The four dolphins kept in a small chlorinated pool in Gianyar, Bali will apparently remain there as an official investigation found no illegal-doings at the now infamous Wake Bali Adventure on Keramas Beach.
A viral petition on change.org with almost 500,000 signatures demanding the freedom of the dolphins along with viral behind the scenes footage shot by an Australian model is apparently not enough to win their release from the little pool.
The Environment and Forestry Ministry discovered that one of the poor dolphins was half blind and all were toothless, but ultimately said that all were healthy, reports the Jakarta Post.
“The lack of teeth did not affect the health and activities of the dolphins in Wake Bali Resto and Dolphin because the feeding process of the dolphins does not involve chewing, instead [the food] is swallowed,” Bambang Dahono Adji, the ministry’s biodiversity conservation director, said on Friday, as quoted by JakPost.
Adji added that four veterinarians are regularly monitoring the dolphins.
While activists have been appalled at the size of the 10 by 20 meter pool the dolphins are held, saying they should swim around 160 kilometers a day, the government maintains the pool meets official standards.
“The pools owned by PT WSI at Wake Bali Resto and Dolphin consist of a main pool, which is 26 by 12 m and has a depth of 3 m, and a quarantine pool, which is 8 by 6 m and 2.5 m deep. The pools are made of cement coated with ceramic. These specs meet the standards,” Adji said.
He also says the chlorine content is below “hazardous levels.”
Photo: change.org
