From the New South
Wales Parliament 1981
Page 2078.
*1225 Mr Moore asked the Minister for Planning and
Environment -
(1) Is the minimum diameter pool required for dolphins
in captivity under the United States Marine Mammals Protection Act 17 metres?
(2) Is the critical factor in assessing whether dolphin
pools are adequate for the exercise of the mammals the horizontal lineal diameter rather
than the volume of water involved?
(3) At what locations are dolphins confined in New
South Wales in circumstances where the 17 metre minimum scientifically accepted diameter
is not observed?
(4) What action will be taken to rectify this position?
Answer--
(1) It is my understanding that the United States
Marine Mammals Protection Act specifies the minimum diameter pool required for dolphins in
captivity as 17 metres.
(2) It is a reasonable assumption.
(3) The African Lion Safari dolphinarium at Warragamba.
(4) The National Parks and Wildlife Service has
arranged for a conference to be held in the last week of May to discuss recent legislation
in the United States and draft legislation in Western Australia on standards for keeping
dolphins, as well as current problems recently brought to the attention of the Service in
relation to the keeping of dolphins in captivity.
Experts in this field have been invited to attend and
the aim of the conference is to determine standards for keeping of these animals, that can
be applied as licence conditions, if such are granted for dolphinariums in New South
Wales.
In the interim, as I have recently announced no further
permits for the capture of dolphins for the purpose of exhibition will be issued.
*1226. Mr. Moore asked the Minister for Planning and
Environment--
(1) What locations in New South Wales are licensed for
the purposes of keeping dolphins in captivity?
(2) What has been the numbers of dolphins kept at each
such location since 1972?
(3) (i) How many dolphins have died at each such
location since 1972 until January 1981 and (ii) what was the cause of death in each case?
Answer--
(1) (a) King Neptune's Park, Port Macquarie.
(b) Pet Porpoise Pool Pty Ltd, Coffs Harbour.
(c) African Lion Safari, Warragamba.
(2) 10, 8, 11.
(3) (a) (i) 6 (ii) Two refused to eat; one unknown; one
died of an obstruction to the airway; one of old age; one to ulceration (a stranded
specimen).
(b) (i) 5 (ii) One died in pregnancy; one from a viral
invection; one from an injury to the spine; one from a twisted bowel, one from a foreign
object.
(c)(i) 8 (ii) One died by drowning (calf); one choked;
one from orchitis; one from perotinitis and septicaemia; four unknown.
*1227. Mr. Moor asked the Minister for Planning and
Environment --
What standards are imposed by the National Parks and
Wildlife Service on the chemical control of artificial sea water used at any location
where dolphins are kept in captivity in New South Wales?
Answer --
At present there are no standards imposed by the
National Parks and Wildlife Service for the chemical control of artificial sea water. A
conference on the keeping of dolphins in captivity, to be held by the Service in late May,
will consider matters such as this.
*1230. Mr Moore asked the Minister fro Planning and
Environment --
(1) How many infant dolphins have been born in
captivity in New South Wales since 1972?
(2) With respect to each such birth, what is the
condition of the offspring as at the 30th of December 1981?
Answer --
(1) 2
(2) One animal, born in 1979, was still alive and
healthy aged 16 months at 30 March, 1981. The other, born in 1980, died by drowing shortly
after birth.
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