see that I?m not the only one that feels what they feel. I think all animals need to be free just like human beings. People don't understand that animals have the same feelings as people do. From the very first time I saw dolphins in captivity I could see that they weren't happy, especially after I saw them in the wild. When I watch them swimming in the ocean I feel a part of my soul go free. The only time I feel at peace is when I think of the dolphins free. I really hope one day I could do what you guys do.

Hilaria Salazar, Arizona, USA, December 21 2001:

Dear Dolphin Project,

I have a love for dolphins and have been reading about them for about three years. I wanted to tell you how I admire how you stand up for their rights.

I took my boy to SeaWorld last year and he said, ?Mom, do you think that?s enough room for all those Shamus? They are big, they need a whole ocean, don?t they?? I said, ?Yes, but there is nothing else anyone could do as long as people like us are to see them.? I signed up for the dolphin interaction program, which cost me $135.00, and you got to talk to the trainers and get in the water for about 30 minutes. Someone in the audience asked if the dolphins are only fed during the shows. The trainer said, ?No, that is not true. We don't force the dolphins to perform. They will still be fed the amount they are to have daily, even if they don?t perform.? But then why are they rewarded after every stunt they do if it?s not to make them perform?

When I got in the water with the dolphins they seemed so happy and so anxious to see their trainer, and of course we got to feed one of the dolphins. I never knew captive dolphins are always given dead fish. Sea World also has a dolphin reserve center, which, as far as I understood it, is supposed to give the dolphins protection until they are better and can be returned to their natural habitat. But if the dolphins are to return to their ocean home, then why are we touching them and feeding them dead fish? That doesn?t make any sense if they are to return to the sea.

Katharina, USA, January 22 2002:

Dear Dolphin Project: In 1998 I visited 'Dolphin Reef' in Eilat, Israel, convinced that it was 'dolphin-paradise.' I also took part in the dolphin swim program. But I couldnīt get past the feeling that we were getting on the dolphins' nerves. Everyday life for a dolphin in Eilat seems to be quite stressfull. Every two hours there are dolphin shows and right after that a group of scuba divers and snorklers can be seen in the pen. Your website is very informative and convincing. It chanced my point of view about captivity completely. Thank you very much. I won?t ever visit one of those dominance-shows again.

Nikki Ayres, United Kingdom, February 16 2002:

My name is Nikki Ayres, and I?m 11 years old. I've always loved dolphins, but when I read the book 'Behind the Dolphins Smile' I had an even stronger love for them. I was sad to hear what was happening to them, but I was so happy to hear that someone was doing something for them. If you look up the word 'captive' in the dictionary, you'll know it means prison. When people say that a dolphin is in captivity, that's exactly like saying it's in prison. I wish people would see what beautiful creatures they are, and that you can't preserve something by putting it in a concrete tank. If God made the ocean and put them in it, He intended them to stay in it. If people would stop and look at what they are doing to the dolphins, and stop worring about how much money they are getting paid for making the dolphins do circus tricks, then the dolphins might have a future in the most beautiful place the ocean. Thank you for all that you are doing. You have my support.

I have read your web site and I disagree with you. Seeing dolphins up-close brings a lot of pleasure to many children around the world. Being a parent myself, I know how much it means to give children an experience of a lifetime. Dolphinariums give our children the opportunity to see interesting animals that they otherwise would never see. You say that captivity compromises the quality of life for dolphins. Maybe that?s true, but I think the interest of our children must come first. If a few dolphins have to be captured in order that my children can have a good experience, then it?s worth it.

Dear Ric O?Barry:

I am a college student and my major is marine biology. I hope to some day work with dolphins and be an important part of their lives. I just finished reading ?Behind the Dolphin Smile,? and I loved it! It made me think of dolphins in a completely different way. I no longer wish to become a dolphin trainer. I am not sure how to be a able to research them, but I hope it will be possible for me to make a difference. Your book has inspired me even more to devote my life to dolphins. I will do anything to help them. Thank you of the inspiration.

