Ric O'Barry

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Richard "Ric" O'Barry
Richard O'Barry, 2009.jpg
Ric O'Barry, 2009
Born
Richard Barry O'Feldman [1]

(1939-10-14) October 14, 1939 (age 84)
NationalityAmerican
Occupation(s)Founder and director of Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project
Known for Animal rights activist and former animal trainer
Website www.dolphinproject.com

Richard "Ric" O'Barry (born Richard Barry O'Feldman; October 14, 1939) [1] [2] [3] is an American animal rights activist and former animal trainer who was first recognized in the 1960s for capturing and training the five dolphins that were used in the TV series Flipper . O'Barry transitioned from training dolphins to instead advocating against industries that keep dolphins in captivity, after one of the Flipper dolphins died. [4] In 1996, a dolphin was seized from the Sugarloaf Dolphin Sanctuary, a corporation O'Barry worked for, for violating the Animal Welfare Act of 1966. [5] In 1999, he was fined for violating the Marine Mammal Protection Act as the result of illegally releasing two dolphins that were not able to survive in the wild. [6] The dolphins sustained life-threatening injuries.

Contents

In 1970, O'Barry founded the Dolphin Project, a group that aims to educate the public about captivity and, where feasible, free captive dolphins. He was featured in the Academy Award-winning film The Cove (2009), which used covert techniques to expose the yearly dolphin drive hunting that goes on in Taiji, Japan.

Flipper

O'Barry started out capturing and training dolphins for the Miami Seaquarium and through the 1960s became the head trainer for the five dolphins who collectively played Flipper on the popular American TV show, while also serving as stunt double for show cast member Luke Halpin. [2] O'Barry also trained and performed with the orca Hugo at the Miami Seaquarium. [7] [8] When, in early 1970, a few years after production of Flipper had ended, Kathy, the dolphin who most often played Flipper, did not resurface for air, O'Barry considered the possibility that she had committed suicide. He later concluded that capturing, displaying, and training dolphins to perform tricks is wrong. [4]

Activism

On Earth Day in 1970, O'Barry founded Dolphin Project, an organization dedicated to educating the public about the plight of dolphins in captivity. He also pioneered work to demonstrate rehabilitation and release as a viable alternative for captive dolphins. O’Barry has since released over twenty-five captive dolphins in Haiti, Colombia, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Brazil, The Bahamas and the United States.

For more than 40 years, he has spoken about the harmful effects of captivity on dolphins at lectures and conferences around the world. In 1991 in recognition of his contribution to the protection of dolphins, O’Barry received an Environmental Achievement Award, presented by the US Committee for the United Nations Environmental Program. In 2007, Ric and Helene O’Barry became consultants for the Earth Island Institute's International Marine Mammal Project. [9]

O'Barry resigned from his position at the Earth Island Institute in September 2014, due to disagreements with its management regarding the acceptance of funds from the tuna industry, and its use of Fish Aggregation Devices. [10] [11]

O’Barry is co-author of three books, Behind the Dolphin Smile, To Free a Dolphin (both with Keith Colbourne) and most recently Die Bucht about dolphins and the making of The Cove (published in Germany with Hans Peter Roth). O'Barry is a Fellow National in the Explorers Club. Living in Coconut Grove, Florida, [2] O'Barry is Founder and is Director of the non-profit organization, Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project Inc. [12] His Dolphin Project leads an international effort to stop the killing of dolphins, end the trafficking in live dolphins to theme parks and captive swim-with-the-dolphins attractions and continues to lecture and speak out against the captivity industry. [13]

In 2018, O'Barry was noted in the book, Rescuing Ladybugs [14] by author and animal advocate Jennifer Skiff as “the man leading the global fight to protect dolphins” after being moved to action after witnessing the death of a dolphin named Kathy who he had trained while employed by the Miami Seaquarium. [14]

