Save the World's Saddest Dolphins - ACRES needs your help (27 May 2011)
Loading...
Uploaded by DiarySG on May 27, 2011
ACRES needs your help to "Save the World's Saddest Dolphins"
Posted by theonlinecitizen on May 27, 2011
Howard Lee /
At the turn of this year, I interviewed Louis Ng, the Executive Director of the Animals Concerns and Research & Education Society (ACRES), and one of the questions was what ACRES plan to do for the coming year. Ng affirmed ACRES's commitment to campaign for the release of the dolphins headed for Resorts World Sentosa (RWS) as part of its interactive dolphin spa programme.
On 27 May 2011, ACRES delivered on that promise with the launch of the "Save the World's Saddest Dolphins" campaign, which aims to create awareness about the plight of the dolphins through music videos, hence urging people to take action through their own video petitions.
Perhaps they might not really be the saddest dolphins in the world to date, but you can't really doubt the ingenuity of the campaign in exploiting social media. You definitely will not doubt the tenacity of ACRES.
The campaign pivoted on the release of an undercover video of the remaining 25 dolphins (two have died in captivity) in Ocean Adventure marine park in Subic Bay, the Philippines. The filming was not without its challenges. "The main obstacle was getting caught doing it undercover but we managed to view the dolphins and successfully completed the investigations," said Ng.
The campaign goes beyond highlighting the plight of the dolphins in captivity, being trained and prepped for their eventual life at RWS. ACRES's efforts are backed by a detailed report that outlines the errors and pitfalls of keeping wide-ranging wild animals in captivity, including the dangers associated with transmitting diseases to humans. It is not just an animal rights and environmental issue.
The main campaign music video features children and members of the public urging RWS to free the dolphins. Local and foreign bands have produced different covers of the campaign song. "Using social media and by approaching this issue more creatively, we will be able to engage the public more effectively and reach out to a wider audience," said Ng.
"ACRES hope that members of the public will join ACRES in our mission to end this injustice. They may not love animals but they should feel a sense of injustice happening at our doorstep. The dolphins have endured being removed from their homes in the Solomon Islands and stressful transportation. Some of the dolphins watched their family members die, were subjected to living in small, rusty enclosures and endured a year of training sessions. The only thing in store for all of them now is the final stressful transportation to Singapore to entertain RWS guests."
AsiaOne reported that "RWS, which runs Singapore's first casino as well as the adjacent Universal Studios theme park, had no immediate reaction, saying it was studying the campaign's allegations in detail."
"ACRES hopes that RWS makes a moral decision and let the dolphins go. They believe strongly in CSR (corporate social responsibility) and marine protection and should walk the talk. They should note that even Chris Porter, who sold the wild-caught dolphins to RWS, called for RWS to 'review its motivation for using these animals as a tourist draw'. He was concerned that 'RWS is using the animals primarily to make money while telling the public that its aim is to educate the public on marine conservation.'"
But the message is meant not just for RWS, but also for our government, as our representative in the global community. Ng hopes that "the Singapore government will follow the progressive example set by other countries (such as Chile and Costa Rica) and ban the capture and display of dolphins, recognising that these animals belong in the vast open oceans."
"They should also heed the advice given by Mexican Senator Jorge Legorreta Ordorica (Chairman, Committee of Environment, Natural Resources and Fisheries) who urged Singapore to consider Mexico's experience and 'the disturbing mortality' of the animals when evaluating applications for the permits to import such dolphins," Ng says.
With an extensive online campaign, "Save the World's Saddest Dolphins" does have its non-cyberspace initiatives, as ACRES will also be embarking on a series of roadshows. The first roadshow is held at Far East Plaza (Level 2 Concourse) from 27 to 29 May at Far East Plaza, Level 2 Concourse.
To get involved:
Visit the campaign website at http://www.saddestdolphins.com/
Support the campaign on Facebook
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Save-the-Worlds-Saddest-Dolphins/202965303078326
Share the original campaign song with your friends
http://www.saddestdolphins.com/videos/Please%20Let%20the%20Dolphins%20Go.mp3
Write a message or shoot a video about what you think of RWS's dolphin programme and send it to ACRES
Write directly to RWS
http://www.rwsentosa.com/language/en-US/ContactUs
http://theonlinecitizen.com/2011/05/acres-needs-your-help-to-save-the-world%E...
- 9 likes, 2 dislikes
-
- 3:30
Jack and Rai - Please Let the Dolphins Goby ElectricNewPaper1,043 views
- 2:03
Pink Dolphins Performance @ Underwater World Singaporeby 137elaine53,071 views
- 3:15
Resorts World Sentosa wild-caught dolphins with basketballs and hula hoopsby worldsaddestdolphins1,588 views
- 1:24
Message about captive dolphins from Dame Dr. Jane Goodallby worldsaddestdolphins4,068 views
- 2:42
A look behind Taiji's Dolphin Resort walls . . . Dolphins in captivityby bangbangconcept1,373 views
- 0:59
Save the World's Saddest Dolphins by Sufie Hattareenaby worldsaddestdolphins630 views
- 8:21
Guardians of the Sea: Wild Dolphinsby exploreTeam42,222 views
- 13:38
Save the dolphins! - Brigada, GMA 7, Nov 28, 2011by savedolphins100555 views
- 4:05
Harvard's Michael Porter Tell Us How Business Can Win Back Its' Reputation - CSR For Forbes.comby profkjmoore1,948 views
- 3:04
ACRES prevented from filming Resorts World Sentosa wild-caught dolphinsby worldsaddestdolphins1,008 views
- 4:31
Promise of love at the dolphin bayby suishan0361,384 views
- 0:56
Dolphins in the wild - New Zealandby switchit67749 views
- 3:19
Underwater Scenes from the Solomon Islandsby BottomtimeProd552 views
- 0:20
Message to Resorts World Sentosa from Miss Earth Singapore 2010by worldsaddestdolphins1,324 views
- 4:59
Whales & Dolphins in Captivity Worldwideby TheComanchewolf965 views
- 2:22
What's Wrong With Discovery Cove?by SealAngel19,562 views
- 5:42
Vanuatu to Solomon Islands June 2011by williegards468 views
- 0:24
See the RWS dolphins currently undergoing training in The Philippinesby worldsaddestdolphins3,971 views
- 5:33
What to know before visiting a marine parkby 124yuppers4,001 views
- 0:43
The animals save the planetby SIAMETIS2011499 views
Let the dolphins go. Animals are not our property and we cannot do with them whatever we please and wish. Just more prisoners of the human's greed.
ivcho3 1 month ago
Set the poor dolphins free, there can be others entertainment to be replace than dolphins show.
solinng 2 months ago
Please like Animal Organization on Facebook we really appreciate your help, its for a cause
Darennixa 5 months ago
FUCK RESORTS WORLD.
StupidCompanyVEVO 6 months ago
Why people stay stupid!!!! Animals belong in nature and free.
Not in zoo or cages. And not for pleasure of humans.
Ttomorrow all these (bad people) must be gone ..the world would be a lot nicer. And a lot of place...
Iris30081967 8 months ago
Wild animals deserve to be in their own home. Will never EVER enter Resort World Sentosa! The group of management should be caged up and forced to live somewhere far away e.g HELL. What a shame. DISGUSTING MONEY GRUBBERS.
crankylostdonut 9 months ago
THEY ARE ASSHOLES . DEAD FISH?~!?!??!?! GO AND DIE LA IDIOTS. I FEED YOU DEAD FISH/CHICKEN , YOU WANT?!?!?!?!
takoyakix3 9 months ago
they're just babies!
sunnymichele1981 9 months ago