Dolphins Go Wild in Back to the Blue Project to Free Captive Marine Mammals David Kirby - TakePart
go to original June 4, 2015

The Back to the Blue project not only aimed to rescue these two individuals from an appalling situation but also to highlight the plight of captive dolphins and the repercussions of the increasing impact of ‘swim-with’ opportunities on the animals concerned. (Born Free Foundation)

A new report on the successful rehabilitation and release of wild-caught dolphins could well become the how-to manual for other efforts to “rewild” marine mammals at aquariums around the world.

The paper documents in step-by-step detail the Born Free Foundation’s two-year project in which it rescued two dolphins from a squalid facility in Turkey, prepared them for life in the sea, and monitored them after their release.

“This report sets a new precedent that it is possible to rehabilitate and release former captive dolphins and ensure their survival in the wild,” Daniel Turner, programs manager for captive wild animals/policy at Born Free, said in an email.

He said the results demonstrate that even captive-bred animals can be retired from theme parks and retrained to live in enclosed coastal sanctuaries. “The example of Misha and Tom ensures a viable solution for the more than 300 captive cetaceans in Europe and the more than 2,500 animals worldwide,” Turner said.

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