Dolphin kills in India

The Kerala coastline is fast turning into killingfields for dolphins. Several instances of fishermen slaughtering thedolphins and selling the meat have come to light in places likePoonthura near here, Beypore in Kozhikode and Cherai near Kochi.“We have taken up the issue with the authorities but no action hasbeen initiated. The animal is being hunted mainly because anglers areignorant of the law. Dolphins face an uncertain future in Kerala,”conservation campaigner Prof Kunhikkannan said.“The authorities remain silent spectators while hundreds of dolphinsare being slaughtered and sold. Similar is the plight of the oliveridley turtles which is a delicacy for many here,” he said.On Thursday, a dolphin caught in a net was auctioned despite protestsby animal right activists at Poonthura where dolphin slaughtering is aregular affair.A midsized dolphin weighing around 100kg can fetch as much asRs10,000. Most of the time, the meat makes its way to the city hotels.“It’s not that dolphins trapped in the nets alone are killed. I haveseen them being attacked with harpoons and slaughtered,” claimedwildlife photographer Balan.Officials admit having received report of dolphin killings takingplace in Kerala regularly. They, however, claim that the meat is notconsumed in Kerala. It’s a delicacy in some parts of Tamil Nadu andused mostly as baits for sharks elsewhere in the country.“We received some complaints and have issued warnings against catchingdolphins which is protected under the wildlife act. If the dolphinsget trapped in nets, the law demands it be immediately released,”chief conservator of forest (wildlife) V S Varghese said.According to a recent survey, at least 1,000 dolphins are killed everyyear in Kerala mainly due to fishing nets.The state government, meanwhile, is going ahead with its plans todevelop an oceanarium spread over 60 acres at Vypeen near Cherai withprivate participation at a cost of Rs300cr. The proposed oceanarium,which will be launched by 2010, is expected to be the largest insoutheast Asia.The oceanarium, the first in India, will have a 250 meters glasstunnel passing through the sea. A dolphinarium and a general aquariumwill showcase dolphins and different variety of fish from all over theworld. An international marine biological research centre, centre formarine living resources, ecology centre and a convention centre arealso be part of the project.(Source: Gulf Times online, Qatar, UAE)