A new report has called for urgent policy action after exposing the tourism industry’s involvement in the Taiji dolphin hunts, notorious for the slaughter of hundreds of dolphins each year and the brutal capture of wild dolphin pods.
Shockingly, six major travel companies including top offenders Trip.com, Klook, Traveloka, GetYourGuide, and Groupon are linked to the Taiji hunts by selling tickets to venues that have sourced dolphins from Taiji. While no Australian or New Zealand travel companies were implicated, countries frequented by Aussie and Kiwi travellers including Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico and the Philippines were found to have Taiji dolphins held across their dolphin venues.
The report has identified 107 dolphin entertainment venues across 17 countries with links to Taiji, highlighting the global reach of this issue.
The report also found that the global captive dolphin entertainment industry was a key economic driver of the Taiji hunts, indirectly fuelling demand for the wild capture of live dolphins. Trained dolphins can sell for up to US$150,000 to overseas dolphin entertainment venues.
Suzanne Milthorpe, Head of Campaigns, World Animal Protection Australia and New Zealand said:
“Based on the disastrous animal welfare impacts, and absolute brutality involved in these hunts, it is completely indefensible for global travel companies to continue sending unsuspecting travellers to venues who have sourced dolphins from Taiji. This is corporate irresponsibility at its finest.
"As long as travel companies continue to sell tickets to dolphin entertainment venues, they are directly contributing to the suffering of these intelligent marine mammals."
Hannah Tait, CEO, Action for Dolphins said:
“The trade of wild dolphins from Taiji to venues across the world is a secretive business. This report exposes which travel companies are profiting from this outdated and brutal practice.
“With this report, these travel companies are on notice to implement animal welfare policies and stop contributing to animal cruelty.”
Companies including Airbnb, Boooking.com, Tripadvisor, and Virgin are industry leading for their progressive animal welfare policies.
World Animal Protection's polling reveals that 79% of travellers would prefer to see dolphins in the wild rather than in captivity, with 82% saying companies should not be selling activities that cause suffering to wild animals.
The two organisations are calling on travel companies to take immediate action by implementing robust animal welfare policies and ceasing the promotion of all dolphin entertainment venues.
By not purchasing tickets to dolphin entertainment venues, travellers can also play an important role in keeping dolphins in the wild, where they belong.
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Editor’s notes:
The full report, Waves of Profit: How the Tourism Industry Profits from the Taiji Dolphin Hunts can be found here.
Imagery and footage can be found here.
Globally, there has been a shift away from dolphin entertainment:
- 22 countries around the world have banned the import wild caught dolphins.
- Australia implemented a ban on the wild capture of dolphins in 1991. This prohibition was enforced under the Australian National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act.
- In 2021, French parliament passed a bill that bans dolphin shows as well as wild animals used in circuses.
- In 2006 Mexico has a ban on the capture, import and export of all cetaceans.
- While the UK has no ban on keeping cetaceans in captivity, due to strict regulations the country has no cetaceans in captivity.
- In 2022, Sweden’s Kolmården zoo, the largest zoo in Scandinavia, announced it will end its dolphin shows. A similar ban has been in place in Canada since 2019
- Thanks to World Animal Protection’s global campaign Behind the Smile and over 350,000 of our supporters, Expedia became the latest among travel agencies to stop selling tickets that include dolphin shows.
Key Facts:
- Six major travel companies, including Trip.com, Klook, Traveloka, GetYourGuide, and Groupon, have been identified as key players in this unethical trade, selling tickets to venues linked to the Taiji hunts.
- Dolphins captured in Taiji are being exported to 17 countries globally, including traveller hotspots like Thailand, Vietnam, Mexico, and the Philippines.
- Despite mounting evidence of cruelty, many of these companies have turned a blind eye to the suffering of these intelligent marine mammals, prioritising profit over ethics.
- Alarmingly, dolphins captured in Taiji are often traded between dolphin entertainment venues, obscuring the direct link to the deadly hunts and perpetuating the cycle of exploitation.
- The report highlights the lack of transparency in the trading of wild-caught dolphins, leading to confusion among tourists and travel companies about the origin of dolphins used in entertainment venues.
- There is a misconception that the hunts are fuelled by demand for dolphin meat. In reality, dolphin venues are the primary financial driver with trained dolphins can sell for up to US$150,000 to overseas dolphin entertainment venues.
Implication for Australian travellers:
Australian travellers could unknowingly contribute to this cruel industry by purchasing tickets to venues linked to the Taiji hunts, perpetuating the cycle of exploitation and suffering. This is often done through travel companies who do not have adequate policies in place.
About us:
About World Animal Protection
World Animal Protection is the global voice for animal welfare, with more than 70 years’ experience campaigning for a world where animals live free from cruelty and suffering. We have offices in 12 countries and work across 47 countries. We collaborate with local communities, the private sector, civil society and governments to change animals’ lives for the better.
About Action for Dolphins
Action for Dolphins has been working to impact the economic viability of hunting dolphins in Taiji, Japan, for 12 years. In 2015, Action for Dolphins brought a legal action against the World Association of Zoos and Aquariums which led to 62 Japanese aquariums cutting ties with the dolphin hunts.
Contact details:
To organise an interview or speak to a spokesperson, please contact: Sandra Sopin at ssopin@worldanimalprotection.org.au or on 0435 957 773.
