International tour operator cancels dolphinarium trips to Turkey

A major tour operator based in Germany has announced that it will not offer trips to dolphinariums in Turkey unless the conditions at these centers are improved.

The use of captive dolphins in shows and for therapy has been a hot topic in Turkey especially following the death of four dolphins in Sealanya Dolphinarium between Feb. 6 and Feb. 14.

Recep Yavuz, Turkey CEO of Öger Tour International, which brings over 1 million tourists to Turkey every year, told the Hürriyet Daily News & Economic Review that the recent dolphin deaths had broad repercussions in the German media in terms of the unfavorable physical and sanitary conditions of dolphinariums in Turkey.

“Its implications may not be strongly felt in Turkey but quite a negative public opinion has occurred in Germany, or rather in many European countries, against Turkey,” he said.

Noting that the upcoming tourism season has an important potential for Turkey, Yavıuz said this potential is about to be undermined by these negative averments about the dolphinariums, “We had no choice other than taking urgent precautions in order to protect our corporate image as well as the image of Turkey,” he added.

‘Dolphinariums are a good way to diversify tourism’

The cancellation of dolphinarium trips to Turkey by the international tour operator is, however, temporary. The company plans to run the trips again when the conditions in these centers are improved.

Noting that there is very high demand from their customers to visit these centers, and especially families with children like to visit them more than once, Yavuz made it clear that their goal was not to end this tourism field, rather to impose sanctions on dolphinariums to improve their conditions and achieve international standards.

“Dolphinariums are a good opportunity to diversify Turkish tourism,” said Yavuz. “The fact is that people visit the Aspendos Theater once, but visit dolphinariums many times.”

The use of captive dolphins is a source of debate. Özgür Keşaplı Didrickson, the coordinator of Underwater Research Society's Marine Mammal Research Group, or SAD-DEMAG, noted that the laws state that the dolphins cannot be used in shows or therapy for commercial purposes, but some facilities in Turkey and other countries run dolphinariums by exploiting some unclear articles in the laws.

The international agreements on animal rights allow the use of the sea mammals only for research and education purposes and their use for commercial purposes under the names of therapy, swimming or show is strictly forbidden, said Didrickson.

“We have been working to prevent the misuse of dolphins in 11 dolphinariums in Turkey, four of which are in Antalya and surrounding districts, since 2003,” Didrickson told the Daily News. “Now we have come to the point that we have feared for years.”

Didrickson also emphasized that dolphins can only safely live in their natural habitats, the seas and oceans. It necessitates great amounts of money and serious expertise to keep them in pools or specially separated areas within the seas.

“Dolphins face extinction today. We need to keep them alive, not kill them,” she added.

Big commercial market

Today the prices asked by the dolphinarium managements are quite high when compared to any other animal centers run for the commercial purposes.

While the dolphin-therapies, whose benefit has yet to be scientifically proved, are priced between 3,500 and 7,000 euros per session, the swimming activity with dolphins costs between 100 and 250 euros per half an hour or even more than that.

Speaking on the condition of anonymity, one of the partners of a dolphinarium in Antalya said that there is a high demand both in the domestic and the international market in dolphinariums.

“We purchase the dolphins for serious amounts of money, it is just like an investment. How could people in this case think that we keep them under unfavorable conditions, misuse them and even kill them?” he said. “On the contrary, we do our best to supply them with the best possible conditions and experts to make them happy in their new homes.”

Highlighting that neither the dolphinarium administrations nor the tour operators want these centers to be closed down forever, he argued that dolphins can easily adjust themselves to new conditions as long as their basic needs, such as a swimming area in suitable sizes, favorable hygiene conditions and constant supervision by the experts, are met properly.