Unedited Forum Letter: RWS Dolphins Can Still Be Returned To The Wild

We refer to the article by Professor Lee Wei Ling on the unethical treatment of animals (Sunday Times, 29th January 2012). We are encouraged that an influential person has expressed sympathy for the captive dolphins at Resort World Sentosa (RWS).

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We agree that the treatment of farm animals is cruel and ought to be improved; but it not unnatural for humans to eat meat. It is however, completely unnecessary to incarcerate wild animals, �celebrity� or otherwise, for human entertainment. Vegetarianism is a laudable lifestyle that should be encouraged; holding intelligent animals captive for an �interactive dolphin spa� to pamper the rich is outright immoral (http://www.rwsentosa.com/dolphin SPA). It has been shown that the capture and confinement of dolphins might be as stressful and harmful to them as they would be to humans (Carter. International Journal for the Study of Animal Problems 1982;3: 193-198).

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Professor Lee expressed her reservations for releasing the dolphins. Her fears are not misplaced. Returning captive animals to the wild is not easy; but two wrongs do not make a right. The capture of 27 dolphins near the Solomon Islands that resulted in the subsequent deaths of two adults, not to mention the unaccounted number of orphaned calves, is wrong (Solomon island has since banned the export of dolphins). Keeping the dolphins captive indefinitely for fear of exposing them to the dangers of their natural home does not make up for the first error. It does not absolve RWS from doing the right thing: to rehabilitate and return these animals to the wild in a scientifically sound manner. Animals rescued from poachers in the illegal wildlife trade are being re-integrated to their habitat all over the world. There is a large body of evidence on good practice guidelines for reintroducing captive animals, including cetaceans, to the wild . We refer to the following documents:

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International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources-Translocation of living organisms, IUCN Position Statement, Sept 4,1987 Universities Federation for Animal Welfare-Welfare guidelines for the re-introduction of captive bred mammals to the wild, 1992. Accord sur la Conservation des C�tac�s de la Mer Noire, de la M�diterran�e et de la zone Atlantique adjacente. RESOLUTION 3.20-GUIDELINES ON THE RELEASE OF CETACEANS INTO THE WILD.

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For the benefit of your readers we have summarised the key determinants of a successful cetacean-release to the wild.

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Animals should be released near the site of capture. Reintegration is more successful if the dolphins have been captive for a short time. A captive period of less than two years is ideal (Wells et. al. Marine Mammal Science 1998;14:51-71) . Animals must be in good physical condition and must no longer rely solely on humans for food.� Adequate follow-up to ensure the animals have reintegrated successfully.

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We are confident that RWS has the resources to engage the relevant professionals to achieve the above goals.

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Singapore has a reputation for doing �right�. While the tourist dollar is important we must not forget our moral responsibility to animal well-being. The world is watching us (http://edition.cnn.com-dolphins in peril-Singapore), let�s show them that we have a soul. Time is running out for the RWS dolphins.

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Associate Professor Umapathi Thirugnanam