Ric OBarrys Dolphin Project

JAPANDURING THE ANNUAL SIX-MONTH DOLPHIN DRIVE SEASON IN TAIJI, WILD DOLPHINS ARE DRIVEN INTO THE COVE. SOME ARE LIVE-CAPTURED FOR THE GLOBAL DOLPHIN ENTERTAINMENT INDUSTRY, WHILE OTHERS ARE CRUELLY SLAUGHTERED AND SOLD AS MEAT.DOLPHIN PROJECT IS THE ONLY INDEPENDENT BODY SINCE 2003 TO ACT AS AN OBSERVER TO MONITOR THE HUNTS IN TAIJI. WHILE WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO INTERVENE, OUR ROLE IS TO DOCUMENT THE HUNTS, TRACK CAPTURES AND SLAUGHTERS, AND IN REAL TIME, BROADCAST TO THE WORLD THE GOINGS-ON HERE. WITH EACH NEW VIEWER, WE ARE SHIFTING THE TIDE IN HOW THE PUBLIC THINKS ABOUT CAPTIVITY. WE ALSO CONTINUE TO SUPPORT JAPANESE-BASED ACTIVISTS, WHO HAVE KEPT THE PRESSURE ON AUTHORITIES TO END THE HUNTS.ON APRIL 22, 2022, REN YABUKI, DIRECTOR OF LIFE INVESTIGATION AGENCY, IN CONJUNCTION WITH DOLPHIN PROJECT FILED A LAWSUIT AGAINST THE TOWN OF TAIJI OVER THE REDACTION OF INFORMATION FROM PUBLIC DOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE HANDLING OF CETACEANS. THE LAWSUIT SOUGHT ACCESS TO ALL DOCUMENTATION CONNECTED TO THE DRIVE HUNTS, INCLUDING:SALES CONTRACTS AND INVOICES FOR LIVE CETACEAN COMMERCEDOCUMENTS RELATED TO THE OVERSEAS EXPORT OF LIVE CETACEANSCOMPLETE INVENTORIES OF CETACEANS IN POSSESSION OF THE TAIJI WHALE MUSEUMDOCUMENTATION RELATED TO THE DISMANTLING OF DEAD CETACEANS BY THE TAIJI WHALE MUSEUM, ANDINSPECTION REPORTS FOR THE ANIMALS IN POSSESSION BY THE TAIJI WHALE MUSEUM ACCOMPLISHMENTS IN SEPT 2023, IN A RULING BY WAKAYAMA DISTRICT COURT JUDGE AYAKO TAKAHASHI, A DECISION MADE BY THE TOWN OF TAIJI NOT TO DISCLOSE INFORMATION RELATING TO THE DOLPHIN DRIVE HUNTS HAD BEEN DEEMED ILLEGAL.AFTER A FOUR-YEAR FIGHT AGAINST A WRONGFUL DEPORTATION ORDER, AND THEN ANOTHER THREE YEARS OF WAITING UNTIL THE WORST OF THE COVID PANDEMIC HAD PASSED, DOLPHIN PROJECTS RIC OBARRY WAS FINALLY ABLE TO RETURN TO TAIJI. ALONG WITH HIS SON, LINCOLN, AND SEVERAL DEDICATED JAPANESE ACTIVISTS, WE STOOD AT THE COVE ON SEPTEMBER 1 THE FIRST DAY OF THE 2023/24 DOLPHIN HUNTING SEASON, PROTESTING THE BARBARIC DRIVES. THE DAY ALSO MARKED THE BEGINNING OF DOLPHIN DEFENDER MONTH, WHEN PARTICIPANTS FROM ACROSS THE WORLD CREATE AWARENESS OF THE HUNTS AND THEIR INDISPUTABLE CONNECTION TO THE CAPTIVITY INDUSTRY. WE ARE ALSO PLEASED TO REPORT THAT DOLPHIN PROJECT TEAM MEMBER AND COVE MONITOR CYNTHIA WAS ABLE TO RETURN TO TAIJI TO DOCUMENT THE DRIVE HUNTS AND GATHER ADDITIONAL MATERIALS FOR THE ONGOING COURT CASES.

