- Region
- Águilas
- Alhama de Murcia
- Jumilla
- Lorca
- Los Alcázares
- Mazarrón
- San Javier
-
ALL AREAS & TOWNS
- AREAS
- SOUTH WEST
- MAR MENOR
- MURCIA CITY & CENTRAL
- NORTH & NORTH WEST
- TOWNS
- Abanilla
- Abarán
- Aguilas
- Alamillo
- Alcantarilla
- Aledo
- Alhama de Murcia
- Archena
- Balsicas
- Blanca
- Bolnuevo
- Bullas
- Cañadas del Romero
- Cabo de Palos
- Calasparra
- Camping Bolnuevo
- Campo De Ricote
- Camposol
- Canada De La Lena
- Caravaca de la Cruz
- Cartagena
- Cehegin
- Ceuti
- Cieza
- Condado de Alhama
- Corvera
- Costa Cálida
- Cuevas De Almanzora
- Cuevas de Reyllo
- El Carmoli
- El Mojon
- El Molino (Puerto Lumbreras)
- El Pareton / Cantareros
- El Raso
- El Valle Golf Resort
- Fortuna
- Fuente Alamo
- Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
- Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
- Isla Plana
- Islas Menores & Mar de Cristal
- Jumilla
- La Azohia
- La Charca
- La Manga Club
- La Manga del Mar Menor
- La Pinilla
- La Puebla
- La Torre
- La Torre Golf Resort
- La Unión
- Las Palas
- Las Ramblas
- Las Ramblas Golf
- Las Torres de Cotillas
- Leiva
- Librilla
- Lo Pagan
- Lo Santiago
- Lorca
- Lorquí
- Los Alcázares
- Los Balcones
- Los Belones
- Los Canovas
- Los Nietos
- Los Perez (Tallante)
- Los Urrutias
- Los Ventorrillos
- Mar De Cristal
- Mar Menor
- Mar Menor Golf Resort
- Mazarrón
- Mazarrón Country Club
- Molina de Segura
- Moratalla
- Mula
- Murcia City
- Murcia Property
- Pareton
- Peraleja Golf Resort
- Perin
- Pilar de la Horadada
- Pinar de Campoverde
- Pinoso
- Playa Honda
- Playa Honda / Playa Paraíso
- Pliego
- Portmán
- Pozo Estrecho
- Puerto de Mazarrón
- Puerto Lumbreras
- Puntas De Calnegre
- Region of Murcia
- Ricote
- Roda Golf Resort
- Roldan
- Roldan and Lo Ferro
- San Javier
- San Pedro del Pinatar
- Santiago de la Ribera
- Sierra Espuña
- Sucina
- Tallante
- Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
- Torre Pacheco
- Totana
- What's On Weekly Bulletin
- Yecla
- EDITIONS: Spanish News Today Alicante Today Andalucia Today
article_detail
Date Published: 15/09/2022
ARCHIVED - Teenager launches bid to ban dolphins in captivity in Valencia and the rest of Spain
A petition set up by the 15-year-old girl has gathered more than 130,000 signatures
A 15-year-old girl determined to end the captivity of dolphins in Valencia and the rest of Spain has launched a petition calling on the Spanish Government to eradicate the practice and shut down dolphinariums.
And 136,000 people are backing the petition set up by Olivia Mandle on Change.org and addressed to Spain's President, Pedro Sánchez.
There are 11 parks and aquariums in Spain – the highest number of any country in the EU – and Oceanografi Valencia is probably the biggest place in Europe where dolphins are kept captive.
"Our country has the highest number of captive cetaceans, something that we should not be proud of," states Olivia, adding: "I dream that in our country, there will be no dolphin parks (or dolphinariums) where these animals continue to be used for the benefit of a corporation. Whatever their objective may be, it is not normal to lock these animals in small pools day and night for the rest of their lives."
Dolphins need a lot of space and in the wild they can swim up to 80 miles a day. But in captivity, on average, they have around 200,000 times less space, according to World Animal Protection. This leads to boredom, aggression and even self-harm.
Also of interest: Feral felines—Benidorm divided over growing stray cat populations
In the petition, Olivia refers to Barcelona, which in 2018, declared itself a cetacean-free city, and three dolphins previously held at the city's zoo were transferred. However just a few weeks ago, although Blau, Tumay and Nuik are "no longer being exploited in our country", they are now being oppressed in Greece at the Attica Zoological Park in Athens, warns Olivia, who is urging the government, "now is the moment to act... it is not normal to lock these animals in small pools day and night for the rest of their lives".
