The animal protection group, the Born Free Foundation, says it successfully has forced the suspension of any further recording of the ‘Dolphins with the Stars’ series at Zoomarine in Guia.
Born Free and the Dolphinaria-Free Europe Coalition complained at government level at the exploitation of dolphins at Zoomarine for the purposes of the TV show:
"The exploitative practices of the TV show contradicted the zoo's legal requirements that dictate a commitment to species conservation, meaningful public education and species-specific animal welfare. It was clear that the use of Zoomarine's bottlenose dolphins would be in breach of those requirements."
The show was to be shown on SIC and has involved the training of captive dolphins by celebrities to perform tricks in front of live audiences.
Animal rights groups said the dolphin show exploited the animals and clearly was in violation of Portugal’s legislation protecting animals from maltreatment in zoos.
The broadcaster and the zoo had claimed that the show had ‘had educational and scientific value’ a claim rubbished by campaigners.
‘Dolphins with the Stars’ already has been seen by viewers in Lithuania. Italy and Spain have bought broadcast rights to the programme whose trailer explains that ten celebrities each team up with a dolphin and they ‘live together’ for a month undergoing training before each pair is judged by a live audience.
The Portuguese version of the programme was being filmed at Zoomarine in Guia with a broadcast date in June on national TV.
Daniel Turner from the Born Free Foundation said "We are delighted to hear the news. We weren't able to stop it in Lithuania, but the Portuguese were much more receptive. They have very good legislation for zoos that prevents the over-exploitation of animals."
The filming of the show was underway, although it is thought that the celebrities had not yet been paired up with their dolphins.
SIC and Zoomarine advised media they had suspended filming on the advice of the Institute for Nature Conservation and Forests and the National Authority for Animal Health but expressed disappointment with the decision.
A press release stated that they had gone to great lengths to strengthen the educational and scientific elements of the show. The aim had been to "increase understanding of this magnificent marine species" and thus promote marine conservation. Ensuring the health of the dolphins had been of paramount importance.
According to campaigners, more than 300 whales and dolphins are kept in zoos and theme parks in 15 European countries.
Turner said, "whales and dolphins are hugely intelligent and social species, which when deprived of space and environmental complexity, develop abnormal behaviours such as stereotypic behaviour -repetitive behaviour without any reason - heightened aggression and in some cases, early mortality."
The majority of dolphins are born in captivity as EC law prevents the capture of wild cetaceans from european waters for commercial purposes such as keeping them in a tank and charging people to look at them.
According to the Born Free Foundation there are "few restrictions to importing animals caught in the wild from outside the EU."
