Another dolphin park in Muğla shuts down

Emin Mert Kırarslan - ISTANBUL

A dolphin show center operating in the southwestern province of Muğla’s Marmaris district, where five dolphins died within one-and-a-half years, has been finally closed for good.

Dolphins, which are used especially in entertainment centers in tourist places, for marriage proposals, photo shoots, or as part of therapy support for disabled people and children, are exploited under severe conditions in several centers.

According to official records, five of the dolphins kept in the pools of Onmega Dolphin Park in Marmaris had died in the past one-and-a-half years.

A criminal complaint was filed by animal rights platforms in July 2022 against Onmega Dolphin Park officials after the death of the dolphins named “Splash” and “Jonas.”

The municipality had temporarily suspended the activities of the center, and the last dolphins “Daisy” and “Eva” were sent to another dolphin park in the southern province of Antalya.

Recently the park has been closed for good.

Onmega Dolphin Park became the third dolphin show center that has been closed in Türkiye after the ones in Muğla’s Fethiye district and Antalya’s Kaş district.

Elena Gerasimova, the manager of the dolphin center, said that there was no court decision regarding the closure, and after the dolphin deaths, they had to close the park because they could not increase the dolphin capacity in accordance with the Animal Protection Law.

Öykü Yağcı, the founder of the Freedom for Dolphins Platform, stated that they learned “Daisy” was sick and said they are worried about her condition.

She noted that currently, there are seven dolphin parks in Türkiye, and the parks are allowed to stay open for 10 more years.

She emphasized that animals are subjected to abuse and exploitation in these parks, and all dolphin parks should be closed without waiting for the 10-year period.