The teen is calling for Spain to set an example and ban the captivity of dolphins once and for all, as has been done in countries such as Brazil, Norway, Chile and India.
Olivia actually set up the petition two years ago, and in 2020, the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots & Shoots program hailed her a 'mini-heroine'. The young activist set up the dolphinarium petition when she was 13, but it is still gaining significant traction.
In the petition, the young activist adds: "The mistake that has been made in Barcelona and the suffering of these dolphins could have been avoided: what has been done is to move a 'problem' from one zoo to another when they could have brought these animals to a marine sanctuary, they chose so that these cetaceans continue to live in captivity.
"These dolphins do not deserve such a life, they deserve to go to a marine sanctuary where they can be helped to regain their instincts, recover actions such as searching for food, etc. They, like any animal in captivity, deserve to get as close as possible to freedom, which of course, they will never totally or completely have, but at least, they deserve a good end of life."
Olivia's views, shared by tens of thousands of people, are likely to cause quite a stir on the Costa Blanca as Oceanografic in Valencia is the city's biggest tourist attraction, together with the City of Arts and Sciences, so it's doubtful any decision to ban the captivity of dolphins in Spain would get much support, if any, from the local or regional government.
If you would like to support Olivia in her mission to eradicate dolphins in captivity in Spain, the petition can be found at Change.org
Image: Change.org
Loading
Sign up for the Spanish News Today Editors Roundup Weekly Bulletin and get an email with all the week’s news straight to your inbox
Special offer: Subscribe now for 25% off (36.95 euros for 48 Bulletins)
OR
you can sign up to our FREE weekly roundup!
Read some of our recent bulletins:
25% Discount Special Offer subscription:
36.95€ for 48 Editor’s Weekly News Roundup bulletins!
Please CLICK THE BUTTON to subscribe.
(List price 3 months 12 Bulletins)
Read more stories from around Spain:
Find more information by AREA, TOWN or URBANISATION .....
Cabo de Palos
Cartagena
El Carmoli
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Manga del Mar Menor
La Puebla
La Torre Golf Resort
La Union
Los Alcazares
Los Belones
Los Nietos
Los Urrutias
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Pilar de la Horadada
Playa Honda / Playa Paraiso
Portman
Roldan and Lo Ferro
San Javier
San Pedro del Pinatar
Santa Rosalia Lake and Life resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
Torre Pacheco
Cartagena
El Carmoli
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Manga del Mar Menor
La Puebla
La Torre Golf Resort
La Union
Los Alcazares
Los Belones
Los Nietos
Los Urrutias
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Pilar de la Horadada
Playa Honda / Playa Paraiso
Portman
Roldan and Lo Ferro
San Javier
San Pedro del Pinatar
Santa Rosalia Lake and Life resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
Torre Pacheco
Aguilas
Aledo
Alhama de Murcia
Bolnuevo
Camposol
Condado de Alhama
Fuente Alamo
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Lorca
Mazarron
Puerto de Mazarron
Puerto Lumbreras
Sierra Espuna
Totana
Aledo
Alhama de Murcia
Bolnuevo
Camposol
Condado de Alhama
Fuente Alamo
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Lorca
Mazarron
Puerto de Mazarron
Puerto Lumbreras
Sierra Espuna
Totana
Abanilla
Abaran
Alcantarilla
Archena
Blanca
Corvera
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Lorqui
Molina de Segura
Mosa Trajectum
Murcia City
Peraleja Golf Resort
Ricote
Sucina
Abaran
Alcantarilla
Archena
Blanca
Corvera
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Lorqui
Molina de Segura
Mosa Trajectum
Murcia City
Peraleja Golf Resort
Ricote
Sucina
Urbanisations
CamposolCondado de Alhama
El Valle Golf Resort
Hacienda del Alamo Golf Resort
Hacienda Riquelme Golf Resort
Islas Menores and Mar de Cristal
La Manga Club
La Torre Golf Resort
Mar Menor Golf Resort
Mazarron Country Club
Mosa Trajectum
Peraleja Golf Resort
Santa Rosalia Lake and Life resort
Terrazas de la Torre Golf Resort
La Zenia
Lomas de Cabo Roig
Important Topics:
CAMPOSOL TODAY Whats OnCartagena SpainCoronavirusCorvera Airport MurciaMurcia Gota Fria 2019Murcia property news generic threadWeekly Bulletin
CAMPOSOL TODAY Whats OnCartagena SpainCoronavirusCorvera Airport MurciaMurcia Gota Fria 2019Murcia property news generic threadWeekly Bulletin
Contact Murcia Today: Editorial 966 260 896 /
Office 968 018 268