Author Archives: Helene O'Barry

Featured image: Confined and trained to perform for applause, these intelligent and far-ranging beings are reduced to mere entertainers in a barren tank. In between shows, they languish at the surface, with nothing to do and nothing to explore. Kolmården Zoo has profited from dolphin shows for decades, and even now, as it moves toward closing the dolphin stadium, it has yet to acknowledge the undeniable suffering captivity has caused these animals. Credit: Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license, author: Kigsz

16Oct

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

The Forgotten Dolphins at Kolmården Zoo

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

In 2022, the Kolmården Zoo in Sweden announced it would be closing its dolphinarium—a decision met with cautious optimism by those of

Jane Goodall. Licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 4.0 International license, author: Nikeush

02Oct

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Jane Goodall’s Legacy: Keeping Hope Alive

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Jane Goodall has died at the age of 91. She passed away peacefully in California while on a speaking tour – still

Since its opening in 1992, Mediterraneo Marine Park has seen the deaths of several dolphins - both wild-caught and captive-born - within its deteriorating tanks. The evidence of ongoing suffering is undeniable. We urge the Maltese authorities to take immediate action and end this cruelty once and for all.

21Sep

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Captive Breeding Fuels Dolphin Suffering in Malta

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Mediterraneo Marine Park in Malta exemplifies the long-term harm caused by captive dolphin breeding programs. Since opening in 1992, the park has

26Aug

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Why Shutting Down a Dolphinarium is a Victory

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Closing a dolphinarium can feel like an incomplete victory when the dolphins are simply moved to another facility. They remain in captivity—usually

The five dolphins at Varna Dolphinarium in Bulgaria are trapped in a tiny tank inside a building - a sterile, artificial concrete box that serves as their entire world. It's the equivalent of forcing them to spend their entire lives in a bathtub, stripped of space, stimulation, and any resemblance to their natural ocean home. Calling it "living" is an insult to what these highly intelligent and social beings deserve. This isn't just confinement - it's cruelty, plain and simple

14Aug

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

How Long Will Bulgaria Allow This Cruelty?

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Authorities ignore the cruelty as dolphins in Varna perform for applause – while enduring a life of quiet torment. The dolphinarium in

Earth, who was 100 percent Icelandic and spent his entire life in captivity, has died at the Port of Nagoya Public Aquarium in Japan under unclear circumstances. Born in 2008 and separated from his mother at age seven, Earth was moved between facilities like many captive orcas, ultimately spending his final years alongside his aunt Rin - now left completely alone.

05Aug

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Male Orca “Earth” Dies at Nagoya Aquarium

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Earth, a male orca who spent his entire life in captivity, has died at just 16 years old at the Port of

There's a cruel irony in keeping dolphins in tanks within sight of the ocean – the vast, natural world that should be theirs. Born to roam the open sea and dive deep beneath the waves, they’re instead confined to barren pools, performing tricks while their true home glistens just beyond reach.

28Jul

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Malta’s Captive Dolphins and the Myth of Conservation

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

In 2014, Malta banned animal performances in circuses, a landmark decision that should have ended the use of dolphins in shows and

Six of the eight performing dolphins at Loro Parque in Tenerife were born in captivity. They’ve never seen the ocean or chased a live fish. Yet they're promoted as “ambassadors” for their wild relatives. But dolphins in tanks don’t represent the wild — they represent a life stripped of freedom.

16Jul

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Why We Must Stop Breeding Dolphins in Captivity

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

For decades, dolphins have been bred in captivity under the guise of education and conservation. The dolphinarium industry has long relied on

Mediterraneo Marine Park in Malta, which calls itself "a premier tourist attraction," has given this barren and shallow concrete confinement the ludicrous name "Dolphin Lagoon" and exploits the trapped dolphins in shows and a petting-program for tourists. The dolphins have no access to shade and cannot seek any protection from the relentless sun during the hot summer months. No dolphin should ever have to live under such inhumane conditions. We are calling for an immediate investigation into the dolphins' living conditions and urge authorities in Malta to revoke the amusement park’s zoo license

04Jul

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Cruel Conditions at Mediterraneo Marine Park

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Recent drone footage exposes the cruel living conditions of the dolphins used as a tourist attraction at the Mediterraneo Marine Park in

Stella, who is pictured here with a dominant trainer standing on her back, is one of the last three survivors of the more than 50 wild-caught orcas that were flown out of Iceland during the ’70s and ’80s. The other two are female orca Katina who was captured in 1978 and performs at SeaWorld in Orlando, and a male called Ulises, who was captured in 1980 and performs at SeaWorld in San Diego.

12May

Blog, Campaigns, Captivity Industry | Posts by : Helene O'Barry

Ocean Just Out of Reach for Stella and Ran

Posts by : Helene O'Barry

The show stadium at Kobe Suma SeaWorld in western Japan has been built right next to the Pacific Ocean, within the orcas’

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