There is a development that will upset animal lovers and animal rights activists in the Tuzla Marina project, which opened last month in Tuzla and attracted great attention. As part of the project, a dolphin park and zoo are planned to be opened in the marina area. The formations and organizations that fight against dolphin parks are reacting strongly to this project.
July 6, 2015 – Animal lovers and animal rights activists have reacted to the dolphin park, aquarium and zoo projects planned to be established in Tuzla. The marina project is being carried out by Bayraktar Construction and Via Properties in Tuzla and is also supported by Tuzla Mayor Şadi Yazıcı and Istanbul Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Kadir Topbaş . Animal lovers and organizations fighting against dolphin parks are demanding that the dolphin show center , zoo and thematic aquarium plans in the $350 million Tuzla Marina and Shopping Mall project be removed from the project immediately. The project was not even opened to discussion on a democratic basis before it was implemented.
The “ Close the Dolphin Parks ” initiative had made an application to official institutions on September 20, 2014 regarding this project, which they believe commodifies all areas of nature and social life. This application text was also sent to the members of the TBMM Environment Commission. However, the organization reports that it has not received a response to this application. The “ Don’t Touch the Tuzla Coast ” initiative, which was initiated by the people of Tuzla by forming a local organization and has made a splash in the public opinion, is also reacting to the dolphin park within the project and is demanding the cancellation of the project.
Dolphins suffer, suffer trauma and die
In dolphin parks and zoos; animals are being turned into exhibition materials by taking away their natural right to live freely. Zoos, dolphin parks and thematic aquariums, which are the result of entertainment and commercial understanding based on animal exploitation, are turning into animal prisons.
There have been saddening incidents involving dolphins in Turkey, increasing opposition to dolphin parks. In February 2010, four dolphins died in a week at a dolphin show center in Alanya. In June 2010, images of the trauma experienced by dolphins in Fethiye-Hisarönü were reflected in the world press. Again, in another show center in Istanbul, photographs of a dolphin performing with bloody wounds were featured in newspapers for a long time.
In dolphin parks; dolphins, whales, walruses, sea lions and seals are forced to perform by being trained with hunger. Similar torture to bears in the past, called bear play, is being applied to these marine mammals today. In particular, it provides financial resources for the hunting industry in Japan, which results in the death of 23 thousand dolphins every year.
In these facilities, treatments that have not been proven to be scientifically based are also applied under the name of dolphin therapy. Things that may result in the exploitation of families, money and hopes of disabled individuals are happening in these dolphin parks. The ministries, on the other hand, say, “There is no legislation regarding dolphins” and consider the issue outside their authority, do not put it on their agenda and do not assume responsibility.
Animal rights organizations and activists demand that dolphins and all marine animals in captivity be released back into the sea after rehabilitation programs conducted by experts, or that they be protected for life in a marine mammal rehabilitation center that should be opened by experts in a calm and human-free bay.
These creatures, who are thought to be smiling or very happy in dolphin parks, are caught in traumatic ways in the seas. They travel in trucks and tankers. They are forced to turn somersaults for a piece of fish. They can be harmed by loud music in show pools. They can give birth to dead babies. These creatures can also suffer great spiritual pain due to the awareness brought by their superior intelligence.
Source: Mete Gürkan – Gaia Dergi