Jayanthi Natarajan, the Indian Minister of Environment and Forests, has announced that captive dolphin facilities will not be allowed in India, leaving dolphin advocates hopeful that an official ban will be put in place.
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There are currently no facilities in India that house captive dolphins, but there are there are several proposals to establish facilities for marine mammals from Maharashtra, Delhi, Kerala, Goa, Gujarat, Andamans and Lakshadweep that won’t just promote animal cruelty, but will threaten sensitive coastal areas, according to the Federation of Indian Animal Protection Organizations (FIAPO).
More than 23,000 people signed the petition asking the Animal Welfare Board of India (AWBI) to help stop the continued exploitation of dolphins. In January, the AWBI acted by issuing an advisory to all state governments against granting permission for dolphinariums, citing health risks and high mortality rates among captive dolphins. The decision not to allow anyone to bring …