Jill L. Gershen, Maryland, USA, September 3 2002:

Dear Ric and Helene;

I have explored your Dolphin Project website pretty thoroughly! Since doing so, I have watched wildlife programs with increased scrutiny. Programs that I would have previously enjoyed, now make me very angry!

One great example is a recent episode of the program, 'That's My Baby' on Animal Planet. This particular episode was filmed at Sea World, and contained footage of the birth of an orca and a Commerson's Dolphin. I listened carefully to the 'trainers' who professed their undying love for, and devotion to these animals. However, all of their descriptives were completely selfish and self-centered. For example, 'I love her because she makes me feel loved'! One trainer even had the audacity to say that 'her' orca 'always chooses to be near me'. The animals is in a captive tank for God's sake! Of course she chooses to be near the trainer; she has no choice in the matter! The trainer is her only stimulation!

And the woman with the Commerson's actually showed photos of her smiling while
holding this small cetacean, all the while, of course, professing her undying love for this animal she had just caught and captured in the ocean near Chile.

I am joining the Dolphin Project today, and I would like to assist you with any and all projects with which you need assistance or support, with any and all marine mammals. Just let me know.

Thank you for everything you are doing.

Sue Anderson, Australia, October 8 2002:

I just want to thank you for all you have done so far and your continuing work to protect these beautiful creatures. I am lucky enough to live near the sea in Australia, and I frequently see pods of dolphins in their natural habitat playing and surfing the waves. As a primary school teacher I try to convey the importance of allowing all animals to live free from harm in their natural environment. Unfortunately, as the human population increases worldwide, we are more and more encroaching on and destroying their habitat and exploiting their beauty for our own pleasure. I hope the next generation will have a better understanding of animals and nature, before we lose too much. -Keep up your wonderful work with the dolphins!

Jennifer, United States, November 2002:

You say that any intelligent person that watches a dolphin show can see that it is only for amusement. Well, any intelligent person can see that your website is biased to your own ideals. Why not show both sides of this story? We all have the same goal in mind and that is to provide the best world/environment for these beautiful animals that are so much like us in many ways. We could leave them alone but what about the future of dolphins? You say that it is with your own experience that you believe that dolphins should be free. What about those that have not had that experience? You will not be able to convince everybody that captivity is inhuman. I am 100% with you on the fact that dolphins should never be 'captured' and thank the good lord that this no longer happens in the US. I have spent much time in the company of orca and dolphin trainers and they feel the same way. I have studied the teaching methods of SeaWorld trainers and I find your site to be seriously lacking in the understanding of these methods. The dolphins do behaviors for positive reinforcement. It could be anything that the dolphin likes, from a belly rub to a fish. If the dolphin chooses not to interact or do the behaviors that the trainer asks then that is okay. The dolphin will still get all of its daily feed. I must stress the term 'ask', because nothing is ever demanded. I will quote from your 'What is wrong with Discovery Cove:' 'They will have to satisfy a never-ending line of people demanding casual amusement'. Nothing could be farther from the truth. The interaction space uses less then half of the pool space. Therefore if the dolphin chooses to not interact he has the rest of the pool to do what he chooses or he may go to the next pool to play with other dolphins not in the interaction. The dolphins do it all by choice and they know that they will still get fed (and I have seen this happen along with the regular feeding). They will not be slighted in any way. It was in bad taste that you would print on your site what trainers do in Cuba. You make the generalization that training in all facilities includes dominance and you feed it to the Lemmings that believe all that you print. My favorite quote of all was 'Discovery Cove represents a form of bad education in that it only serves to perpetuate our utilitarian perception of nature' (I have seen this sentence many times in your site). Nice,... so every time little Timmy goes to Discovery Cove he won't learn about dolphins, how special they are and that we should be aware of our environment as it affects dolphins. Little Timmy will only learn that he is at the top of the food chain and that they can be controlled and domineered. Well, that is what you are feeding everybody else. I doubt that this will change anything on your site much less how you think about facilities like SeaWorld, but you have as much of a chance at changing my view as well. I thank you for taking time out of your day to read this. Sincerely, Jennifer (advocate for peaceful and positive animal-human relationships)