Park gets all-clear on ‘suicidal’ dolphin

South China Morning Post，2013/7/18

The police have closed their file on alleged mistreatment of an Ocean Park dolphin after government vets found no evidence of wrongdoing, the theme park says.

There was a public outcry in May when a video was posted on YouTube showing Pinky, a 14-year-old female Indo-Pacific bottlenose dolphin, slamming herself against a pool wall amid claims she was trying to kill herself.

The park said officials noted that this was play behaviour seen in both wild and captive dolphins. “Investigations conducted by the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department noted that there was no abnormality seen in any of the dolphins, including Pinky,” Ocean Park said in a three-page statement released yesterday.

Civic Party lawmaker Claudia Mo Man-ching had asked the police to check whether Pinky had been subjected to animal abuse.

The park said the police wrapped up the case after the department concluded there was no basis to suspect cruelty. The police have not yet responded to inquiries about whether the investigation had been dropped.
The department said its veterinarians visited the park’s Marine Mammal Breeding and Research Centre on May 28 and 30. It would not disclose the investigation report but confirmed the accuracy of the park’s statement.

According to Ocean Park, the department concluded the living environment should not affect Pinky’s behaviour as she was born in captivity and well adapted to her human carers.

The department also found no external wounds on Pinky or any sign that she was in pain.
Suzanne Gendron, executive director of the park’s zoological operations and education department, said Pinky had all along been in an “enrichment programme” that included providing toys that would stimulate her mind.

Dolphin conservationist Samuel Hung Ka-yiu said captivity in itself was already a form of abuse. “It’s like saying there’s no problem enslaving the next generation of slaves.”

Hung said mental illness could not simply be observed and required long-term independent assessment.
Mo demanded the department disclose its report and urged the park to reduce the number of dolphin shows.
“I would hope the investigation could be more transparent,” he added.

“I can only take their word for it as I’m not a veterinarian. I can’t even distinguish which is Pinky.”