INDONESIAUMAH LUMBA REHABILITATION, RELEASE AND RETIREMENT CENTERDOLPHIN PROJECT, IN CONJUNCTION WITH OUR LOCAL PARTNERS, THE CENTRAL JAKARTA FORESTRY DEPARTMENT AND JAKARTA ANIMAL AID NETWORK (JAAN) BUILT THE UMAH LUMBA REHABILITATION, RELEASE AND RETIREMENT CENTER IN BANYUWEDANG BAY, WEST BALI THE FIRST EVER PERMANENT DOLPHIN REHABILITATION, RELEASE AND RETIREMENT FACILITY FOR FORMERLY PERFORMING DOLPHINS.IN JULY OF THIS YEAR, A LITTLE OVER 10 MONTHS SINCE THREE CONFISCATED DOLPHINS WERE OFFERED THEIR FREEDOM, RAMBO, THE LAST REMAINING DOLPHIN RESIDING NEAR THE RELEASE SITE, CHOSE TO DEPART. IN THE WEEKS PRIOR TO HIS DEPARTURE, RAMBO WAS SPOTTED SWIMMING WITH A POD OF WILD BOTTLENOSE DOLPHINS. ALL SIGNS POINT TO HIM JOINING UP WITH THIS POD, OR ANOTHER, AND LEADING THE LIFE HE WAS MEANT TO LEAD. (LAST YEAR IN SEPTEMBER, THE GATE WAS OPENED AT THE UMAH LUMBA REHABILITATION, RELEASE AND RETIREMENT CENTER IN WEST BALI, INDONESIA THE FIRST AND ONLY PERMANENT DOLPHIN REHABILITATION, RELEASE AND RETIREMENT FACILITY FOR FORMERLY PERFORMING DOLPHINS OFFERING FREEDOM TO ROCKY, RAMBO AND JOHNNY, THE THREE DOLPHINS WHO HAD BEEN IN OUR CARE FOR NEARLY THREE YEARS. IT WAS A SOFT RELEASE, MEANING THE THREE DOLPHINS COULD CHOOSE TO LEAVE THE AREA, OR STAY NEAR THE CENTER. RAMBO CHOSE TO STAY.)WHILE OUR MAIN FOCUS AT THE UMAH LUMBA CENTER IS ON DOLPHIN RESCUE AND REHABILITATION, DOLPHIN PROJECT IS PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL AID AND REHABILITATION FOR A VARIETY OF SPECIES. EXPANDING ON OUR DIVERSE COMMUNITY INITIATIVES, WE ENGAGED IN SEVERAL OUTREACH ACTIVITIES IN BALI, INCLUDING:ONGOING MAINTENANCE AT THE UMAH LUMBA CENTER.AT THE UMAH LUMBA EDUCATION CENTER (IN THE VILLAGE NEXT TO THE UMAH LUMBA CENTER) EDUCATING SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN ON NATURE, ANIMAL WELFARE, MARINE LIFE, DOLPHIN CONSERVATION AS WELL AS TEACHING CORE CLASSES IN A FUN AND ENGAGING ENVIRONMENT. THIS FREE SCHOOL HELD CLASSES FOR 69 STUDENTS THIS YEAR.PLANTING 6500 MANGROVE SEEDLINGS.RESPONDING TO SIX STRANDING CASES, SADLY, ALL FATAL.HOSTING SEVERAL GROUPS, INCLUDING: THE FIRST EVER SEA TURTLE ALLIANCE MEDICAL WORKSHOP FOR VETERINARIANS FROM INDONESIA AND THE PHILIPPINES, THE TOUR AGENCY VEGAN TRAVELS TO LEARN ABOUT DOLPHIN PROTECTION, A GROUP FROM GEORGE MASON UNIVERSITY TO LEARN ABOUT DOLPHIN REHABILITATION AND RELEASE, AND A GROUP OF 20 STUDENTS TO HELP PLANT MANGROVES AND LEARN ABOUT DOLPHIN CONSERVATION.OPERATING A NO-COST VETERINARY CLINIC, PROVIDING CARE FOR LOCAL PETS.CONDUCTING MARINE MAMMAL STRANDING TRAINING IN KARIMUN JAWA, ATTENDED BY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS, LOCAL FISHERMEN AND CITIZENS.RESCUING AND REHABILITATING LONG-TAILED MACAQUE MONKEYS (LONG TAILED MACAQUES, OR MACACA FASCICULARIS) FROM A VARIETY OF DIFFERENT SITUATIONS.DOLPHIN PROJECT IS PLEASED TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE MEDICAL AID AND REHABILITATION FOR TURTLES, INCLUDING ENDANGERED AND CRITICALLY ENDANGERED SPECIES. WHILE SEA TURTLES ARE PROTECTED IN INDONESIA, THE ILLEGAL TRADE IN LIVE SEA TURTLES FOR THEIR MEAT AND CULTURAL REASONS IS STILL TAKING PLACE. IN ADDITION, THE REPTILES ARE OFTEN INJURED BY BOAT PROPELLERS AND JET SKIS. THIS YEAR, 107 RESCUED SEA TURTLES WERE CARED FOR, ENSURING THEIR SAFE RELEASE BACK TO THE OCEAN