SINGAPORE: There was drama on Monday at the Resorts World
Sentosa's corporate office after dolphin activist Ric O'Barry, 72, and
representatives from animal welfare group Animal Concerns Research &
Education Society (ACRES) turned up unannounced.
The group
wanted to meet RWS chief executive Tan Hee Teck - having had two
requests in the last week turned down - to hand him a petition to
release and rehabilitate 25 dolphins which the integrated resort has
bought for its Marine Life Park.
With Mr Tan unavailable, the petition was passed to an RWS employee.
But
the group subsequently got wind that Ocean Embassy founder Robin Friday
- who has been engaged by RWS as a consultant for its Marine Life Park -
was turning up for an interview with this newspaper. They then decided
to wait for Mr Friday, in order to "challenge him to a public debate",
in the words of Mr O'Barry.
The debate did not materialise: Mr
Friday, who is in his 60s, did not turn up at the office and opted for a
phone interview with this reporter later in the day.
In
response to TODAY's queries, a Marine Life Park spokesperson reiterated:
"We welcome dialogue with ACRES and perhaps this can be arranged at a
mutually-agreeable time. While we have differing views about the
dolphins in our care, we respect the mission of animal groups concerned
about the welfare of animals. On this we are on common ground."
The
spokesperson added: "As for Mr O'Barry, whose agenda is to release the
dolphins, we haven't seen any reason to meet. We have long said that we
believe that our dolphins will play a significant and meaningful role
for marine conservation. Bottlenose dolphins have thrived and propagated
in human care. They contribute immense knowledge and experience to
marine mammal specialists, whom are using all that today to help
dolphins both in the wild and in facilities."
Mr O'Barry pointed
out that he has released several dolphins after years of captivity to
positive results. He said: "You want to swim with the dolphins, but what
about how they feel? The key solving all our environmental problems is
to control our desires."
In response, the RWS spokesperson noted that the dolphins under its care for the past three years are "doing well".
The
spokesperson added: "The track record of dolphin reintroductions is
patchy at best, and we will be gravelly irresponsible to even consider
that." - TODAY
One day - these animals lovers group will turn terrorists group - they will kill people in the name of love for animals !!!
I have to concur.
some of the anti-whaling groups get pretty 'close' with the crews on whaling ships....fights, shots, arrests etc.
dont the west keep animals in captivity too?
why come all the way here?
So Robert did not turn up on a Friday and initiated a telephone interview instead?