The Bachelor NZ Endorses Marine Mammal Cruelty as ‘Romantic’

TV3’s The Bachelor, produced by Mediaworks NZ, has taken its contestants to SeaWorld Australia in a hope to find true love. However, all they found there were captive dolphins held in inhumane conditions forced to perform for human enjoyment.

Daren Grover, General Manager of marine mammal welfare charity Project Jonah, said he was “incredibly disappointed to see the feeding of captive dolphins promoted on national television as a ‘romantic and enjoyable’ experience”.

“In the wild, dolphins swim many kilometers a day in family groups (called pods) where they socialise with other individuals. They will hunt, feed, breed and socialise in these pods and migrate to different regions depending on the season. SeaWorld takes a few individuals, removes these freedoms and holds them prisoner, forced to perform for human entertainment”.

In New Zealand, all whales and dolphins are protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a law created in 1978 which protects them from being exploited in this way. As a result, most kiwis respect and protect the freedoms and rights that these wild and intelligent animals deserve. “By choosing SeaWorld as a romantic experience for kiwis, The Bachelor chooses to promote this cruelty and slavery”.

Scientific studies have found a huge amount of evidence showing that dolphins in captivity have shorter lifespans, contract more illnesses and would not be able to re-socialise if ever returned to the wild. Project Jonah’s Head of Social Media, Louisa Hawkes, stated “Project Jonah and our supporters stand against captive marine mammals being exploited for human entertainment. We are grateful that this will never happen in New Zealand.

However, we are very disappointed that a New Zealand company chooses to promote an activity that is against the law here. We hope that Mediaworks take a long hard look at themselves and consider their role as a responsible broadcaster”.

“They thought this was a romantic day trip? Why couldn’t The Bachelor have promoted New Zealand and viewed these incredible animals in their natural environment?” said Louisa.

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