Environment (Semarena) minister Omar Ramirez of Santo Domingo has called upon his government to prosecute owners of the company Parques Tropicales for illegally importing four bottlenose dolphins from Cuba to its tourist attraction at Dolphin Island Park. This was in violation of administrative procedures established by the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species (CITES), which regulates commerce and import. Not only had Semarena denied the company a permit just last year, but previous dolphin deaths had been reportedly been caused by maltreatment in captivity at the dolphin park.

Although the four Cuban dolphins have the attention of Semarena and the Dominican public, they need to be confiscated and returned to their home waters. Some in the captive industry are hovering over the mammals--who are still wild and have never been trained--and they need to be safely rescued, rehabilitated and released.

Dolphin Rescuers Ready to Help!

Ric O'Barry and Save Japan Dolphins Coalition, of which IDA is a member, have been successful in such efforts in Nicaragua, Colombia, Guatemala, Haiti and Brazil, and want to ensure their freedom and safety of the "Cuban Four."

What You Can Do:

Please "Take Action" and write to Mr. Omar Ramirez and congratulate him for taking action against Parques Tropicales, and urge him to confiscate the "Cuban Four."