Taken from their families in the Sea…

In 1988
two female bottlenose
dolphin calves, were captured
and taken from their ocean home .

Bogie & Bacall   were destined
to live out their lives entertaining humans

In the USA, there are permits
available to 't a k e' dolphins from the wild .
BUT NOT for putting them back !

Captivity is a one way ticket

Journey to freedom begins ..

In 1993 a small group
of marine mammal activists,
successfully negotiated the
acquisition of this unusual group
of  5 captive bottlenose dolphins.

Their Mission:
to establish standard protocols
and procedures that would 'PERMIT'
captive dolphins to be returned to 
their natural environment.

Bogie

Bacall 

For 'Bogie' and 'Bacall' this project
was their opportunity to go home

Mollie

The Navy Boys

The others were not as fortunate:
Jake and Luther eventually went back to the Navy. 
.Buck and Mollie to a nearby captive dolphin facility.

Jake , Luther & Buck

Would You Believe...

In the early 1990's,
the US Navy cut back funding
for the use of dolphins
in the Military

Surplus Dolphins
They were giving them away!

   WANTED ?

Today retired navy dolphins
( mostly Atlantic Bottlenose )
remain in small sea pens in the
Pacific Ocean Waters off San Diego .

Honorable Discharge ?

One generation ago …

Capturing dolphins for Military Operations ,
Research Projects and for Public Display
( Sea Parks  for entertainment) began.

In captivity dolphins
are hand fed dead fish.

In the wild,
dolphins get freshwater & nutrients
from the LIVE fish they catch.

Next  page

Navigation  page

Our Journey

The Dolphins

Gallery

Mobile Art

Strandings

Return to Home page

Copyright ArtfulDolphin.com  2002  all rights reserved

map of site