Resorts World Sentosa as dolphin sanctuary?

It should develop itself as the region's hub for dolphin research and rescue
Letter from Toh Tai Chong Today Online 9 Jun 11;

I REFER to the recent comments by the Animal Concerns Research and Education Society (ACRES) and applaud the group for highlighting the issues of procuring and training dolphins for public exhibition.

The underlying concern, however: Can we ever justify capturing animals for public education? Is prohibiting all wildlife import the solution to conservation?

Following the death of the dolphins, concerns were raised by activists regarding the condition of the dolphins, such as issues of enclosure space, diet and disease control.

While Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) has repeatedly assured the public that regulations of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) were adhered to, videos released by activists argued otherwise.

RWS should reveal detailed information about how the animals are being taken care of and demonstrate that it has upheld the required quality of care. It should also perform regular inspections at dolphin holding and training sites, with qualified veterinarians and marine biologists.

Research on dolphins is lacking, especially in this region. In Singapore, most of the dolphin research over the years was performed in captivity, using the facilities at Underwater World Singapore. There is potential for RWS to develop itself as a regional centre to address the long-standing need for a central establishment in South-east Asia committed to dolphin research.

This can be achieved by tapping its existing Marine Life Fund, as well as active collaboration with international institutes, such as the Wildlife Conservation Society, to address population studies for instance and accelerate the development of successful breeding programmes to alleviate the reliance on captive dolphins for public display.

In Asia, dolphins face a variety of threats such as habitat destruction, overfishing and accidental death from being trapped in drifting gill-nets. However, there is a lack of wildlife rescue centres and many injured animals are left stranded.

With RWS' funding capacity and existing expertise, there is potential to develop a marine wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre for the injured animals.

The debate on wildlife trade for public display and education is not new. As with most conservation policies, there must be a balance between ensuring the safety and well-being of the animals and fulfilling the needs of the stakeholders. RWS could play a role beyond public education, as a key player in research and wildlife rescue.

Polemical views are often counter-productive in achieving conservation aims. There has to be mutual understanding on both sides to ensure concerns are addressed.