Who We Are
The Dolphin Project was established on Earth Day 1970 by Richard O'Barry and Fred Neil and is dedicated to abolishing the billion-dollar dolphin slave trade.
Today, in 2002, the Dolphin Project consists of just three people:
Richard O'Barry, Founder & Director
Lincoln O'Barry, Vice President & Special Events
Helene O'Barry, Field Correspondent
Dolphins are free-ranging, highly intelligent, complex, and social marine mammals. It is our belief that neither entertainment, so-called education, research, nor dolphin-assisted-therapy can justify their capture, confinement, training, captive breeding, and commercial exploitation.
The captivity of dolphins has become a billion-dollar industry. Not counting the Russian and American military dolphins, there are about a thousand captive dolphins scattered around the world. They can be found in amusement parks, dolphin-swim programs, zoos, roadside shows, dolphinariums, and even shopping centers and a discotheque. Not all of these victim dolphins can be successfully released back into the wild. However, they can all be readapted in a more natural environment, a natural sea pen where they can once again experience the rhythm of the sea, the currents, the tides, the sunshine, and the thrill of chasing live fish.
As with any other business, the dolphin slave trade is based on supply and demand. Our main focus, therefore, is to educate the consumers about the tragedy of captivity, urging them to simply stop buying tickets.
The Dolphin Project has rehabilitated and released fourteen captive dolphins back into their natural habitat. We hope that by learning more, you'll be inspired to support our efforts to:
1)Educate the public about the plight of captive dolphins
2) Stop the captures, trafficking, confinement, training, captive breeding, and other means of exploitation of dolphins worldwide
3) Improve life quality for the victim dolphins that can't be successfully released back into the wild.
4) Release captive dolphins suitable for release.
It is worthwhile remembering that the dolphin captivity issue is not merely an issue about dolphins. Our relationship with dolphins should be seen as a reference point in our relationship with nature. In other words, working toward abolishing the billion-dollar dolphin slave trade promotes respect for all creatures on Earth.