Violation of the Marine Mammal Protection Act

In 1996, O'Barry and Lloyd A. Good III, working on behalf of Sugarloaf Dolphin Sanctuary and The Dolphin Project, violated the Marine Mammal Protection Act, a federal law that prohibits harassment of marine mammals. O'Barry violated federal law by releasing two dolphins that formerly participated in the U.S. Navy's marine mammal training program without properly preparing them for life in the wild. [6] The dolphins, "Luther" and "Buck", were illegally transported without a permit from the U.S. Navy facility in San Diego, California to Key West, Florida despite their lack of skills that O'Barry and Good acknowledged were necessary for survival. As a result of this, Buck and Luther sustained life-threatening injuries and were found emaciated, begging for food, with deep laceration wounds by biologists from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and required capture to nurse them back to health. [15] [16] O'Barry and Good were found guilty and charged civil penalties of $59,500 in 1999.[ citation needed ]

The Cove

O'Barry was featured in the Academy Award-winning feature-length documentary The Cove , directed by Louie Psihoyos which investigates links between the killing, capture, trade and display of dolphins all over the world. The 2009 film centers on Taiji, Wakayama, Japan, drawing attention to the hunt of about 2,000 dolphins taking place there every year. [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25]

O’Barry and his son, Lincoln, created the television series Blood Dolphin$ for Discovery Channel's Animal Planet, which continues on where The Cove left off. [26]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cetacea</span> Infraorder of mammals

Cetacea is an infraorder of aquatic mammals belonging to the order Artiodactyla that includes whales, dolphins, and porpoises. Key characteristics are their fully aquatic lifestyle, streamlined body shape, often large size and exclusively carnivorous diet. They propel themselves through the water with powerful up-and-down movement of their tail which ends in a paddle-like fluke, using their flipper-shaped forelimbs to maneuver.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolphin</span> Marine mammals, closely related to whales and porpoises

A dolphin is an aquatic mammal within the infraorder Cetacea. Dolphin species belong to the families Delphinidae, Platanistidae, Iniidae, Pontoporiidae, and possibly extinct Lipotidae. There are 40 extant species named as dolphins.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Whale</span> Informal group of large marine mammals

Whales(Balaena) are a widely distributed and diverse group of fully aquatic placental marine mammals. As an informal and colloquial grouping, they correspond to large members of the infraorder Cetacea, i.e. all cetaceans apart from dolphins and porpoises. Dolphins and porpoises may be considered whales from a formal, cladistic perspective. Whales, dolphins and porpoises belong to the order Cetartiodactyla, which consists of even-toed ungulates. Their closest non-cetacean living relatives are the hippopotamuses, from which they and other cetaceans diverged about 54 million years ago. The two parvorders of whales, baleen whales (Mysticeti) and toothed whales (Odontoceti), are thought to have had their last common ancestor around 34 million years ago. Mysticetes include four extant (living) families: Balaenopteridae, Balaenidae, Cetotheriidae, and Eschrichtiidae. Odontocetes include the Monodontidae, Physeteridae, Kogiidae, and Ziphiidae, as well as the six families of dolphins and porpoises which are not considered whales in the informal sense.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Porpoise</span> Small cetacean of the family Phocoenidae

Porpoises are small dolphin-like cetaceans classified under the family Phocoenidae. Although similar in appearance to dolphins, they are more closely related to narwhals and belugas than to the true dolphins. There are eight extant species of porpoise, all among the smallest of the toothed whales. Porpoises are distinguished from dolphins by their flattened, spade-shaped teeth distinct from the conical teeth of dolphins, and lack of a pronounced beak, although some dolphins also lack a pronounced beak. Porpoises, and other cetaceans, belong to the clade Cetartiodactyla with even-toed ungulates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">River dolphin</span> Superfamily of dolphins

River dolphins are a polyphyletic group of fully aquatic mammals that reside exclusively in freshwater or brackish water. They are an informal grouping of dolphins, which itself is a paraphyletic group within the infraorder Cetacea. Extant river dolphins are placed in two superfamilies, Platanistoidea and Inioidea. They comprise the families Platanistidae, the recently extinct Lipotidae, Iniidae and Pontoporiidae. There are five extant species of river dolphins. River dolphins, alongside other cetaceans, belong to the clade Artiodactyla, with even-toed ungulates, and their closest living relatives the hippopotamuses, from which they diverged about 40 million years ago. Specific types of dolphins can be pink.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Oceanic dolphin</span> Family of marine mammals

