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Captive dolphin shows in Sharm El Sheikh.19/07/2006 00:00:00 In particular, the belugas, named Feel and Hook, were being kept within a painfully small tank at temperatures far above the Arctic temperatures they require (see picture). Marine Connection immediately contacted the relevant authorities within Egypt and campaign for the animals’ return to their country of origin, Russia.  Disappointingly, despite the animals’ removal from Dolphinella, the belugas were then 'temporarily' placed at Merryland Park facility in Cairo in late 2004. Sadly, in February 2005, 'Hook' died and the Marine Connection became even more determined to ensure that 'Feel' was returned to Russia rather than becoming a part of the performances at Merryland. Finally, in August 2006, after over a year of correspondence and campaigning, the charity can now confirm that Feel the beluga was returned to Russia. Although the belugas of Dolphinella initially alerted the charity to the situation in Sharm el Sheikh, Marine Connection has also campaigned hard to prevent all other existing and proposed captive marine mammal facilities in the area. A facility with two dolphins and a sea lion opened in the Concorde el Salaam Hotel early in 2005, but after discovering the animals had been illegally imported and the resulting pressure from the charity, in May 2005 the facility closed and the animals returned to their country of origin. Plans to have a dolphinarium within an Aqua Park on Hilton company land were also scrapped after pressure from the Marine Connection and its supporters. The Marine Connection is still working hard in Sharm el Sheikh with our 'See Red!' campaign which aims to ensure the closure of Dolphinella captive facility due to issues surrounding whether one or more of the dolphins was caught from the wild. This campaign also aims to educate tourists about the plight of dolphins in captivity, the risks to both human and dolphin participants in dolphin swim programmes as well as the impressive ways to enjoy the wild and diverse marine environment of Sharm el Sheikh which borders the Red Sea. To read more about the Marine Connection’s work in Sharm el Sheikh please visit http://www.marineconnection.org/news/general/sharm06main.htm
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EMPC MAGIC LAND
Visit 10 Oct. 2010
11:30
Today I went to the EMPC MAGIC LAND, to find out what is happening over there.
Early in the morning I called 16780 the hotline of the MAGIC LAND to find the schedules for the dolphin shows, I was told they have 2 shows per day, one at 12:30 the other at 4:00pm.
I inquired about the ticket price, (40LE), and inquired how many dolphins are performing, I was told by the operator, one dolphin is performing, I said, you only have one dolphin? He answered no, we have 2 but the other one is sick.
Before I headed to the EMPC, I decided to call and inquire again, how sick is the other dolphin, this time another person answered me, he said, the female dolphin was pregnant this is why she is not performing, I said pregnant, in which month, he said the 10th I think.
Anyway I was there 11:30, nobody is allowed to enter the area before 12:30. I asked to speak to the manager of the place and I did. I told him I learnt that one of the two dolphins is sick, he said yes, the Russsians some time says she is pregnant, sometimes not,.
I learnt the following:
. The EMPC with new BOD, does not own the dolphins and in fact never did.
. The dolphins show is a contract made with Russians, since 2003, a sort of cultural exchange. The Russian Team, trainer + vet + assistant + dolphins .
. There were several dolphins about 6, now remaining 2. Different stories were told, by this manager and by the manager I met later on representing the shareholding company. One version: the conditions for keeping the dolphins are not good so they die, the other version, the 4 others were sent to Sharm El Sheikh.
. I was also told that the male dolphin is "mad" as described by the manager, he said 'this dolphin sometimes hits his nose and head in the bottom of the pool that the trainer had to insert special material in it's mouth. (I think the dolphin which acts this way is under great stress and not mad as described).
. When I inquired if the facility is suitable or equipped for a dolphin to give birth, I was told, off course no, this never happened, no delivery happened before.
. The Magic Land Dolphinarium gets inspection regularly from GOVS vets, also , wildlife unit or CITES Egypt representative often comes to test the water.
. I learnt that the new shareholder is not satisfied at all with the Russians, that already, a notice has been issued to end the lease end of this month.
. I inquired where would the 2 dolphins go? I was told, we heard that they are negotiating with somebody in Sharm El Sheikh or Hurghada.
. I inquired so you will shut the dolphinarium? The shareholder representative told me, no, the dolphinarium is vital in our business, it has to be running, we are in process of ordering dolphins from the Far East (Taiwan or Indonisia).?
. I said did you acquire permission? I was told the deal is to be done by an American guy who is highly experienced in getting permissions.
11 October 2010 - An inquiry had been made to Chairperson of GOVS General Organization of Veterinary Services, to verify:
current health conditions of the 2 dolphins
verify the version told by shareholders of MAGIC LAND: Ordering new dolphins from Far East? Where will the 2 dolphins be sent if it is true that the contract made with the Russians ends end of this month?
Does the current dolphinarium complies to standards?
Why do the mammals die at this dolphinarium? How many died in this dolphinarium? For sure 2 seals died in this dolphinarium recently? Why?
Posted by: Dina Zulfikar | 11 Oct 2010 10:32:44
Set these dolphins free into their natural habitat!
Posted by: Clifford Hritz | 17 Sep 2010 13:05:45
Hurghada will soon have such a disgusting show as well. In Hurghada urban district Mubarak 6 four dolphins are kept in a swimming pool in front of a villa. They will be transferred to a"bigger" pool in about two weeks close to Senzo Mall. The four dolphins are already three weeks in this small basin. They have come by plane it means that someone has given permission to start this horrible business.
Posted by: Doris Driggs | 14 Sep 2010 10:04:08