Swimming with Dolphins... is it evil?

Swimming with Dolphins...

Hi, im planning on taking my daughter to the u.s this year on vacation and one of my ideas for stuff for us to do....

(im looking for other idea's but thats another thread)

... is to take her "swimming with dolphins" but im a little worried about how ethical im being?

i mean they can't really be happy, can they?

is my $400-$500's really just helping to keep these beautiful animals in misery? like

"let's beat flipper with a stick till he jumps though that hoop"

im joking but you know kinda what i mean.

Or am i worring needlessly,are these dolphins having "a whale of a time?"
lol...sorry bad joke are they treated well, helping conservation, rescued?? enjoy working with kids? bred in captivity and released (is that possible?)

i'd like to get some feedback, gauge a general concensus, and any advice.

as an aside, the only contact i've every had with dolphins was at a hotel in vegas many years ago, the mirage i think? and apart from the awe!!!
i came away with a deep feeling that they were unhappy.

many thanks.

[edit on 2-1-2008 by callmedave]

reply to post by callmedave


Hi callmedave/
I would say go ahead and have a good time!
It's people that are evil......not Dolphins!
Dolphins are said to be very intelligent creatures and enjoy human contact.
I watched a documentary on Dolphins and they especially interacted with handicapped children with gentleness.
The same program(I think?can't remember) featured Dolphins going to pregnant women......something to do with dolphins being attracted to the unborn child in the womb?
I can't remember the program that well, but yeh, hope you and your daughter have a good time with the Dolphins!

helen
with y

I just clicked refresh once before bed. Gnarly!! For sure!!!! Do it!!!! She'll love it. You'll be Daddy-coolest!!! Like totally. Oh, I mean like I'd just die. Shoot I'm 18, I'd love it!! They are so cool. What an opportunity. I'm convinced that dolphins are way-hooked-up. It's one of the goals I have is a swim with dolphins. That'd be so jammin'.

They aren't evil. But your daughter will think it's wicked-evil-cool when she talks to her friends after. Really. The memories are so vivid when I saw them at Busch(?)sp gardens. I'm sure they seemed happy. Like laughing joy happy.

Sure that some dolphins are misused by humans though. Humans misuse humans too. But go for it. Please take lots of pics for her!!! I'm totally jealous.

Mira


[edit on 2-1-2008 by Mira_of_lurk0more]

reply to post by Mira_of_lurk0more


it would be cool huh

there's something very special we seem to share with 'em

well most of us anyway....

and it's not just their cheeky grin.

reply to post by callmedave


More than cool. Not just a pretty smile of very sharp teeth. It's almost like a feeling they have "more" than we do. It was only like a minute I was close and I still picture it in my mind. Jealous. Totally jealous.

I looked some stuff up. Dolphins are attributed with amazing interaction with people. Some are used in therapy even.

Better though, she love it. She'll tell her friends. Guys don't get this stuff, at least not Dad or any man I'm familar with... maybe one. But trust me she'll love it. Take tons of pics and vid for her. Get her a FaceBook and you are Dad-a-mundo number one!

Oh, go yourself too. That'd be even better. I don't get to do much with my Dad like that and I have a baby brother on the way so... do it for her and yourself. Do it for the dolphins.

Mira

My girlfriend, in the Florida Keys, knows some of the folks at the local swim with dolphins place. She tells me that the people there are nice and care greatly for the dolphins, and the dolphins seem happy and well-cared for. She said swimming with them was a great experience, though slightly intimidating being in the water with an animal that large.

Funny story- she was at the beach with friends a few months back, and saw a "dolphin" swimming towards her. (her glasses were on shore). It swam up and bumped her leg with it's nose. At that point, people started yelling at her to "look out for the shark"!! Shure enough, it was a shark, about 6 feet long. Needless to say, she got out of the ocean with due haste. No injuries, as that wouldn't be a funny story.

By all means, though, take her swimming with the dolphins.

As long as they're not sharks!

reply to post by Mira_of_lurk0more


that is so cool... thank you

that is exactly what i wanted to hear... the whole idea is we do it together and its been a wish? ambition of mine since i was small.

wish i was a dolphin... must be an idyllic life, playing, breakfast, playing, lunch, playing, dinner, playing.... etc

im sure i heard somewhere that dolphins are the only animal to 'fool around' just for fun.
and we think we're so clever?

click click click... (in the style of flipper)

You should do it too. why aint-cha?

reply to post by subject x


again another 'thank you'

just what i'd hoped i'd hear, no-one against yet, and thinking about it... they'd probably just say "no thanks mate" if they wasn't happy.. huh?

im mean it isn't like they're stupid.

reply to post by callmedave


I will 4sure. One day if I survive high school and junk. I'd like to get a scuba cert and dive with dolphins in the wild. That'd be so cool in the caribbean. The water is like so clear, you can see for a hundred feet! Our lakes are full of loon-poop and other guck and visibilty isn't good and no dolphins.

I'm pretty sure that if a dolphin was upset, they could kill just about whatever. They for sure work together with themselves and sometimes with us... maybe other species. They are just amazing. It really sucks what some military groups train them for. Totally immoral. I like want to say they are "better" than us.

Take your daughter bathing suit shopping but like get lost while she's picking one out. I'm so-way jealous. Maybe approach it like you know casual. She might not even want to. But I'd be all like super-jazzed.

She's lucky to have you. Really lucky. Take her to dinner too, a nice one.

Mira

reply to post by Mira_of_lurk0more


i know she wants to do it, she's just a bit nervous in case they bite her... lol

and seeing as its our first holiday (just us,no mum) im gonna take her shopping, nice restaurants, nice classy hotels, thats what a holiday's
about.

p.s. what's a facebook?

[edit on 2-1-2008 by callmedave]

reply to post by callmedave



That's a real Daddy! Get in the water with her! I don't think they'll bite but you so are so cool for thinking that. If she's up for it AWESOME! This spring I'm going to a performance driving school so... no trips for me until after graduation.

You guys are SOOOO lucky. How many Dad's would provide this opportunity? You rock callmedave!

Mira