The smile of the dolphin we see through the glass of an aquarium is merely a mask concealing a sadness as vast as the ocean from which it was torn. Cetaceans are among the most intelligent and sensitive creatures in the world. Dolphins live in social groups and are capable of recognising themselves in a mirror, an ability shared only with humans and chimpanzees. Life in captivity is a form of torture for any animal, and all the more so for animals as highly developed as these — dolphins in dolphinariums live roughly half as long as they would in the wild, and, deprived of their habitat, they become irreversibly depressed.

Unep bans the capture of cetaceans for commercial purposes

For marine mammals, however, today is a day for celebration: a ban on capturing cetaceans for commercial purposes and on using them in dolphinariums and oceanariums has now been established. Like all unacceptable captivity facilities, these are unsuitable for meeting the needs of the species. The historic decision was taken at the eleventh Conference of the Parties organised by the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Cms), a convention of Unep (the United Nations Environment Programme) created with the aim of protecting migratory species, which was held from 4 to 9 November in Quito, Ecuador.

Conservation strategies

For the occasion, eighty national governments gathered, alongside representatives of non-governmental organisations from around the world, to define strategies for strengthening conservation measures for migratory species in the light of growing threats such as habitat loss, overexploitation, poaching, ocean pollution and climate change.

No more captures from the wild

The news was announced by the Ente nazionale protezione animali (Enpa). "The resolution passed at UN level is of crucial importance for the ban on the capture and use of cetaceans for captivity. – reads the association's press release – The measure requires the 120 member countries to amend their domestic legislation to prohibit captures from the wild and to block the import of cetaceans for shows in dolphinariums. And for Cites and the IWC (International Whaling Commission) also to take note of the contents of the resolution and commit to ensuring that the guidelines contained therein are applied."

Enpa's satisfaction

Environmentalists have always fought against dolphinariums — facilities that serve no educational, scientific or species-conservation purpose — but this time it is different "because, on this occasion, it is the scientific community itself that has taken a stand against captivity," said Enpa's scientific director, Ilaria Ferri. Having helped to achieve this historic milestone for the advancement of animal welfare, Enpa is calling on the Italian government to immediately implement the Cms resolution and to permanently ban the import of cetaceans destined for captivity.