More sad footage shames Indonesia’s infamous travelling dolphin circuses 29 August 2017

The latest footage of the world's only travelling dolphin circuses show the animals are cruelly starved and abused in the name of education.

A new report by Channel News Asia shows nearly 100 dolphins in Indonesia continue to be forced to perform in travelling circuses.

The dolphins are deprived of food, kept in a tiny pool and exposed to highly-stressful levels of noise. After a period of around a month in one place, they are transported by truck and even by plane to the next location.

Earlier this year, an Animals Asia campaign asking Indonesian airline Sriwijawa Air to end their complicity in the cruelty gathered more than 36,000 signatures, but the airline has continued to profit from animal suffering.

Experts say the conditions in which the animals are kept will eventually result in early deaths, but government officials back the trade arguing it provides an educational service.

Animals Asia's Animal Welfare Director Dave Neale said:

"The idea that these shows raise awareness about dolphins that somehow protects wild populations is utterly preposterous. These animals are taken from the wild and when they die young, the circuses simply pay for others to be caught too. The circuses have absolutely the opposite effect – they are a threat to wild populations and provide no educational value whatsoever."

Earlier this year, footage taken by Scorpion Foundation, a group based in Indonesia whose investigations are part-funded by Animals Asia, was released.

The video revealed the dolphins spend much of the performance out of the water, risking drying skin or cuts which can breed infections and even had to pose for selfies with the audience.

Animals Asia Founder and CEO, Jill Robinson MBE said:

"No animal was born to perform, but travelling dolphin circuses are responsible for some of the worst animal abuse in the performance industry. They lie to our children, teaching them absolute nonsense about the behaviour of these incredible animals, and ultimately they are harming wild populations. If we can get the airline Sriwijawa Air to end their association with animal cruelty, we'll be one step closer to stamping out a toxic industry."

Sriwijawa Air's cruel dolphin flights were first exposed by Jakarta Animal Aid Network (JAAN) which is part of the Asia for Animals (AfA) network alongside Animals Asia.

JAAN's work locally, in partnership with the Dolphin Project, has meant that within Indonesia, celebrities and thousands of animal lovers are already demanding an end to this practice.

Now you can help apply greater international pressure and further shine a light on this cruelty.