VICTORY! Wild dolphins safe from Sea World Australia’s overseas parks.

GOOD NEWS UPDATE — Village Roadshow pulls out of Chinese marine theme park plan:

Following the positive commitment by Sea World Australia to never confine wild dolphins or whales in any of its parks, its parent company Village Roadshow went a step further. The entertainment giant confirmed in a media statement that “Village Roadshow Theme Parks (VRTP) has recently ended the agreement to manage the proposed marine theme park development in China on Hainan Island.”

While a growing number of people in China are standing up for animals, the country has no animal protection laws. And many of the marine animals at aquariums and marine parks in China are taken from the wild in brutal hunts. So thanks to caring Australians taking action, wild dolphins and whales are swimming safer today after this significant decision.

Talk about people power. Things were looking grim when news came of Village Roadshow’s plans to set up a new marine theme park in China. It was likely the dolphins and even whales kept in captivity there would have been taken from the wild in traumatic hunts — a cruel practice that’s illegal in Australia.

But thanks to thousands of people stepping up to urge Sea World Australia not to buy into cruelty overseas, the future is looking brighter for these unique animals!

The theme park giant’s confirmation that Village Roadshow will never display wild-caught dolphins and whales at any of its parks makes an enormously significant statement. This public commitment means one of the biggest family-owned companies in Australia is acknowledging the growing global movement against forcing sensitive and intelligent animals to live lives of deprivation for the sake of ticket sales.

Thanks to the efforts of our friends at Action for Dolphins (Australia for Dolphins), as well as other dedicated advocates over decades — including the makers of the groundbreaking documentary film ‘Blackfish’ — people around the world are becoming informed about the suffering of marine animals in captivity, and inspired to make a difference. Now that’s something to smile about!

Dolphins still need your help!

Internationally, cruel ‘drive hunts’ like those that happen at Taiji in Japan are only financially viable because of the lucrative trade in live dolphins and whales to aquariums and marine theme parks.

• You can help save dolphins by pledging to never attend marine parks or aquariums.
• Join calls for an end to the Taiji hunts, and help spare these sensitive, social animals from slaughter.
• Learn more about the reality for animals used in marine parks and aquariums here, and share this information with friends and family who can help take a stand for marine animals too!