Underwaterworld Sentosa 'improves' dolphin show

Just announced: "The existing Dolphin Lagoon, once situated across the road, has now been incorporated into the Underwater World Singapore's premises, making it a lot more convenient than before. To be officially launched sometime later this quarter, the area even boasts a Dolphin Suite, where you can watch the performances in air-conditioned comfort."

Included in the article is a video clip with shots of performing dolphins and seals.


From the Underwaterworld Singapore (UWS) website there are programmes to swim with sharks, the dugong and dolphins.

From the UWS website, the dolphin dives currently cost $150 per person and take place once a day every day except Wednesdays.

Recently, an article suggests there are no therapeutic benefits from swimming with dolphins. The person who started the practice discontinued it because "it boils down to the exploitation of vulnerable people and vulnerable dolphins." The article quotes The Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society as citing reports of serious injuries to people who swim with dolphins, including bites and broken ribs, and the potential for disease transmission and stress for captive dolphins that are obliged to interact with a continuous stream of strangers and may be scratched by fingernails and jewelry.

A recent study has found dolphins to be "sophisticated, self-aware, highly intelligent beings with individual personalities, autonomy and an inner life. They are vulnerable to tremendous suffering and psychological trauma." The authors of the study say the growing industry of capturing and confining dolphins to perform in marine parks or to swim with tourists at resorts needs to be reconsidered.

In Singapore, ACRES' programme Suffering, Not Smiling: The Truth About Captive Dolphins started in 2003 calls for Underwater World Singapore to:

• End the use of dolphins in animal shows at Dolphin Lagoon.
• End the petting and Swim-with-Dolphin sessions at Dolphin Lagoon.
• Stop the further imports of dolphins to the Dolphin Lagoon.
• Begin research on the rehabilitation of the Indo-Pacific humpbacked dolphins and eventually release the Indo- Pacific humpbacked dolphins from the Dolphin Lagoon back into the wild.

From the UWS website, the shark dives cost $120 per person and there are 8 time slots in a day, while the dugong dives cost $90 per person and there are 3 time slots in a day.

Related links

• Underwaterworld Sentosa website
• Suffering, Not Smiling: The Truth About Captive Dolphins on the Acres website.
• Sentosa Underwater World revamped Straits Times 23 Feb 10;
• Dolphin therapy is booming despite concerns about efficacy and animal cruelty Katherine Ellison, The Washington Post 23 Feb 10;
• Dolphin Cognitive Abilities Raise Ethical Questions ScienceDaily 18 Feb 10;