As you might guess from the recently posted photos, I'm just back from a work trip to Mexico.
On the fourth day, our group was scheduled to visit a "dolphin encounter." When I first saw it on the schedule, it struck me as the highlight of the week—I've never been up close to a dolphin. But on the way over, I began to feel dread. I don't like zoos, and this was no different: animals penned up for the amusement of humans. But I really wanted to do it! My brain kept searching for workarounds. Maybe I needed to participate, in order to write about it. (Not really.) Maybe I was being hypocritical, seeing as how I have a dog. (But pugs could never survive in the wild. And even if they could, already being guilty of one thing hardly excuses you from doing it again.) I wondered if I should go along if only so that I wouldn't ruin the experience for everyone else. Alas, I've never been a fan of martyrdom.
As soon as I saw the dolphins swimming around in the enclosure, I knew I couldn't do it. I didn't want to bring everyone else down, though, so I was vague about why I wouldn't be participating. (Consequently, it sounded as if I'd had a bad experience with a dolphin at some point.) No one really gave a shit.
Were the dolphins unhappy? I don't know. They looked like they were enjoying themselves, as the members in my group certainly did. The introductory video had said that the company's dolphins live around 10 years longer than dolphins in the wild, due to a healthier diet, veterinary care, and a less stressful environment. All of that made me wonder whether I was being ridiculous. Then, while I was taking photos of the others, the house vet explained how several of the dolphins had been "born in captivity." Even typing it now, the phrase gives me the creeps. Captivity is a pretty word for an awful thing. The dolphins may not have been unhappy, but I have to believe they would be happier if they were free.
I can't blame anyone else for wanting to be close to a dolphin—they're gorgeous creatures. I sincerely hope to encounter a dolphin one day, but only if it's in the wild, on the dolphin's terms.
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