Animal NGO sees support for freedom of RWS dolphins

Saturday 9th of May 2015

More than 670,000 people have signed a petition to pressure Resorts World Sentosa to release the remaining 23 Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphins that it acquired in 2010.

In an interview with ABC radio, Louis Ng, founder animal rights group ACRES said his organization has seen renewed support for the freedom of the dolphins after four died since they were bought from the Solomon Islands in 2010.

Ng says RWS paid $60,000 for the dolphins, which are being kept in appalling conditions and have since lost their instincts.

“Unfortunately those at the resort are kept in one of the worst possible enclosures. It really is just a swimming pool….They’ve lost everything they can do in the wild. Even the families are separated.”

Ng says despite Singapore having strong legislation on protecting the welfare of animals, the demand from foreigners in particular Asians who visit the sealife shows at the resort are keeping the entertainment feature going.

“The main audience is other foreigners tourists from China, Korea, Japan and India so it’s a bit hard for our campaign to reach out to them,” he said adding that his organization is exploring ways of entertaining audiences with dolphins that remain in the wild.

Adding to a string of casualties at RWS, last year two newly-acquired manta rays died at the Marine Life Park.