In 2009, off the coast of South Korea, a dolphin was accidentally caught in a fishing net. But rather than being freed and released (as required by law), she was illegally sold into captivity to the Pacific Land aquarium.

Named Sampal, the 10-year-old dolphin was forced to perform in the aquarium’s shows. Along with two other dolphins, she lived in captivity in a small pool and was kept hungry, forced to perform tricks every day to earn her food.

Over the course of four years, Sampal’s plight garnered attention. Activists, biologists and the mayor of Seoul all called for the dolphin’s release from captivity, citing the injustice of her confinement.

A year ago, facing mounting pressure, the Korean High Court finally ordered that Sampal and her two companions be set free. Rehabilitation specialists began to prepare the animals for release, but feared the dolphins had lost their survival skills, and would therefore need training before returning to the wild.

Several organizations, including the Korean Animal Welfare Association, Ewha University and the Cetacean Research Center teamed up to help with the rehabilitation process.

Ric O’Barry, director of Earth Island Institute’s Dolphin Project, even visited the cetaceans to assess their condition. He was pleased with their progress, though at the time he noted, “They need to be un-trained what they learned at Pacific Land and retaught how to live in the ocean.”

This is where the story gets really good.

According to Treehugger, Sampal and the others were placed in a netted sea pen as part of her preparation. But months before the planned release, which was scheduled for later this summer, Sampal took matters into her own fins.

On June 22, the netting in the pen tore, and she managed to escape by squeezing through the small hole, an amazing feat considering that dolphins generally avoid swimming in tight spaces. At first she hovered outside the pen, but as handlers arrived to investigate the situation, she swam into the open water and did not return.

Concerned about her welfare and whether she still knew how to survive in the wild, the rehab crew worked to locate Sampal. Luckily, it didn’t take long for their fears to be put to rest. Researchers from the Cetacean Research Center located Sampal 60 miles away from where she had been held. Not only that, but she was swimming with 50 other dolphins, who are believed to be members of her original pod. After all those years, she was finally home.

O’Barry believes Sampal’s aquarium companions will also fare well. “I think the others will do fine once they are released too,” he said. “They know exactly what to do; they just need the opportunity to do it.”

There’s a powerful lesson here. Although Sampal’s thoughts and decisions remain her own, it seems that Sampal disliked prison as much as anyone would, and craved her freedom and her family, who welcomed her return. Maybe one day, cetacean shows will be a thing of the past, allowing all sea mammals to live freely with their pods, without threats from humans. – China DeSpain

This article appears courtesy of Ecorazzi

Ecorazzi covers news and gossip on celebrities and notables in support of the environment and humanitarian causes. You can follow us on Twitter and Facebook.

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The post Captivity Sucks (and Doesn’t Have to Be Permanent): The Great Dolphin Escape appeared first on EcoSalon.

Costa Rica is freeing the nation’s zoo animals  by next year, seeking a more ‘natural’ experience for its residents and visitors.

One of only four countries in the world that has banned live dolphin performances, Costa Rica recognizes dolphins as non-human persons, and moved away from forcing them to perform in captivity. In 2002, the country also banned circuses that use animals in performances. And now, the Latin American country says it will do the same for all caged zoo animals in the nation’s zoo exhibits.

Costa Rica has no army and spends much of its resources instead on environmental conservation and education. According to the country’s Environment Minister, Rene Castro, capital city San Jose will turn its 97-year-old Simon Bolivar zoo into an educational and environmentally-friendly botanical park next year. The Santa Ana Conservation Center, another zoo west of San Jose, will also close. More than 400 zoo animals from both facilities will be either released into the wild or sent to rescue centers or sanctuaries to live out the rest of their days.

“We’re going to get rid of cages and reinforce the concept of a botanical park so the biodiversity can be shown and interacted with in a natural manner. We don’t want any more captivity, any more caging of animals, unless it’s because they’re being rescued or saved,” said Castro in a bold move that illustrates the inhumane nature of keeping animals in captivity, particularly when so many species are threatened or endangered around the world.

Adding to the emotional decision, Castro shared a memory from his childhood, where his grandmother’s parrot left her porch for good: “One day, we took the parrot out to the patio, and a flock of wild parrots passed, and the parrot went with them,” he told La Nacion. “It made a big impression on me because I thought that we were taking good care of her. We fed her with food and affection. … all these things that we as humans thought she liked. And when she had the chance, she left.”

Zoo animals, while often appear to like their natural-looking exhibits, can experience a number of problems. From zoocosis—a condition that leads to bizarre animal behavior sometimes requiring antidepressant medication—to physical ailments from standing long periods in small enclosures, to diet-related health issues.

The documentary “Blackfish,” which is in theaters now, highlights the terrible tragedy of a SeaWorld trainer killed by Tilikum, the largest orca whale to ever live in captivity. It’s an adept commentary on the archaic practice of keeping animals in cages, or pools, as the case may be.

While considerably more animals each year are imprisoned, tortured and killed for food (tens of billions worldwide), the practice of keeping the planet’s most majestic creatures in cages is no less horrific, and perhaps even less justifiable, particularly in a country like Costa Rica where forests and jungles are naturally abundant in a number of wild animal populations.

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The post Banned: Costa Rica Says Keeping Zoo Animals is not a ‘Natural Experience’ appeared first on EcoSalon.