Oceanic dolphins or Delphinidae are a widely distributed family of dolphins that live in the sea. Close to forty extant species are recognised. They include several big species whose common names contain "whale" rather than "dolphin", such as the Globicephalinae. Delphinidae is a family within the superfamily Delphinoidea, which also includes the porpoises (Phocoenidae) and the Monodontidae. River dolphins are relatives of the Delphinoidea.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Toothed whale</span> Parvorder of cetaceans

The toothed whales are a parvorder of cetaceans that includes dolphins, porpoises, and all other whales possessing teeth, such as the beaked whales and sperm whales. 73 species of toothed whales are described. They are one of two living groups of cetaceans, the other being the baleen whales (Mysticeti), which have baleen instead of teeth. The two groups are thought to have diverged around 34 million years ago (mya).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Melon-headed whale</span> Species of mammal

The melon-headed whale, also known less commonly as the electra dolphin, little killer whale, or many-toothed blackfish, is a toothed whale of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). The common name is derived from the head shape. Melon-headed whales are widely distributed throughout deep tropical and subtropical waters worldwide, but they are rarely encountered at sea. They are found near shore mostly around oceanic islands, such as Hawaii, French Polynesia, and the Philippines.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Striped dolphin</span> Species of mammal

The striped dolphin is an extensively researched dolphin found in temperate and tropical waters of all the world's oceans. It is a member of the oceanic dolphin family, Delphinidae.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolphinarium</span> Aquarium for dolphins

A dolphinarium is an aquarium for dolphins. The dolphins are usually kept in a pool, though occasionally they may be kept in pens in the open sea, either for research or public performances. Some dolphinariums consist of one pool where dolphins perform for the public, others are part of larger parks, such as marine mammal parks, zoos or theme parks, with other animals and attractions as well.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Vancouver Aquarium</span> Aquarium in Canada

The Vancouver Aquarium is a public aquarium located in Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. In addition to being a major tourist attraction for Vancouver, the aquarium is a centre for marine research, ocean literacy education, climate activism, conservation and marine animal rehabilitation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cetacean bycatch</span> Accidental capture of porpoises, whales and dolphins

Cetacean bycatch is the accidental capture of non-target cetacean species such as dolphins, porpoises, and whales by fisheries. Bycatch can be caused by entanglement in fishing nets and lines, or direct capture by hooks or in trawl nets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lolita (orca)</span> Female orca (c. 1966–2023)

Lolita, also known as Tokitae, or Toki, and as Sk’aliCh’ehl-tenaut in the Lhaq’temish language of the Lummi nation, was a captive female orca from the southern resident orca community. She had been in captivity at the Miami Seaquarium in the United States since September 24, 1970. At the time of her death, Lolita was the second-oldest orca in captivity after Corky at SeaWorld San Diego.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Miami Seaquarium</span> Zoo in Florida, US

The Miami Seaquarium is a 38-acre (15 ha) oceanarium located on the island of Virginia Key in Biscayne Bay, Miami-Dade County, Florida located near downtown Miami.

<i>The Cove</i> (film) 2009 documentary film

The Cove is a 2009 American documentary film directed by Louie Psihoyos that analyzes and questions dolphin hunting practices in Japan. It was awarded the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2010. The film is a call to action to halt mass dolphin kills and captures, change Japanese fishing practices, and inform and educate the public about captivity and the increasing hazard of mercury poisoning from consuming dolphin meat.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dolphin Research Center</span> Zoo in Florida, United States

The Dolphin Research Center (DRC) is a dolphinarium on Grassy Key, Florida. The 90,000-square-foot (8,400 m2) series of saltwater lagoons is home to several dolphins and California sea lions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Marine conservation activism</span> Non-governmental efforts to bring about change in marine conservation

Marine conservation activism is the efforts of non-governmental organizations and individuals to bring about social and political change in the area of marine conservation. Marine conservation is properly conceived as a set of management strategies for the protection and preservation of ecosystems in oceans and seas. Activists raise public awareness and support for conservation, while pushing governments and corporations to practice sound ocean management, create conservation policy, and enforce existing laws and policy through effective regulation. There are many different kinds of organizations and agencies that work toward these common goals. They all are a part of the growing movement that is ocean conservation. These organizations fight for many causes including stopping pollution, overfishing, whaling and by-catching, and supporting marine protected areas.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taiji dolphin drive hunt</span> Annual event in Taiji, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan

The Taiji dolphin drive hunt is based on driving dolphins and other small cetaceans into a small bay where they can be killed or captured for their meat and for sale to dolphinariums. The new primary killing method is done by cutting the spinal cord of the dolphin, a method that claims to decrease the mammal's time to death. Taiji has a long connection to whaling in Japan. The 2009 documentary film The Cove drew international attention to the hunt. Taiji is the only town in Japan where drive hunting still takes place on a large scale.

Douglas Dean 'Ted' Hammond was an American veterinarian and amusement park consultant based in Asia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lincoln O'Barry</span>

Lincoln O'Barry is an American director, producer and animal rights activist. O'Barry is known for the Animal Planet series Blood Dolphins. He is the son of Ric O'Barry, former Flipper dolphin trainer.

References

  1. 1 2 Profile, earthisland.org. Accessed January 5, 2024.
  2. 1 2 3 O'Barry, Richard; Keith Coulbourn (1988). Behind the Dolphin Smile . Chapel Hill, NC: Algonquin Books of Chapel Hill. ISBN   0-912697-79-2.
  3. ↑ "The Legacy of Flipper". NYMag.com. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  4. 1 2 "Interviews - Richard O'Barry | A Whale Of A Business | FRONTLINE". PBS. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  5. ↑ Dolphin Removed From Unsafe Conditions at Sugarloaf, publicaffairs.noaa.gov. Accessed January 4, 2024.
  6. 1 2 In the Matter of: Richard O'Barry, Lloyd A. Good, III, Sugarloaf Dolphin Sanctuary, Inc., The Dolphin Project, Inc., Respondents, animallaw.info. Accessed January 4, 2024.
  7. ↑ Colby, Jason M. (2018). Orca: how we came to know and love the ocean's greatest predator. Oxford: Oxford University Press. p. 311. ISBN   9780190673116.
  8. ↑ "About Ric O'Barry". Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project. 2023. Retrieved August 19, 2023.
  9. ↑ Earth Island Institute Annual Report, earthisland.org. Accessed January 4, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Fundraising, FADS, "dolphin safe," & why Ric O'Barry left Earth Island Institute". Animals 24-7. December 23, 2014. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  11. ↑ "An Urgent Message From Ric O'Barry | Ric O'Barry's Dolphin Project". dolphinproject.net. January 3, 2015. Retrieved October 20, 2017.
  12. ↑ Gonzalez, David (July 3, 2001). "Santa Lucía Journal; Flipper's Trainer in Crusade Against Dolphin Exploitation". The New York Times. Retrieved May 22, 2010.
  13. ↑ "International Marine Mammal Project - Earth Island Institute". Earthisland.org. Retrieved February 5, 2014.
  14. 1 2 Jennifer Skiff, Rescuing Ladybugs: Inspirational Encounters with Animals That Changed the World, New World Library, 2018, pp. 188, 191
  15. ↑ The Sugarloaf Dolphin Releases, marineanimalwelfare.blogspot.com. Accessed January 4, 2024.
  16. ↑ Marine Mammal Law - Dolphin Research Center, dolphins.org. Accessed January 4, 2024.
  17. ↑ Toshihide Iwasaki and Hidehiro Kato. "Japan Progress Report on Small Cetacean Researches; May 2000 to May 2001" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  18. ↑ Toshihide Iwasaki. "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; June 2001 to April 2002" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  19. ↑ Toshihide Iwasaki. "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; May 2002 to March 2003" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  20. ↑ "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; April 2003 to April 2004" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  21. ↑ "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; May 2004 to April 2005" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  22. ↑ Toshihide Iwasaki. "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; May 2005 to April 2006, with statistical data for the calendar year 2005" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  23. ↑ Toshihide Iwasaki. "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; May 2006 to March 2007, with statistical data for the calendar year 2006" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  24. ↑ Toshihide Iwasaki. "Japan. Progress report on small cetacean research; April 2007 to March 2008, with statistical data for the calendar year 2007" (PDF). Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries. Retrieved December 22, 2009.
  25. ↑ Emami, Gazelle (March 8, 2010). "'The Cove' Oscar Speech Gets Cut Off For Activist Message" (PDF). The Huffington Post. Retrieved January 17, 2011.
  26. ↑ Blood Dolphin$, imdb.com. Accessed January 4, 2024.
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